Traps or Trot line.

[Rebelrob25]

Just curious if you had an option between a 800' Trot line and 20 open collapse traps. Which would you choose?

[Logical1]

To be able to give you an honest assessment, we need more information. Are you in a kayak or a boat.  How much space will you have available. Will you have another person with you etc.  A lot of people here have a lot of experience, but knowing some of those specifics would help in getting a more informed response.

Even with a trotline, it is nice to test an area with traps first.  That can save a lot of time moving and redeploying a trotline.
Don't take it personally, but your post will probably be moved to resources since it is not a report.

[camoboat09]

And early season w this cold water, I would only run traps, crabs cant hold on very well until teh water warms up some.

[TylerDurdin]

Yes. Bring both if you have the room and stamina…enjoy!

[U812OHNO]

Trotline for sure.  You can get one hundred and sixty pieces of bait on your 800' trotline.  Better odds than thirty pieces of bait out in your thirty traps.  For me, if I needed a second person on the boat, it would be for running traps and not a line.  Running a line, one hand on the wheel and the other holding the net.  Traps...it's better if you have one guy driving the boat and the other guy retrieving the traps.  This way you can get that trap up quick, discard the crab and get that trap back down in the water where it was in your line of traps, especially if the wind is blowing a little!  Better eat your spinach if you plan on pulling topless traps to catch your dinner.  If you don't pull them up with some horsepower, they'll climb right out of the trap by the time you get it up to the boat.  Try doing that for five hours!           

[xFishdogx]

How long do you guys keep the bait(lets say chicken necks) on the trotline before you change them out? 

[backfin_blues]

I usually left them on for a year - but we would only crab about once every 2-4 weeks from June - October. If one looked really cleaned off - I'd just replace that one. Switched over to topless traps from a trotline and never looked back, however.

[backfin_blues]

Trotline for sure.  You can get one hundred and sixty pieces of bait on your 800' trotline.  Better odds than thirty pieces of bait out in your thirty traps.  For me, if I needed a second person on the boat, it would be for running traps and not a line.  Running a line, one hand on the wheel and the other holding the net.  Traps...it's better if you have one guy driving the boat and the other guy retrieving the traps.  This way you can get that trap up quick, discard the crab and get that trap back down in the water where it was in your line of traps, especially if the wind is blowing a little!  Better eat your spinach if you plan on pulling topless traps to catch your dinner.  If you don't pull them up with some horsepower, they'll climb right out of the trap by the time you get it up to the boat.  Try doing that for five hours!           

Interesting thoughts. I crabbed alone all the time on my 18' Neptune CC and found it inherently easier to use topless traps, then trying to run a trotline and steer the boat at the same time. Crabs were coming up too far forward for me to do it solo. Even after I slacked it. All depends on the rig your operating I suppose and where the hook is located.

I could run topless and get my bushel usually before 9:30AM

[U812OHNO]

How long do you guys keep the bait(lets say chicken necks) on the trotline before you change them out? 

I usually get two trips out of a baited line...unless they get chewed up real bad on the first trip.  Definitely catch more on the first trip though with the fresh bait, but still worth running back out there for a second round. 

[Harford Crabber]

I'm agreeing with the post above.  Usually 2 unless they eat em up.  I have done 3 a few times but they are a lil stinky after that 3rd thaw.

[U812OHNO]

Interesting thoughts. I crabbed alone all the time on my 18' Neptune CC and found it inherently easier to use topless traps, then trying to run a trotline and steer the boat at the same time. Crabs were coming up too far forward for me to do it solo. Even after I slacked it. All depends on the rig your operating I suppose and where the hook is located.

I could run topless and get my bushel usually before 9:30AM

I used to do the same, when I was a young man on my 14' skiff with my little 25 Merc kicker on the back. Pull traps all day long until the basket was full.  Gets a little harder though pulling traps up by yourself as you get older!

[Neither Crab]

I've seen crabbers catch as many crabs with 30 traps as liners with 200 baits. Bait has gone up in cost this year and you can use 7 times more bait with a 1200 ft. line. I think you will see more traps this year . A windy or sunny day can make a difference with crabs dropping off a line but not with traps. However, It's more fun and sporting dip netting them than just pulling a trap .

[bluecrabman]

last trip last year  mid september 30 homemade ring nets 2 bushels in 4 runs around  gave all my topless traps away years ago. trot line has not been in the water for years

[U812OHNO]

last trip last year  mid september 30 homemade ring nets 2 bushels in 4 runs around  gave all my topless traps away years ago. trot line has not been in the water for years

Based on seven doz. in a bushel, you caught 1.4 crabs per pull?  Can I start crabbing with you?        

[bluecrabman]

I only keep larger crabs  5 doz. in each now lets see if you know basic math???

[rdbeard]

and the average for a bu is said to be 6 doz.

[shtoong]

Blue puts you at 1 crab per pull and red at 1.2 per pull. Math is hard.

[Harford Crabber]

Yep, and I ALWAYS get 2 bushel every time I go out.






Sometimes there a dozen in 1 bushel, 1/2 dozen in the other bushel... Oh, a bushel means full???   LOL

[Crabslayer]

Whats a Trot line?  What's traps?