Crab pots? how do the big ones get in?

[NY Crab Lover]

We have otter go in pots and sometimes a seaturtle will stick his head in and both will round out the funnel like one of Jack's pictures,all your crabs will swim back out

[dang] turtles

[oldsunbear]

OK! I finally have proof the BIG ones CAN get into my crab pots 

Last night I dropped two pots, one in a tiny pond that get refreshed with salt water just every so often from really high storm surge
and one in a little inlet that seems like a pond but is somehow affected by the tide.
Checked them this morning
I got nothing but a redear turtle in in the tiny pond (didn't really expect anything but it is close to the house and I wanted know)
The inlet/pond on the other hand I knew had fish in them because I saw them, so I figured it would have some crab just wasn't sure how many or how big they would be. plus I saw a fairly large muskrat swimming in it before I dropped the pot and I wondered if he might rob the trap

Well I got 17 crabs in that sucker
10 of them very respectable 7+ , 3 of them 8+
those ten were very thick
Not Mumbo's persay but very nice

Now a question,
 all the crabs in the trap were male
why would that be?
In the surf I catch females about 4-1 over the males
But is it just coincidence that I caught ALL MALES in this inlet?
seems very strange to me
(of course I always throw back sponge crabs, but females with no sponge are fair game here)


I dropped both pots back in that inlet and will go retrieve them tonight, I am very interested to see what happens.
I will post results in the gulf crabbing reports tonight or tommorrow.

[NY Crab Lover]

OK! I finally have proof the BIG ones CAN get into my crab pots 

Last night I dropped two pots, one in a tiny pond that get refreshed with salt water just every so often from really high storm surge
and one in a little inlet that seems like a pond but is somehow affected by the tide.
Checked them this morning
I got nothing but a redear turtle in in the tiny pond (didn't really expect anything but it is close to the house and I wanted know)
The inlet/pond on the other hand I knew had fish in them because I saw them, so I figured it would have some crab just wasn't sure how many or how big they would be. plus I saw a fairly large muskrat swimming in it before I dropped the pot and I wondered if he might rob the trap

Well I got 17 crabs in that sucker
10 of them very respectable 7+ , 3 of them 8+
those ten were very thick
Not Mumbo's persay but very nice

Now a question,
 all the crabs in the trap were male
why would that be?
In the surf I catch females about 4-1 over the males
But is it just coincidence that I caught ALL MALES in this inlet?
seems very strange to me
(of course I always throw back sponge crabs, but females with no sponge are fair game here)


I dropped both pots back in that inlet and will go retrieve them tonight, I am very interested to see what happens.
I will post results in the gulf crabbing reports tonight or tommorrow.

So basically you had great crabbing results considering it was a pond. 8 inch crabs?! those qualify for mumbos no?

I wish I lived near than pond.

[tattoo]

females like the saltier water. 

[jack1747]

OK! I finally have proof the BIG ones CAN get into my crab pots 

Last night I dropped two pots, one in a tiny pond that get refreshed with salt water just every so often from really high storm surge
and one in a little inlet that seems like a pond but is somehow affected by the tide.
Checked them this morning
I got nothing but a redear turtle in in the tiny pond (didn't really expect anything but it is close to the house and I wanted know)
The inlet/pond on the other hand I knew had fish in them because I saw them, so I figured it would have some crab just wasn't sure how many or how big they would be. plus I saw a fairly large muskrat swimming in it before I dropped the pot and I wondered if he might rob the trap

Well I got 17 crabs in that sucker
10 of them very respectable 7+ , 3 of them 8+
those ten were very thick
Not Mumbo's persay but very nice

Now a question,
 all the crabs in the trap were male
why would that be?
In the surf I catch females about 4-1 over the males
But is it just coincidence that I caught ALL MALES in this inlet?
seems very strange to me(of course I always throw back sponge crabs, but females with no sponge are fair game here)


I dropped both pots back in that inlet and will go retrieve them tonight, I am very interested to see what happens.
I will post results in the gulf crabbing reports tonight or tommorrow.

My guess would be less salt...  Jimmies migrate toward fresher water in search of Sallies to breed with.  Sooks must seek saltwater to spawn.

[oldsunbear]

So basically you had great crabbing results considering it was a pond. 8 inch crabs?! those qualify for mumbos no?
I wish I lived near than pond.

NYC
yeah great results
8 " Mumbo's?  yeah I guess, but I am wanting to show off a 9 er
The inlet/pond is two miles from my house, I am thinking I will hit once a month until I notice a drop in catch or size. or both

females like the saltier water. 

My guess would be less salt...  Jimmies migrate toward fresher water in search of Sallies to breed with.  Sooks must seek saltwater to spawn.

Thanks for the answers tattoo and jack!
I am relearning all this stuff, as I have burned alot of brain cells since the crabbing days of my youth.

[NY Crab Lover]

NYC
yeah great results
8 " Mumbo's?  yeah I guess, but I am wanting to show off a 9 er
The inlet/pond is two miles from my house, I am thinking I will hit once a month until I notice a drop in catch or size. or both

Thanks for the answers tattoo and jack!
I am relearning all this stuff, as I have burned alot of brain cells since the crabbing days of my youth.

You are so lucky... I had to travel at least 10 miles to have a chance to catch 5 ers. lol

[jiakai_ln]

OK! I finally have proof the BIG ones CAN get into my crab pots 

Last night I dropped two pots, one in a tiny pond that get refreshed with salt water just every so often from really high storm surge
and one in a little inlet that seems like a pond but is somehow affected by the tide.
Checked them this morning
I got nothing but a redear turtle in in the tiny pond (didn't really expect anything but it is close to the house and I wanted know)
The inlet/pond on the other hand I knew had fish in them because I saw them, so I figured it would have some crab just wasn't sure how many or how big they would be. plus I saw a fairly large muskrat swimming in it before I dropped the pot and I wondered if he might rob the trap

Well I got 17 crabs in that sucker
10 of them very respectable 7+ , 3 of them 8+
those ten were very thick
Not Mumbo's persay but very nice

Now a question,
 all the crabs in the trap were male
why would that be?
In the surf I catch females about 4-1 over the males
But is it just coincidence that I caught ALL MALES in this inlet?
seems very strange to me
(of course I always throw back sponge crabs, but females with no sponge are fair game here)


I dropped both pots back in that inlet and will go retrieve them tonight, I am very interested to see what happens.
I will post results in the gulf crabbing reports tonight or tommorrow.

what did you do to the entrance door?

[jiakai_ln]

Hope this helps some,

the pic u posted
do they have a second floor?