Newbie needs advice

[hodag_guy]

Been scanning the know-how posts and it seems most all are about gear. Good stuff, but for this newbie I'm hoping to get some advice on what kind of areas to look for to set ring or topless traps. In other words, how do you find the best crab habitat, or "where do most crabs live". I'm talking bottom types, depth, tide flow, etc. I spend some time in winter in the 10K Islands south of Naples/Marco, if that helps, but maybe the habitat needs are pretty much the same all over?

[Stabilizer]

A neighbor has luck in our canal, and we get some in our crab pots occasionally off our our docks.  3-6' deep.  I would try a canal or channel that that may funnel the crabs and scent of the bait to bring them in. 

[hodag_guy]

Thanks Stabilizer. Would be glad to try that but when in FL I'm on a bay, no canals. Plenty of natural shoreline when we're out fishing, mangrove islands, creek inlets, bays, channels, etc. Not sure what types of areas to start crabbing.

[Crabcruncher]

There was a crab study with gps tagged crabs and most crabs spent their time in two feet of water over muddy bottom. 

[Wallco99]

There was a crab study with gps tagged crabs and most crabs spent their time in two feet of water over muddy bottom. 

Not this year. They all lived in 10'-12'.

[hodag_guy]

There was a crab study with gps tagged crabs and most crabs spent their time in two feet of water over muddy bottom. 

Thanks Crabcruncher. I like studies. Do you have a link or some info to direct me to that one?

[Crabcruncher]

There are several, but this one is from Georgia and its from a saltmarsh, more to what you need.

Pm your email and I will attach the pdf file

[hodag_guy]

I tried to pm you but said it was blocked.

[Crabcruncher]

I tried to pm you but said it was blocked.

Fixed it. Give it another try.

Cc

[xFishdogx]

What do you guys look for here in the Chesapeake?  I have found in my area, anything 5ft less usually yields smaller crabs.  Also its all sandy bottom for me.  Should I be looking for mud?

[Busheater]

A good strategy when starting out is to find water with varying depths say, from 3' to 10'. Spread your ring nets out along from shallow to deep and crab for awhile. If you find a certain depth that is producing more then try targeting that depth and maybe you'll get lucky!

[Harford Crabber]

There was a crab study with gps tagged crabs and most crabs spent their time in two feet of water over muddy bottom. 

Does GPS signal work underwater? I've seen it go out on very cloudy days so I really question how good it is underwater.   Here's something from Quora.com   

How far underwater can GPS work?
Well it will work underwater, just not very deep under water. At about 1ft deep you're already got about a 15dB of signal loss. Open sky you can lose about 25–30dB of typical signal strength and still have a strong enough signal for a GPS lock.

But this is from the internet.  And ya'll know how well you can believe what ya read on the internet...   LOL

[Harford Crabber]

Actually, like most everybody on here will agree,  they can be in all depths.  In 2019 at end of August into September we were seeing lots of em very shallow.   I filled a basket with 1s in a couple hours.  Went back to same area a couple days later, line in same place, and couldn't find one.   

I did find something hard though near the shore in 2' of water.  And when you're in the Bush river and that happens it's a little more concerning. 
Probably a rock or was it unexploded ordnance?  hmmm 

[Crabcruncher]

Does GPS signal work underwater? I've seen it go out on very cloudy days so I really question how good it is underwater.   Here's something from Quora.com   

How far underwater can GPS work?
Well it will work underwater, just not very deep under water. At about 1ft deep you're already got about a 15dB of signal loss. Open sky you can lose about 25–30dB of typical signal strength and still have a strong enough signal for a GPS lock.

But this is from the internet.  And ya'll know how well you can believe what ya read on the internet...   LOL

Correction, not gps,  Ultrasonic telemetry
I believe a comprehensive study was also done in the Chesapeake, Rhode river.

[Crabcruncher]

Correction, not gps,  Ultrasonic telemetry
I believe a comprehensive study was also done in the Chesapeake, Rhode river.

Found it
https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/18040/serc_Clark_etal_1999_JExpMarBio_233_143_160.pdf

[Busheater]

Hey Harford Crabber,

Do be careful in the Bush as that hard object you encountered could very well be a UXO (unexploded ordnance). I worked for APG for 23 years as a photographer/video/editor and one of the very first things they had me do was take photos of the ordnance they dredged out of the water. There were about 12 pallets lined up with a 3' stack of small bombs on every pallet....and they just got started! I'm glad it was daytime so I didn't need a FLASH!!

Reading that study gave me some good ideas to attract crabs to my trotline....thanks.

[Logical1]

Not this year. They all lived in 10'-12'.

Rick, do you remember where you saw that study?

[Wallco99]

Rick, do you remember where you saw that study?

Yes, in my god damned, extremely detailed, BOAT LOG!!!

[Logical1]

Yes, in my god damned, extremely detailed, BOAT LOG!!!

Wow, you have your own GPS tagged crabs, I'm impressed. Lol

[Wallco99]

Wow, you have your own GPS tagged crabs, I'm impressed. Lol

LOL. Yes, that took a lot of work.