Crab pot theft

[singleshot12]

Yeah you almost have to these days But I do miss the over night soak. Just too many low life thieves around now.

[hiway_99]

They make times releases for the float.  I believe there called galvonic timed release. I've never tried one but they look interesting if you suspect your pots are getting stolen or checked by someone else.

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[rodell]

I lost one this weekend off Shilshole breakwater. There were boats running all over the place. I dropped the pot and then fished with the ring about 3/4 mile away. When I went back three hours later it was gone. I hunted for two hours.

A brand new one, too.

[WAcoueshunter]

Here's a thought...maybe someone pulled the pot and dropped it in too deep of water, and your buoys were big enough to float the weighted pot?

I once pulled a "floater" in about 400 FOW off the Edmonds crab grounds north of the ferry.  This thing was a tank, had rebar on all the seems, must have weighed 40 lbs, and it probably had 150' of weighted rope.  But it also had a huge buoy setup, apparently enough to float 40 lbs of rebar out to the middle of the channel!  No number, I dropped it back closer to shore, figuring that was the best chance to get it back to its owner.   

[lokidog]

Question, should I turn in his phone number to WDFW for tracking?

Haha!  Someone does you a good turn...  They must be morally deficient, and thieves as well.  Better turn them in.   

 

Better call and turn me in as well....   

I picked up a pot on Tuesday for a guy who lost it either Sunday or Monday, he dropped it and it vanished.  I've found pots out here from as far away as the Vancouve ferry dock and Point Roberts, they move sometimes. I even pulled a line two weeks ago that had been in the water since last year, nice score of a crap load of mussels, the trap was gone though the owner will get his line and buoy back after I'm done with the mussels this summer.   

Yes, there are dirtbags who will grab a pot, but they will not usually call you to get it back to you.

A reminder, put your cell number on your pots, not your home number if you want to get it back while you are still in the area.   

I always call before I rescue a pot and at least leave a message with my number. It is pretty easy to spot the lost ones, bobbing in 200 feet of water, line covered with a week or two's worth of slime, in a weird locatipon where no sane person would crab, or out there on a closed day.

I know of close to a hundred people that over the last ten years were happy that I pulled their shrimp or crab trap for them and they got some closure on what happened to it/them, as well as getting their gear back.  I just wish my lost shrimp pots had made it home....

[WAPatriot]

I typically crab in 180 to 240 feet of water not don't touch my pots just cause they are in deep water sometimes you gotta crab deep cause the Indians clean out the shallow areas

[WSU]

I found one last weekend that had floating rope and a cutoff buoy.  I just happened to notice the rope floating as we went by.  Nice, brand new pot too.

[lokidog]

I found one last weekend that had floating rope and a cutoff buoy.  I just happened to notice the rope floating as we went by.  Nice, brand new pot too.

That's a good score, maybe next time the guy will weight his floating line like he's supposed to.

I typically crab in 180 to 240 feet of water not don't touch my pots just cause they are in deep water sometimes you gotta crab deep cause the Indians clean out the shallow areas

Key word in my description... bobbing, as in not touching bottom.     I must be doing OK figuring it out as not a single person has been POed about getting their pot back.   

[Ellensburg]

This is my favorite thread from 2016.

[cougarbart]

well I have a new blue pot lost just north of bangor this weekend! family crabbing trip usually end up losing a trap or so! Saturday morning lost 3 sunday found 2 of em! We also found out that even with weight on doors the tide will open doors and let crab out! This was found out after two years of us yelling "we have been jacked" well jacked by the tides!

[rodell]

I lost one off Shilshole last week. First time I ever did. I think I dropped it right on the ledge with not enough line and it got pulled over. Expensive lesson.

[luvmystang67]

I lost one off Magnolia for 3 weeks.  Water was always a little rough, pots were too light.  It had been drug away from its original location a little bit, but DEFINITELY had been in the water for 3 weeks straight.  Covered in slime and goop, all the bait gone, not a crab around.  I dont know if it was covered or what, but it had definitely been in the water.

I lost another.

Or... They were both stolen and one was returned after someone kept it in their saltwater pool for 3 weeks.  Wonder what they did with the other one?