crab and pot thieves

[singleshot12]

Seems to be an abundant amount of low lifes on the water this year. Just curious what others are doing about it? Are you not crabbing anymore? Do you tend your pots all day? Or are you coming up with ways to repel the thieves? I myself have givin up crabbing the last couple years. Takes the fun out of it when you have to worry about someone checking or lifting your pots.

[THunt]

Ya it sucks.  Use a zinc on your line.  It keeps your buoy under water for a certain amount of time.

[Southpole]

My friends pots got raided and moved way far from where they were originally. The bait containers were even opened. no more leaving pots out over night.

[3nails]

 I've never had a problem when I put them out at dusk and then pick them at first light. Leave them out all day..... 

[kidkodger]

I know there are crab and even pot thieves but, i also snagged a pot in 200+ feet on my down rigger. The pot had less than 100ft of line and the just chicken bones and no crab AND no weight.  I think this pot was pulled into deeper water by the tide. Maybe this happens to some instead of thieves?

[BsB]

I know there are crab and even pot thieves but, i also snagged a pot in 200+ feet on my down rigger. The pot had less than 100ft of line and the just chicken bones and no crab AND no weight.  I think this pot was pulled into deeper water by the tide. Maybe this happens to some instead of thieves?

My boss thought someone had stolen 2 of his pots come to find the tide had pulled them.  WDFW recovered them when the tide went back out and called him about them.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[gasman]

I know there are crab and even pot thieves but, i also snagged a pot in 200+ feet on my down rigger. The pot had less than 100ft of line and the just chicken bones and no crab AND no weight.  I think this pot was pulled into deeper water by the tide. Maybe this happens to some instead of thieves?

Yeah, that happens a lot but people don't realize it.

I have had my pillaged, stolen and swept away, so I know how they all make you feel.


Just this year, on my first outing in the South Sound, I set a pot, was getting ready to set the next and watched my bouy slowly sink dow, down, down...... Tried to grab it with a gaff but it went to deep, to fast 
Current pushed it off the edge of a shelf and it slid right down to the dark deep blue sea........ 

[Skyvalhunter]

Thats just Terrible

[762Armo]

Was out in mukilteo couple days ago, friends were setting their pots and we got flagged down by another boat. He said he just passed a pot that was underwater ( he could see the buoy about 10 feet down in the water). It wasn't ours and it's probably still there if anyone lost a pot in the area.

[WSU]

I know there are crab and even pot thieves but, i also snagged a pot in 200+ feet on my down rigger. The pot had less than 100ft of line and the just chicken bones and no crab AND no weight.  I think this pot was pulled into deeper water by the tide. Maybe this happens to some instead of thieves?

This is 98% of the issue where I crab at Nisqually.  Lots and lots of current. 

[PolarBear]

I weight my pots to around 30-35 pounds.  The current won't mess with them.  We have had pots stolen at Nisqually that I know were not swept away.  Even the WDFW guy says that it is a big issue.  I set my pots a couple of hours before low tide with lines that are short enough to sink the buoy.  At low slack the buoys are on top and ready to pull.  This keeps prying hands off of them. 

[Netminder01]

I "lost" two last year and one the year before. 

I had previously dropped pots in the morning of days I fish but I hardly do that anymore because of how frequent pots go missing.  I would encourage you to circle back on your pots or watch from a distance.  I typically fish/crab between areas of Ballard to Mukilteo; some friends on Whidbey have shared some accounts of guys waiting for boats to drop pots and watch them motor off only to have their pots pulled within minutes of setting them.

I'd fish nearby keeping a watchful eye or simply hang out with friends while they soak if you have the time.

It really sucks but it's a fairly common occurrence.

[WSU]

I weight my pots to around 30-35 pounds.  The current won't mess with them.  We have had pots stolen at Nisqually that I know were not swept away.  Even the WDFW guy says that it is a big issue.  I set my pots a couple of hours before low tide with lines that are short enough to sink the buoy.  At low slack the buoys are on top and ready to pull.  This keeps prying hands off of them.

I agree it can be a problem.  I just think often the problem is operator error.

[CP]

You folks that intentionally set your pots such that the buoy is submerged are violating the gear regulations and creating a hazard to navigation; ditto to you folks that leave your line floating on the surface.  Many a “stolen pot” was one with yards of floating line that was wrapped up in some poor boater’s prop.

See page 136 of the regs:

Buoys must be constructed of durable material (no bleach, antifreeze, detergent bottles, paint cans, etc.) and must be visible on the surface at all times except during extreme tidal conditions.

.. Buoy lines must be weighted sufficiently to prevent them from floating on the surface.

All crab gear buoys must be half red and half white in color, and both colors need to be visible when fishing.

[Gobble Doc]

I hooked an old trap this Saturday with my anchor.  The loop of cotton that was supposed to rot was some kind of synthetic and the rope was not weighted but very waterlogged.  I took it all and threw it away.  No crabs inside.  Looked to have been down a long time as it was covered with barnacles.  No float.