Good Luck Point, Barnegat Bay side 10/22/2024

Started by MikeACY, October 23, 2024, 10:05:02 AM

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MikeACY

Beautiful day, light winds, temps upper 70's. Decided to give it a try at crabbing off Good Luck Point. Settled in at 1pm, 4 1/2 feet of water, incoming tide, water temp 60 
(oh - ho) double anchored with 7 topless traps baited with chicken. The water was so clear (for NJ...lol) that I can see the chicken sitting at the bottom. In 3 hours we caught absolutely nothing. No shorts, fish, jelly fish...nothing. When we decided to leave, the bait looked as good as when I first put it on. 
Came home, put the gear away until next year, and had some burgers on the grill.... But still a beautiful day on the bay! Beats staying home! 

Capt. Debbie

Quote from: MikeACY on October 23, 2024, 10:05:02 AMBeautiful day, light winds, temps upper 70's. Decided to give it a try at crabbing off Good Luck Point. Settled in at 1pm, 4 1/2 feet of water, incoming tide, water temp 60
(oh - ho) double anchored with 7 topless traps baited with chicken. The water was so clear (for NJ...lol) that I can see the chicken sitting at the bottom. In 3 hours we caught absolutely nothing. No shorts, fish, jelly fish...nothing. When we decided to leave, the bait looked as good as when I first put it on.
Came home, put the gear away until next year, and had some burgers on the grill.... But still a beautiful day on the bay! Beats staying home!

In my decades of crabbing... if you can see the bottom and your traps===>  LEAVE THAT SPOT.

Never caught anything under those conditions.   Murky water or deeper is key.  Even if it' August.  LEAVE that spot.

Just my two cents crabbing since the 1960's.  :)
Captain Debbie
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crabbin paisano

Mike unfortunately Capt.Debbie is correct,if you see the chicken then the crab can see you,at least that was what my uncle would tell me when i was young. But you at least got out for an indian summer day and gave it a try. 

MikeACY

Quote from: crabbin paisano on October 23, 2024, 11:15:27 AMMike unfortunately Capt.Debbie is correct,if you see the chicken then the crab can see you,at least that was what my uncle would tell me when i was young. But you at least got out for an indian summer day and gave it a try.
Yes you guys are probably right. But I have crabbed in Virginia where the water is 3 feet deep and I can see the entire box trap and actually see the crabs come out of no where ( man they can move fast) and enter the pot. I have not crabbed in October in decades at Good luck pt because after early August it seems the crabs are gone....crabbed out at least in that area  But if/when I do next time I will find a deeper or mucky spot. Thanks for the info. 

NOREAST

MikeACY,
I also double anchored most of my life, until Pop and my self seen some knuckleheads dropping traps every 15 to twenty yards apart. Im now one of them knuckleheads. Put some longer line on your traps with floats, drop them in and run the line. If nothing happens in a couple of runs, move to another area. As for the clear water, if you're crabbing as described above, keep the bow into the sun. If the suns at your back, they'll see the shadow of the boat and know something isn't right.  You'll still lose a few, but i have much success in clear water. 

A D V E R T I S E M E N T



MikeACY

Agree....but I have a 30 foot cruiser that makes it a little difficult to capture the pots. I would love to do it the way you describe. Maybe someday...I just would need a longer hook pole...lol 

NOREAST

That would be impossible with that size vessel. You'll need a dinghy towing behind that baby. The draft on that boat must be close to 4'. The bright side is that's there's plenty of room on that size boat, to just relax, hang out, and forget about life for a while. Gets a little uncomfortable on our 16 footer sometimes, but the Captain will sneaks in a snooze on occasion.

MikeACY

Quote from: NOREAST on October 24, 2024, 07:51:23 PMThat would be impossible with that size vessel. You'll need a dinghy towing behind that baby. The draft on that boat must be close to 4'. The bright side is that's there's plenty of room on that size boat, to just relax, hang out, and forget about life for a while. Gets a little uncomfortable on our 16 footer sometimes, but the Captain will sneaks in a snooze on occasion.
We did a lot of those things that day (except snooze... lol) 

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