Need some advice from seasoned crabbers

[BearJax]

   I am currently living in Metairie, LA, and am planning on buying all my equipment to start crabbing commercially by the end of the summer. My plans are to invest in my boat, buy all the equipment I need for the boat, and Im thinking about buying a pot puller as well. The questions I have may seem stupid, but like I said, Im new so any advice is welcome.
 
   Once I start pulling the pots up, should I have a box built for the boat for storage of the crabs caught? I mean obviously I dont want them running from stern to bow around the boat, so I was curious about what people are doing for storage. 

Also, what pots do better? I've researched a lot and Ive seen a lot of controversy over what "works the best". coated, galvanized, topless, etc. Just curious what you guys think. I would like input before I start investing in my equipment, and pots.

 Another issue I was wondering about was, Where/who do I bring them to sell them? This really only applies to people that are local and have knowledge of the area.

  Also, I would like to learn all the unspoken rules/etiquette of crabbing. I mean, Im sure people would want me putting my pots right next to theirs, things like that. Thats common sense, but I just dont want to get off on the wrong foot. I worked in the fire service for years, and it seems like commercial fishing is a brotherhood just the same. You guys take great pride in your work, and most of you I have seen on here communicate well, and try your best to help each other out.

  Once I get back to the launch, and start preparing them for transport, what is a good way to store them for the ride to the market, or wherever Im supposed to be bringing them to? And once I get them in the boat, whats the best way to keep them alive and healthy while Im still on the water pulling pots.

 I plan on building my own pots from wire. Im curious about how many pots I can get from a roll of wire. Seems about five or so. Is it better to buy pots already made, or is it "a lot" cheaper to build your own?

 Im looking to spend about 4 - 5K on my boat, and Im wondering what you guys think would be the best purchase for me. Im looking for a CC about 21 - 24 foot.  I saw some mako's about that price,  but Im not sure that would be well suited for crabbing or not. My intentions are to eventually buy an aluminum hull boat, the same type that we used during the oil spill, with the roll down bow door. Seems like that would be an awesome boat for this type of work. Just dont have that kind of money for right now. But Ive made my mind up, and this is what I want to do. Ive been pondering on this for about 4 years, and Its getting to a point where I just want to be happy with my job, enjoy the people I work around, and have flexible time for my wife and kids. I plan on running pots every day, with an occasional day off. I want to work hard, and provide for my family and get out there and hustle.  Im also willing to go out with some of you that are local and help you run pots for free, just so I can get some extra experience before I get started. If any of you have any input or advice, it is more than welcome. I came to this forum to learn, and start a new life for my family. Im 30 years old, in good health. have two children, and a new baby boy on the way. I spent 6 years in the Army at Joint Forces Training Center, Camp Shelby, MS and spent the remainder of my enlistment in the Air National Guard with the 209th Special Operations Command in Gulfport, MS. I am a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, two honorable discharges, and an Army Commendation Medal. After I got out of the military I decided that I wanted to go into business for myself, just havent had the money to do it, but I just want all of you to know who I was and a little about my background. And if any of you need anything at all, I would be more than willing to help you out in any way possible. Thank all of you for reading, and I hope to hear from you soon. 

[Captain C]

Work for a local crabber for awhile.

If you decide its for you, then make the investment.

[IGOTCRABS,LLC]

i would never discourage someone from getting into crabbing commercially; it is a very rewarding and fulfilling endeavor, BUT you should go at it a little more slowly. it's more of a "learn as you go" occupation, and while you're asking all the right questions, the answers aren't so black and white. look up capt. Ronnie in the gulf coast forum. you two seem to have another occupation in common and he is more of the old salt in this area. he is very helpful. i am a relative newcomer to commercial crabbing, but i have been on a boat since before i could walk. I've been around the water in many different capacities all my life and really got the bug for commercial crabbing about 10 years ago. it has taken me that long to get to the point I'm at, but i did have some major setbacks.(surgeries, building new house, new kid, Katrina,etc.) i would suggest to get a recreational license. it will allow you to run ten traps. do that for a few months and see if it's for you. i was thinking about making my own traps this year, but it really isn't cost effective. you can by a rigged out trap for ~34 to 35 bucks. probably make your own at 30 to 32 bucks a trap. depends on materials, but it's not that big of a savings.

4-5k on a boat seems wishful, but you never know. the thing about crabbing, and i assume you are looking at crabbing in the lake, is that you need a very reliable boat(or a lot of phone contacts of friends with boats that can come and get you). I have about 30k in my boat motor and trailer and the hull was bought well used.(aluminum). you can get by with cheaper, but your size range seems to say your will have to put out some more dollars. there is a local sportsman's classified that would be the best place to shop for used. pm me and i will tell you which one.

the traps used by most crabbers around here are either self made with coated riverdale wire, or bought from alario bros in westwego, or fisherman's net in chalmette. i just checked prices and fishermans net was 2 dollars cheaper per finished trap rigged the same as other places. there is also another place on the west bank that sells traps made with Chinese wire, but some guys say they don't last nearly as long. i cannot say because i have no experience with those traps. to do this commercially down here, you will be using 4 funnel hotel style traps. it's the standard. i repair my traps, and i have traps still catching from 2004. actually i have some my father-in-law gave me that are who knows how old. i just cannibalized old trash traps and repair the ones i can still use.

as far as etiquette. you will mostly have to learn that as you go. some things-- be nice, don't steal(traps or catch), and remember that some people are going to be mean to you know matter what. just get past them. yield to those who have been at it longer than you. don't let them push you around, but don't come in bowed up either. most of the guys i have met gave me a rough time starting, but it was mostly in fun. there are a lot of people who come and go in this business. I've been launching in this area for many years, recreational fishing for most, and it takes time to build friendships at the launch.

selling your catch is not as easy as bringing it in and just finding a buyer. with your commercial license, you can sell to wholesale buyers or restaurants. if you get a fresh products license, you can sell to the public as well, and if you get a wholesale/retail licenses, you can basically sell to anyone, but there is a lot of documentation that has to be maintained(best if you go to the ldwf web site and read the commercial fishing regulations). if you are just a commercial guy, you need to find a buyer, learn his hours of operation, and not all factories/restaurants buy from just anyone. you have to get on their supplier list. not really a contract, but there is often buyer/seller understandings involved. it's not as easy as 'ABC' but not impossible by any means. you want to find a buyer close to you, because the longer you are in unrefrigerated transport, the more you will have die.

I'm getting tired of typing so the last thing i will tell you about is on boat storage. it is in lugs, often called boxes or crates. look at the gulf coast reports in the forums section and look at capt. Ron's or my own posts. sign in because otherwise you won't see the pics. you will see how the crabs are stored. those boxes hold around 50 lbs of crabs a piece. sometimes more depending on how much u stuff em. you will grade out your crabs between number 1's and number 2's and as you raise traps you put the graded crabs in their respective box. simple.

really, start out with 10 recreational traps and get a feel for it.. i think it would be next to impossible to try and just buy a boat, a bunch of traps, and go start making money.. it takes a little while to learn and build up.

[fishingtom]

Very well written Capt. .  This should be required reading for everyone who ever states that they are thinking about crabbing for a living.   

[BearJax]

   Thank you so much for your time, very very informative and detailed. Im always up for advice. I want this really bad, probably more than anything. Ive been wanting to work for myself for years, and fishing and the outdoors is my life and passion. Always has been. A buddy of mine's dad commercial crabbed his entire life, and he has lost a lot of his family to it, including his own dad. His name was Eddie Rice, All the Rice's were all crabbers in Jackson Co. , Mississippi.  He showed me a lot about crabbing, where to set, whats illegal, etc. I learned a lot from my friend, and Im planning on asking him to join me as we've talked about it several nights together over copious amounts of cold adult beverages. lol. But I dont drink anymore at all, have little ones, gotten older, and Ive taken it pretty seriously. Thanks alot for your advice, and God speed brother.