crab and pot thieves

[PolarBear]

An old timer that I know spends time at Nisqually, when crabbing is closed in area 13 dragging for lost pots and returning them (if he can) to the owners.  He drifts a weighted grappling hook with a couple hundred feet of line tied to a large diver bag.  He lets the current drag it until it hangs up on something then he yards it up.  He usually pulls up around 40+ pots per year doing this.

[seth30]

I've put these notices on a couple of my bouys:

Danger razor blades in line below, do not pull!

If you can read this, I can see you in my rifle scope!

I've heard the biggest response when being confronted about stealing crabs is "no speaky english...."   

I talked to one guy on Lopez Is. that set his pots, rowed back to the dock and watched a half million dollar yacht pull his two pots and motor away, so it's not always the butt whipe in the little crap boat either.

I won't leave my pots during the day on the side of the island that has a State Park across from it, too many problems in the past, and these are people with big fancy boats, just lazy arses.

That is great info about the buoys!

[singleshot12]

I just gave a guy his pot back yesterday that I found a drift in the middle of the Sound back on 4th of July weekend. While fishing the Kingston area yesterday we saw another pot drifting in nearly 300 fow. We would've grabbed it but we had the DR's down. Another boat in the same area snagged their DR on a pot in about 250 fow right in front of us. I agree with other poster's that most missing pots are operator error and not theft.

I'm sure there are plenty of lost pots due to carelessness but not sure if it is the majority. I would say most are stolen especially the last couple of years.
With that said the most prolific problem is the crabs being stolen from the pot.depending in what area you are in i suppose.

[Stein]

I have pulled about 6 pots this year that had the turkey bone or salmon head removed from the wire basket (and zero crabs in the pot) - don't know of any sea creatures that can pull that off.  Luckily they reset my pot after dumping the bait and emptying it.

I don't know of a solution other than to watch your pots or get one of the time delay release things.

Seems to me that WDFW could spend some time busting these guys - they seem to have plenty of time to check licenses and punch cards for the legal guys.  A sting wouldn't be very difficult to set up and they could probably clean out the pack pretty quickly once they start impounding boats.

[lokidog]

I have pulled about 6 pots this year that had the turkey bone or salmon head removed from the wire basket (and zero crabs in the pot) - don't know of any sea creatures that can pull that off.  Luckily they reset my pot after dumping the bait and emptying it.

I don't know of a solution other than to watch your pots or get one of the time delay release things.

Seems to me that WDFW could spend some time busting these guys - they seem to have plenty of time to check licenses and punch cards for the legal guys.  A sting wouldn't be very difficult to set up and they could probably clean out the pack pretty quickly once they start impounding boats.

 

The problem is that the mostly legal (unintentionally illegal) guys are the "easy" target and it would take too much work to go after the blatant law breakers.   

[smdave]

They were out today checking licenses and crab, could have told these people that it says no milk jugs not use milk jugs. Top picture is of the WDFW boat, did not see who the milk jugs belonged to. Sorry about the crappy cell pics.

[KFhunter]

How do you know they didn't already see "who the milk jugs belonged too" earlier when you weren't looking and drove by again -when you were looking- to see if the jugs were still floating?

[smdave]

How do you know they didn't already see "who the milk jugs belonged too" earlier when you weren't looking and drove by again -when you were looking- to see if the jugs were still floating?

and they might have, I saw them come in from the north on the right talk with two boats by Saddle bag then motor off towards Anacortes. The milk jugs were further south by Hat Island. The jugs were still there when I left 3 hours later.

[Stein]

Using milk jugs is not legal, they should pull the pots and issue a warning or fine.

[gasman]

Using milk jugs is not legal, they should pull the pots and issue a warning or fine.

If they pull the pots, who do they issue a ticket to 

[lokidog]

Using milk jugs is not legal, they should pull the pots and issue a warning or fine.

If they pull the pots, who do they issue a ticket to 

Just saw that my comment didn't post...  They should pull them and then auction off the pots/line if they are in decent condition.  Even if they can't write a ticket, they should get it out of the water.  If they want to still try to catch the person they could pull the trap, dump the bait, zip tie the gates shut, and toss it back in for "bait".

[RB]

I have pulled about 6 pots this year that had the turkey bone or salmon head removed from the wire basket (and zero crabs in the pot) - don't know of any sea creatures that can pull that off.  Luckily they reset my pot after dumping the bait and emptying it.

I don't know of a solution other than to watch your pots or get one of the time delay release things.

Seems to me that WDFW could spend some time busting these guys - they seem to have plenty of time to check licenses and punch cards for the legal guys.  A sting wouldn't be very difficult to set up and they could probably clean out the pack pretty quickly once they start impounding boats.

 

The problem is that the mostly legal (unintentionally illegal) guys are the "easy" target and it would take too much work to go after the blatant law breakers.   

So the WDFW has eyes on an area and your buddy has a couple pots out and a guy thinks hey I am gonna pull my buddies pot and leave him a couple good beers, take a couple crab then re-bait his pot. WDFW pulls up and you are busted cause it is not your pot and get a ticket and possibly more for messing with your buddies gear.

[CP]

I pulled up someone’s pot buoy on the West side of Whidbey with my downrigger yesterday.  It was in 120 feet of water and it had about 100 feet of line on it.  I drug it into 80 feet and dropped it.  Hopefully the owner finds it there.  Hopefully they do a better job of controlling their gear.  I don’t want to lose my fishing gear because their crab gear is underwater.

[h20hunter]

I have pulled about 6 pots this year that had the turkey bone or salmon head removed from the wire basket (and zero crabs in the pot) - don't know of any sea creatures that can pull that off.  Luckily they reset my pot after dumping the bait and emptying it.

I don't know of a solution other than to watch your pots or get one of the time delay release things.

Seems to me that WDFW could spend some time busting these guys - they seem to have plenty of time to check licenses and punch cards for the legal guys.  A sting wouldn't be very difficult to set up and they could probably clean out the pack pretty quickly once they start impounding boats.

 

The problem is that the mostly legal (unintentionally illegal) guys are the "easy" target and it would take too much work to go after the blatant law breakers.   

So the WDFW has eyes on an area and your buddy has a couple pots out and a guy thinks hey I am gonna pull my buddies pot and leave him a couple good beers, take a couple crab then re-bait his pot. WDFW pulls up and you are busted cause it is not your pot and get a ticket and possibly more for messing with your buddies gear.

Last year I looked for Skillets pots every time I was out. If found I would have raided and left beers. He's a sneaky one...gives me just enough info to look for them but never did find them.

[lokidog]

I have pulled about 6 pots this year that had the turkey bone or salmon head removed from the wire basket (and zero crabs in the pot) - don't know of any sea creatures that can pull that off.  Luckily they reset my pot after dumping the bait and emptying it.

I don't know of a solution other than to watch your pots or get one of the time delay release things.

Seems to me that WDFW could spend some time busting these guys - they seem to have plenty of time to check licenses and punch cards for the legal guys.  A sting wouldn't be very difficult to set up and they could probably clean out the pack pretty quickly once they start impounding boats.

 

The problem is that the mostly legal (unintentionally illegal) guys are the "easy" target and it would take too much work to go after the blatant law breakers.   

So the WDFW has eyes on an area and your buddy has a couple pots out and a guy thinks hey I am gonna pull my buddies pot and leave him a couple good beers, take a couple crab then re-bait his pot. WDFW pulls up and you are busted cause it is not your pot and get a ticket and possibly more for messing with your buddies gear.

Last year I looked for Skillets pots every time I was out. If found I would have raided and left beers. He's a sneaky one...gives me just enough info to look for them but never did find them.

    

Better not leave beers in mine, make it a fifth of Seagrams or at least some Mike's.