So...crab pots

Hi All,
I’ve never gone crabbing off a kayak before and with the Dungy season opening 11/3, I’ve been wondering about what I need and where I can go. I have a Revo 13 so not a ton of room and not as wide and stable as other boats, so....what kind of pots should I get? What do I need to know? Thanks!

I’m wondering the same and hope to get on the crabbing. Reading and searching for info so following along.

A good jumping off point ... http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?page=18

Another great write up on rigging etc. https://coastsidefishingclub.com/grey-beard-articles/crabbing-guide/

Brah, I have two traps that you can rig...I use the square 24" box traps...I put rebar to hold to the bottom, you want to try em'?  I just gear tie em' and go... I know there are more simple systems.  Check out Moo's crabbing vids, I think he has the other traps...when we crab we check em' every 45 minutes and move them if no good.  Doran beach is gonna be my friend this year I hope...maybe Bo but I am not sure...more stinson maybe, or Muir...

Your 1st time out? Take only 1 pot.
There is a learning curve and there are a lot of things that will happen that you didn't think of happening.
Once you get really comfortable with one then bump it up.
No sense in struggling and having a bad experience your first time out.
You have the entire season for that. 

Some people like to to combo trips and fish while their pots are soaking. I use hoop type traps that require frequent checking. I spread out 4-5 traps and spend the day paddling between them and moving them if needed. The most difficult part can be making room to store the marker buoys. The bigger they are the easier they can be to locate if the swell is up, and the harder to fit on a kayak. Make sure you have an easy to use gps so you can find your pots.

... searching for info so following along.

Me three...

I use ambush pots.  They are really easy to stack and nest very flat.  I put two on the front hatch of my Revo and they are pretty stable.  I also have a piece of PVC pipe that fits into the mast hole that goes through the pots and keeps them from sliding off.  That said: I agree with Tote.  Start with a single pot until you have a little experience.

What's everyone thoughts on leaving out traps for the whole season?  Checking 2-3 times a week.

I'm thinking the Danielson ones instead of going fancier/more sturdy in case someone steals them.  Adding 5 pounds of weight. 

I know I'll get poached at some point, but since I live so close to a decent spot I was thinking of trying it out with 2 traps and seeing out things go.  Check them before/after work.

What's everyone thoughts on leaving out traps for the whole season?  Checking 2-3 times a week.

I'm thinking the Danielson ones instead of going fancier/more sturdy in case someone steals them.  Adding 5 pounds of weight. 

I know I'll get poached at some point, but since I live so close to a decent spot I was thinking of trying it out with 2 traps and seeing out things go.  Check them before/after work.

If the crabbing is good early in the season a small group of my buddies leave 4 or 5 traps out and at least one of us checks and rebaits them every day.  Pull them if the ocean will get big because they walk and you'll lose them.  We get raided all the time, it's just a part of the game.  We will lose a trap every now and then but normally they are just raided, not outright stolen.

If Petaluma is more convenient than Eddie's place on your way to the beach, you can always swing by and borrow mine. I have a couple of Danielson's and a couple of hoops all rigged up and ready to go. I decided crabbing was too much like work so I probably won't be using them much this season.

If Petaluma is more convenient than Eddie's place on your way to the beach, you can always swing by and borrow mine. I have a couple of Danielson's and a couple of hoops all rigged up and ready to go. I decided crabbing was too much like work so I probably won't be using them much this season.

Funny...I reference marriage often in crabbing conversations.  It is the seafood that my wife truly wants the most of.  It is the hardest work of all the species, the least fulfilling in battle and the most tedious and messy to process and serve.  This year I hope to overwhelm the household with crab harvest, while working on that marriage...

That IS funny, my wife LOVES crab, so that used to be a big motivation, but then I realized Petaluma Market is a lot closer than Doran Beach so she still gets crab and I can spend the day fishing instead.

Would like to re-surface this thread than posting a new one.  Can anyone shed some light on their favorite trap line?

1. What's the best type of sinking line? or is non-weighted line + sinkers attached preferred
2.  For HMB and Pacifica, does anyone ever use more than 50ft?