topless pots

[9inchrecord]

what kind of success do you guys get with topless pots? i think im gonna get a few of them this season...

[captaincrab55]

what kind of success do you guys get with topless pots? i think im gonna get a few of them this season...

Do  you mean topless traps?

[9inchrecord]

yes sorry bout that

[captaincrab55]

Topless Traps work  GREAT.....    You do need to learn the ins & outs.   Good Luck...

[9inchrecord]

any insight on the "Ins and Outs"

[jeff l]

I would like to know to, Billnorthup and I are going to split a dozen, and try them out.

[briancrabber]

Is it just the pull factor (straight up and quick) or is there more to it. I too am going to try these this year.

[tattoo]

GOOD luck , you will like them. just remember you have to pull up fast so the crab stays in the trap.

[marysue1227]

I was wondering how you liked your topless traps. I got them recently and I love them. They are easy to bait and put out and easy to pack up. They are also easy to transport and store. Since they stack inside of each other they take up a lot less room. You do have to pull them up fast because crabs do climb out of them if you don't.

[Crabcruncher]

I would start out using them at a specific depth, say 8 to 10 ft. The night before I would adjust the length of line from the OPEN trap to the float to be about 12 ft. With the trap open on  your floor, mark the line every three feet so you can adjust it on the water if you crab in different depths.
The line ends on the new trap doors should be burnt to prevent knot slippage. Check the door hinge hog rings, some may not be crimped completely, and will come off when using traps. Keep extra onboard with pliers.
When pulling traps, the line will cut your hands if it is too small a diameter. Either use 1/4 inch line, or wear water resistant gloves.
When dropping traps in water, make sure you dont throw them, which can cause door lines to tangle.
Keep enough distance between traps to maneuver boat to next one in line.
Bring enough bait to rebait traps three times.
If using traps with bait springs, place a one by six inch piece of hardware cloth secured under springs to prevent bait theft, makes it harder for crabs to remove it. Some have taken springs off and replaced them with bungee snoods used on trotlines, this will make them totally theft proof.
If not catching crabs after two pulls, move to another location. The traps will tell you where the crabs are. Observe the areas where you are catching them and place other traps in similar locations.
Try to keep pilot of crabbing boat halfway sober.

Cc

[karlt]

Anyone ever attach bait to the 4 doors?

[marysue1227]

Anyone ever attach bait to the 4 doors?

Not sure why you would want to attach bait to the doors. Then the crabs are outside of the trap and when you pull the doors they probably will just run off. Have you every tried it.

[BOTTOM FEEDER]

Anyone ever attach bait to the 4 doors?

                   YES DON'T TELL EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!1 AND YES IT DOES WORK,EVER NOTICE A CRAB UPSIDE DOWN IN THE TRAP??THATS CAUSE HE WAS ON THE SIDE DOOR AND GOT FLIPED IN. I DON'T DO IT OFFEN, BUT SURE SEEMS TO WORK.

[tattoo]

I would need alot of bait to do all four doors on 30 traps. 

[k23john]

Does any one have any plans for these traps I would like to build a few in the off season and give them a try next year/John

[Seanile]

Here ya go, thanks to "Old Crabber":

http://home.clearviewcatv.net/nosyher/photo.html

[Seanile]

Not sure why you would want to attach bait to the doors. Then the crabs are outside of the trap and when you pull the doors they probably will just run off. Have you every tried it.

Attach the bait near the "hinge" (I use rubber bands), like BF said - that way they "flip" into the trap if they're sittin' on a door. Use a small piece of neck, works well when there's heavy crabbing pressure nearby, like on a pier.


Multiple crabs are not uncommon with this method.

[k23john]

Thanks Seanile just what I was looking for. /John

[CrabDog]

I bought 20 topless traps that CrabbyDaddy built based on Old Crabber's plans and they are heavy duty and awesome.  Definitely catch more crabs once you get the hang of pulling them.  They always outcatch my box traps.  Space saving and stackable in a small boat is a premimium.  Baiting them with the bait springs is done in seconds putting them out is fast and picking up is fast since they stack.  I am ready to get 10 more this fall / winter.  Capt Bruce and KCrabpots make nice traps and they sell on here.  I would reccommend them, buut don't tell anyone else.  If you bait the doors, like Bottom feeder does you better buy 20 lbs of necks per trip. I will double bait 2 necks in each trap and it helps.  1/3 of my crabs I catch are upside down which means they were on the doors reaching into the bait and get flipped into the trap.  those are crabs you would not catch on a box trap.

.........Cdog

[CaptainHook]

Besides where I got my traps from I would have to say that I have had the exact same experience as crabdog!

[CrabmanC27C]

 IMO , Most of the Mumbos get out.Have a dip net handy in case,get mmm.

[anchor]

imho, if you lose alot of mumbos then you must be pulling the traps to slow 

[REDHEAD7]

WHERE CAN I BUY SOME OF THESE TRAPS? AND HOW MUCH ARE THEY ABOUT? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

[Seanile]

REDHEAD7 - Check out  this thread:

http://www.bluecrab.info/forum/index.php/topic,20102.0.html

[REDHEAD7]

thanks seanile for the reply...........