Crabbing Help

[sleestac]

Ok I am modest.  I cant crab!    

I am in Ft Walton Beach area.

I picked up one of those box traps and filled it with chicken thighs.  Bropped it in about 6-7' water off of dock.  Went back next day and all my chicken was gone but had 5 fish, Pinheads I think.  I read somewhere here the logic was, chickens dont live in water, but fish do.  So I placed the fish in the bait well and nothing.  It has just started getting realy cold here.  Is it my location, time of year, bait...

Do I need to gou out into the bay?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Carl (AKA:  Cant Crab)

[R D]

some of the locals may be able to help you better, what kind of box trap,a commercial trap?a picture of it would help, right now over there the crabs should be hanging out close to channels and gullys,maybe not in them but close and getting ready to go to deeper water

[jeff l]

I am new to crabbing to ,about 3 months. I also crab of the dock and did very well. I have noticed the amount of crabs has slowed down. I will soon bring them to deeper water and hopfully it will get better. I bought a 50# box of pogee for $ 16.00 at a local marina.Which is great I have bait all the time for cheap. before that I used any rotten meat I had, fish guts, chicken----for me pogees catch more crabs and are a lot cleaner then chicken. I don't know if its the same in your area, but this is what I do in Louisiana.

Oh chicken thighs or really messy and break up really quick. Also try old stinky fish .any trash fish I catch in the traps ,I kill and stuff them in the bait box.

[jeff l]

one more thing make sure your bait box is down . Some times I catch fish rather then crabs if the is not laying completly down on the ground, or the crabs could get out. You could also weight the trap with re-bar and wire ties.

[sleestac]

It is a box type i bought at walmart.  about 30" x 24"  has a baitwell at the top.  On the sides are funnel shapped openings.  I think I will need to go out into the bay. 

The lady at the local fish market says her "crab man" has been catching some big ones this month.

[R D]

here's the problem,we still don't know if it is a pinfish trap or a crab trap,is it 1 inch mesh or 1 1/2,is there a baffle in it to make 2 chambers,are the funnels veritcal or horizontal,how tall is it?

[sleestac]

oops sorry.

It is 25" x 24" x 16"H.  The mesh is 2"x 1.5".  The funnel openings are horizontal and have another funnel opening inside and below that leads to a lower chamber.  Hope this helps. 


Another question.  I did a search on trotlines and found this excellent article.  http://www.blue-crab.org/crabbing/trotline.html

Question  is...how long would you leave it in the water before checking it?

Thanks

[R D]

That helps, that is what Jeff was saying,you are fishing your trap upside down..........bait box is on the bottom,make sure the funnels are open just enough to slide your hand in and slighly egg shaped, from what I seen of trotlines they check it as soon as they get it set out

[frostydog]

I had the same problem.  Couldnt catch a thing.  I was throwing the trap in upside down.  Bait was gone no crabs.  Weighted the trap so the bait box was down and the catch was on.  I live on Navarre beach and usually throw my traps out in the sound.  As far as numbers go.  I havent seen anything real consistant.  Some days good some not so good.  Good to see I'm not the only one who didnt know what end was up!  Good luck. 

[sleestac]

I had the same problem.  Couldnt catch a thing.  I was throwing the trap in upside down.  Bait was gone no crabs.  Weighted the trap so the bait box was down and the catch was on.  I live on Navarre beach and usually throw my traps out in the sound.  As far as numbers go.  I havent seen anything real consistant.  Some days good some not so good.  Good to see I'm not the only one who didnt know what end was up!  Good luck. 

Are you putting in on the mainland side, Island or bridge?

[frostydog]

I throw out from the island side mostly.  I have thrown from the bridge across from Juana's but usually do better from the island side.  Havent tried from the mainland side since I live on the island.  Did see some folks doing well from the soundside of hurlburt.  I havent lived out here long enough to gauge the seasonal catch so I'm pretty much learning as I go.