Ring lines

[on the hook]

Tying lines...Been doing a few different methods but thought I'd ask the experts...These are the 3rd batch and tied all different, BUT...I'm going back to removable floats and drop lines, soooo....I'm attaching a snap swivel with corks above it on the drop line but 'wondering' what others have done here, where they attach??...I know most just tie theirs direct but I had a lot of trouble last year with 'smaller' floats getting pulled under and trying to eliminate that...Also I've been using a double half hitch to attach to the ring and wondering about that too...Thx

[CrabbyFrank]

Have you tried this out. I really like the looks of the swivel and seems like it would be a lot better to store.

[Harford Crabber]

Looks like they should work great on snowcrabs!

[on the hook]

Have you tried this out. I really like the looks of the swivel and seems like it would be a lot better to store.

I've tried/had swivels for about 20 years on topless and then rings...I've made about 110 rings in the last 3/4 years and just looking to improve...Last year I tried the floats cut out of those cork buoys but they ended up not floating the rings and getting sucked under to the point of having to wait for slack tide to find them...My old floats are BIG pool noodles that do float the topless and rings...Only trouble is they are big and you can't stack either with the float inside or on the trap/ring...I use an old decoy bag to carry the floats and hook them on while dropping the first run of traps...Is a little hassle moving and picking up but I don't have any sinkers....

[Wallco99]

All that takes up a lot of room, versus 30 Perfectionist rings in a net bag with flat floats. If you pay attention to water depth and how much line you have out, you won't have "sinking" floats. Don't know why you are having so much problem with something so simple. Where do you crab, in a waterfall?

[on the hook]

All that takes up a lot of room, versus 30 Perfectionist rings in a net bag with flat floats. If you pay attention to water depth and how much line you have out, you won't have "sinking" floats. Don't know why you are having so much problem with something so simple. Where do you crab, in a waterfall?

Nothing new here in NJ...Tide runs...Deal with it...You see those floats I had on my topless...They get grass etc when tide runs and bloop...Under!!...Those littler 2" floats from buoys were a disaster, IMO....I've crabbed Md enough to know the tide is NOTHING like NJ....But, I have to do what I like. so....


Gonna try a some crimps for my lines...See if that works...

[Wallco99]

Give these a try. They should float in tides.

[Perfectionist]

How many ounces of lead does those pool noodles support?

[on the hook]

How many ounces of lead does those pool noodles support?

They actually will float the topless trap...Problem is that the rings/traps do get hung on the bottom now and then and I've pulled the ball bearing swivels apart now and then...They are rated for 165#...Nothing seems foolproof but I like playing with them, just like....oh well, you know...We did have a few weeks of bad tides last Oct/Nov but I still like working bugs out, even if they're my own bugs...

[Perfectionist]

The metal traps need a float that will support around 30 ounces. The floats in the picture will support 50 ounces. They stack in each trap to the same height as without the float. The main line is tied directly to the pull lines. That would eliminate the bag of floats or hanging them over the trap on the outside. I've tried other hardware to connect them but something always happens that makes it not worth it.

As for the rings the only way to get a float big enough to support more weight you would have to make the net deeper. That will wind up giving you that dreaded crossover of the rings where you will lose a lot of crabs.

[on the hook]

Jim...I tried a few different ,methods and while I like NOT having to hook my lines to the ring/trap, I REALLY don't like having to wait for slack tide to find my trap...As you can see here I have 'about' the same size buoy on my rings from last year...I NEVER checked to see exactly what weight they'd hold. I did see if the ring would float and YES, they did...I also have 20' of line and USE my depth finder..I also spent quite a bit of time looking for floats and even ran one over, losing the ring...NJ tides can run hard...I'm not saying there's anything wrong with 'your' methods, just that MY experience is different...

[Perfectionist]

So what exactly is making the floats go under? Is it just the grass or just the tide or both?

[on the hook]

Both, imo....Our marshes are full of phragmite/grass and narrower channels and when the tides are high, the stuff is a pain...Spent a lot of time keeping the stuff off decoys in the past too...Thought some of the Jersey guys would chime in about the tides last Oct/Nov, but...The buoys are a little hassle but once out, no problem...I usually bait up before leaving 'base' so all I or my mate needs is to hook the float on...Moving is the real pain but I did the topless for about 10 years before I tried the rings, so...Funny, but I looked at 'something' inflatable like Wallco shows but??

[Perfectionist]

So for the rings do you use the pool noodles? I'm trying to find out how many ounces a float has to support to solve the ring problem.

[on the hook]

So for the rings do you use the pool noodles? I'm trying to find out how many ounces a float has to support to solve the ring problem.

I believe it is our marsh etc...The traps will fill with dead debris and sometimes you'll pull big ole clumps of mud etc...I've had them where they were just hung and nothing I did would release the trap..Guessing big hunks of marsh...

[Wallco99]

It sounds to me that the simplest solution for you is to just start crabbing in Maryland. Better crabs too.   

[on the hook]

It sounds to me that the simplest solution for you is to just start crabbing in Maryland. Better crabs too.  

While I don't disagree, my boat is in Medford NJ. I'm in Williamsport Pa...Right now, at $4.25/gal, it would cost me AT LEAST $210.55 without any tolls(?) in Del/Md...I'm using Wye Landing as a destination...It's roughly 650 miles round trip...Who knows what summer prices will be??...I may not get down this year at all...Makes a half bushel of crabs a little expensive...

[ranger521]

so i have cabbed the elk river and we get a ton of that floating grass and it does clump up around your float and can drag your trap down river.  I think my friend said he has topless traps and he has lost a few traps on the elk river.  I have rings and have never lost one to the grass or depth but i do get out of the full current so I don't get as much grass coming down river.  I use a 5 inch float x 1 inch i get from Memphis twine.  I don't crab the elk much at all anymore I just drive a little south and there is no grass there.  I think if you have that heavy grass issue your gonna need a way bigger float which is a pain in the butt I know.  but you have to make the decision as to go big float or change crabbing areas weather it be a different spot on your river or a different river.  good luck hope you figure it out as to what you want to do. I think you have a decision to make.

[Harford Crabber]

Several places in MD have some good moving tides too.  Several times I looked for clumps of grass that weren't moving to find traps. Those places are for trotlines or avoided altogether the last couple years.

[ranger521]

you could try more line as the main line.   I use like 18 foot this way you always have a buffer of a few feet on line out.  Now i rarely crab in depths greater than 10 foot.  I usually like 5 to 9foot.  Its my preference not that its right or wrong.  I always tie my main line directly to the bridal with a like hangman's noose type knot on each line that way extra parts to fail keep it simple and  no lost traps.  Since doing this I have never lost a trap. Good luck I hope this helps out.