So...crab pots

I use leaded line.  Non-weighted line alone tangled like crazy for me, and with weights it was even worse.

I have 10,25, and 50 foot sections with splices on each end and adjust based on where I'm going.  Splicing leaded line can be pretty annoying but is worth it I think.   Only got to do it once and you are done.

I use leaded line.  Non-weighted line alone tangled like crazy for me, and with weights it was even worse.

I have 10,25, and 50 foot sections with splices on each end and adjust based on where I'm going.  Splicing leaded line can be pretty annoying but is worth it I think.   Only got to do it once and you are done.

I'll second the leaded line. So much easier to deal with because it sinks, its stiffer with and you won't tangle any propellers. If you buy a long roll it isn't too expensive:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SMGVUOY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had the patience to make one spliced loop and then I just tied loops on the ends of my ropes. Both work fine for me. 50' should be good for most spots and as bdon mentioned you can join 2 ropes together if you want to go deeper. The times I went deeper at HMB and Doran wasn't really any better, just a longer paddle and more work to pull up the traps. I use two pieces of scrap copper wire (free gear ties) to wrap around my coils of rope to keep them neat on the yak.

Anyone got a good tutorial on how to splice the ends of leaded rope?

I attach a key ring to a fishing weight and slip it onto my line to keep it from floating. It works good if you don't want lead core.

Head to bass pro, select atleast 3 of the conical shaped rings so they crawl up/over and have a tough time getting out. Use the leaded line, good bait traps/bait bags that you’ll zip tie in the middle. Whatever you use for bait, just make sure you’ve got some squid. Find sand on the bottom and have at it. Took me 1 season to find some productive marks.  Good luck 👍.

 Me... I use 1 trap and 3 conical rings. Stack the rings in front and the trap is right behind my seat.  I check the rings every 25 minutes or so.  The trap soaks for hours.

Anyone got a good tutorial on how to splice the ends of leaded rope?

It's the same as any 3 strand rope.



It's a little confusing the first time, but once you get it you can knock them out pretty fast.  Keep things tight and get a pencil or poker or something to create the holes to pass the strands through as that's what caused blisters for me. 

I love crabbing, Kayak crabbing is still new to me, but bait I've had good luck with is almost anything, fish carcasses, chicken, squid mackerel, sardines all good.

I use leaded line, I don't have it spliced , I just have 100 foot of it and one danielson box with the hole in the top bent open to regulation size.  I had pretty good luck just placing it on the back of my outback under the bungees, but something like a pvc pipe would work really well.

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. 

I agree. But I am wondering what other places there are to do this. Here in Monterey I have to paddle out pretty fay. Is there a good place to do this within the Monterey Bay without having to drive hrs?

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. 

I agree. But I am wondering what other places there are to do this. Here in Monterey I have to paddle out pretty fay. Is there a good place to do this within the Monterey Bay without having to drive hrs?

I've caught a Sheepshead Crab about a mile out from Capitola Warf once lol.  no dungees though.

... Is there a good place to do this within the Monterey Bay without having to drive hrs?

Wondering about this too...

Bumping my own thread. I must be breaking some etiquette but didn’t want to start another one.

I know the late fall salmon season is in full swing, Eddie 1 and 2 are dragging up door mats and we have ghosts popping up out of the fog but.....crab pots.

I had everything I needed last season because an NCKAer was nice enough to let me borrow all his gear but I never made it out. Hoping to try this year...

Anyone use the ones from Lester’s? They are expensive but I like that they are made local.

https://lesterscrabpots.com/products/the-lincoln-kayak-crab-pot

Hoping to revive this thread as a repository for crabbing info. Thanks.

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.

Did you end up doing this last year? I’m also wondering about an o/n or multi day soak off the Marin coast...

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.

Did you end up doing this last year? I’m also wondering about an o/n or multi day soak off the Marin coast...

I ran pots for a couple whole seasons out of HMB in the shallows.  We split a string of 6 weighted Danielsons between 3 kayakers.  We just coordinated who checked them when, and where the pots were last left.  Even with 3 of us, it was a lot of work to check them regularly, and sometimes they'd go a couple weeks without being checked, especially if the weather came up.  If a really big swell came up, we'd pull them for a few days. We would often let friends check them, as long as they re-baited the pots.  We did lose 2-3 pots a season.  Pretty much guaranteed 2 limits a trip, often times had more, and sometimes had to rebait and soak them an extra hour or 2 to top the limits off, especially later in the season when the season slowed or we were down some pots.   Man, this is bringing up memories of CDM/Antonio, as he more often than not joined me when I'd otherwise be checking them solo.  I miss Antonio.

A few times we had some pots walk in shallower after a swell event, if we weren't able to pull them.  Sometimes, the pots would be buried and stuck.  If it wasn't for a friendly local commercial guy who ran a string shallow, they might still be stuck!  He'd run them through his davit and cranked on them.  We made friends with him early on by running off some poachers from his pots, and letting him know.  After that, he kept an eye on us, and helped us when we needed.  If he wasn't around, we'd let the stuck pots sit until the next time he was around.  Sometimes they'd free themselves after letting the swell work on them for a few days.  I'd always ask him what slip he was in so I could leave him a 6 pack, but he never did tell me.

-Allen

Bumping my own thread. I must be breaking some etiquette but didn’t want to start another one.

I know the late fall salmon season is in full swing, Eddie 1 and 2 are dragging up door mats and we have ghosts popping up out of the fog but.....crab pots.

I had everything I needed last season because an NCKAer was nice enough to let me borrow all his gear but I never made it out. Hoping to try this year...

Anyone use the ones from Lester’s? They are expensive but I like that they are made local.

https://lesterscrabpots.com/products/the-lincoln-kayak-crab-pot

Hoping to revive this thread as a repository for crabbing info. Thanks.

Looks like a super heavy option, but not that much more than a Danielson (8.82 vs. “the Lincoln’s” 10) and it looks like it does not have the required rot away ring, so it would need modifications before it was legal to use.

Aloha,

Isao

I started with a common 5/16" Lead Core Rope and changed to 1/4" lead core rope.  1/4" rope provides adequate strength for crab traps and lobster hoop nets.  1/4" rope saves space and easier to handle. https://www.amazon.com/KUFA-Sports-Lead-Core-Rope/dp/B016EGC1NC/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=leaded+line&qid=1602083358&sr=8-13
Also, I used a Scotty #750 Trap-Ease Trap Roller for easier pulling for deep drops.  https://www.amazon.com/Scotty-Trap-Ease-Trap-Roller-Mount/dp/B001M4HT84/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=trap+puller&qid=1602083602&sr=8-2

Paul