Suggestions for basket topper?

[Jim Bright]

Does anyone make a basket topper? I have tried the metal one, half an orange plastic basket, a wooden bushel basket with no bottom, and a plastic planter pot, but I don't love any of those. Wondering what others use. I have seen a few guys that mold them from fiberglass. Anyone try that or have any other ideas?

[vw_buggsy]

Out of curiosity, where do all of the options you've already tried fall down? What is it that you're looking for that they don't do well or what do you not like about them?

I use the big plastic "keg tubs" with rope handles. A wood bushel basket fits in them perfectly but the tubs are a lot taller and smooth so when crabs are up to the top of the wood basket they can't really escape the plastic tub. I tie short loops of rope to the bushel basket handles so I can easily pull the bushel basket up and out when it's filled/overfilled.

I have a couple of these tubs on the boat and use one for a cull bucket (lots of room) and use them to store my trot-line end sets before and after I deploy the line. They are cheap at Wal-Mart ($7 I think), a little more expensive but better quality at Lowes/HD/Tractor Supply.

[Jim Bright]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe I'm just being too picky.

They all work, just not as well as they could I guess. Hard to explain. Metal one kind if slides in the basket and takes up room on the inside of the basket as opposed to sitting on top the basket. The upside down wood basket with no bottom is the best bit those big males grab the sides of the basket and slow down the process, same with the orange basket with no bottom. The planter pot I use is too light and the fit isn't great.

At some point I posted a similar question and someone suggested using a feed bucket from tractor supply bit I never found the right size. Maybe someone has a link to the right size one?

[Jim Bright]

I attached some photos of what I'm using. I may try to make a fiberglass mold for one. It's been done before.

[vw_buggsy]

I like the feed bucket idea. I know they come in a range of sizes. I have a TSC near me so I'll have to bring in a bushel basket and see what I can come up with. If I find the perfect size I'll report back for you.

[Stabilizer]

I attached some photos of what I'm using. I may try to make a fiberglass mold for one. It's been done before.

This is an impressive level of seriousness about your basket toppers.  I hope you can find or make one to satisfaction.

[Crabslayer]

What's a basket topper?  And what is it used for? 

[vw_buggsy]

I went to Tractor Supply last night with my bushel basket in hand. This got some odd looks and a couple comments "hey man you lost the crabs outa there somewhere", and "we allow pets here but I've never seen a pet crab before" (yeah man it's my emotional support crab) 

Anyway there was a 7 gallon rubber tub that was too big. There SHOULD have been a 6.5 gallon one, there was a spot on the shelf for it, but it was out of stock. I strongly suspect it would be the one that fits good. I found the listing on their site online this morning:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/fortex-17-1-2-in-w-round-feeder-65-gal-capacity-black

It's listed as 17.5" which is a pretty good match for the top of a wooden bushel basket. Unfortunately they are not in stock anywhere around me so I can't prove it 

It's not in stock at ANY of the nearby TSC stores. Also no options for shipping or store delivery for TSC which means they probably aren't getting them from the supplier anymore.  Looking around on the web for online suppliers, shipping would be prohibitive for me to consider online buying an option (I already found it pricey at $22 from TSC.. I'm cheap). 

I checked on-line at Southern States and they don't show it as a stock item either (though their website can be spotty so I might actually swing by later if I'm near them).

[vw_buggsy]

What's a basket topper?  And what is it used for? 

If you look at Jim's pictures you'll see some examples. It basically just makes the bushel basket taller so you can fill the basket up to the very top while crabbing without the crabs crawling out. This is good for crabbers that can catch a good full bushel of crabs... so rarely an issue for me 

Most folks just use another bushel basket without a bottom, or cut just below the middle band, that's turned upside down on top of their keeper basket(s).

[Mikie]

 
Saving it for later.

[Crabslayer]

 
Saving it for later.

Are you going to clue him in Mikie? 

[Mikie]

Are you going to clue him in Mikie? 

Hey Brian, I just said it didn't take you long to catch one, but I figured I'd wait to see if you caught anymore.