Crab gear stolen

[1morebuck]

  Well Point D was slow for the kings and we put out two pots for some dungeez. Had both rocks and dungeez almost limited after our first pull and were two crabs short of our limits. We set back down in Quartermaster in 60 feet of water and headed off to the mess of boats off Clay Banks to jig for a 45-pounder. Came back two hours later and one of our pots was GONE! We put the pot in 60 feet of water and had 100 feet of line. The tide was out and just starting to head back in, so I know we had plenty of line. Some a$$hole took one of our pots! One of our buoys had a PVC piece on it and the other did not. Of coarse the brand new one was the one that was stolen. Man I'm ticked off. Pretty lame that some arsehole who probably has their own gear had to steal ours.

Just a heads up for you guys crabbing in that area. The stupid thing, there was a guy burning on Vashon not 300 yards from where our pots were and the Police boat was in the area keeping an eye on the guy burning. The dip$hit who took our pot had to be pretty balls-ey to steal our gear with the patrol boat close by.

[PolarBear]

NEVER leave pots unattended in the South Sound!  I had 4 pots stolen on opening day a couple of years ago at Nisqually.  There were several other boats that were looking for theirs as well.  We all made the mistake of leaving the area to let them soak for a couple of hours.  The WDFW boat showed up after enough complaints and informed us that they suspected a known member of the Nisqually tribe.  F-ing *censored*bags!

[DOUBLELUNG]

Sounds like a really good spot for remote detonated HE.

[GEARHEAD]

Redondo is another bad spot. last year we suspected the culprit was a russian group in an older blue p.o.s. bayliner and a brand new yamaha bigfoot, probably stolen. i just use those really cheap danielson type pots. i have never had one stolen, but am sure at least twice they were pulled, crab removed and put back.

[MuleySniper]

My cousin had one ripped off over by Steilacoom this weekend. Really not even worth leaving out gear anymore unless you are able to watch it until you pull it up. Too bad.
MS

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Binoculars and a bull horn. Troll near them, when you see the first slack jawed yocal roll up on them, hit the horn and kick it into gear that direction. Get their attention. I've had pots stolen at Nisqually and caught several people in the act. One lady with a couple of gent's was physically starting to lift my buoy when I rolled up on them and asked what they were doing, she asked if I'd seen a green buoy? I said no as mine are red, including the one she was holding . At what point can you just flip their boat over with them in it? It's amazing how many thieves there are. There are a lot of folks who think it's OK just to take the crab out of your pot that don't actually steal the pot as well.

[let.it.fly]

it sucks to have your gear stolen. when i was in connecticut we had a couple lobster pots robbed. pots where still there but bait was eaten and the rest of the pots were full of lobster.

[HoofsandWings]

There are guys out there that all they do is take pots.
I had a friend a few years back who had a house on hood canal. She had rowed out and set a crab pot. Later she heard a boat motor and saw some guys taking her pot. She yelled at them and they waved a couple of black rifles in her direction and left. The boat registration marks were taped over.

[Dmanmastertracker]

it sucks to have your gear stolen. when i was in connecticut we had a couple lobster pots robbed. pots where still there but bait was eaten and the rest of the pots were full of lobster.

 When I was a kid, we used to go to Maine and at that time anyone caught stealing pots could be shot, it was pretty effective. Sad that people don't realize there is enough to go around, that you can even get plenty of crab from shore without a boat and just a ring net.

[Tony 270]

Have heard from too many people that pots get stolen all the time. Wouldn't leave sight of them if I were you.

[Hunterman]

The only time I have any of my pots taken was down at Westport last month..We had two taken form just off the south jetty in 40 foot of water..I have an idea who took them, but with out having them on film what can you do..Now let me catch you in the act, and I'll show you how  that stunt is.. Maybe some crabs are worth a sunk boat 

Hunterman(Tony)

[ICEMAN]

Tie one of these about 20 feet down...

[boots]

Its all too common. I have come to expect that atleast 1 of my pots will get picked and set back down while they are soaking

[carpsniperg2]

yeah it sucks

[1morebuck]

I agree. I guess I will have to set my gear and just watch it . I am contacting the WDFW today about it. We were approached by a boat the next day saying his gear was ripped off as well. Maybe a group should get together and set a few dozen pots and have others take watches on them? It is easy to just say "oh well, maybe I should have watched them." It is sad for sure to think that there are people out there who are so petty. It also sucks that I am an all too trusting outdoorsman and people like me get burned. I do not want to be one of those always bitter people when it comes to outdoor stuff.

[Mr56Jeep]

Might be a nice day to sit on the beach with a spotting scope and a cell phone   

[PolarBear]

  I started putting a tiny black waterproof bottle in the bait box with my info on it.  It is small enough that the average joe would not even see it.  If you catch someone who you suspect has your pot, it is marked with identifying information.  One of these days I am going out to Nisqually, drop some pots off and sit across the bay with my spotting scope and see what we can come up with.  My Skeeter will do 80 mph so I doubt if they can out run me.

[Alchase]

I am surprised the WDFW has not done just that!
The theft of crab pots has been rampant in the Nisqually region for years now. How hard would it be for the enforcement folks to set up a sting there? Nail a few thieves and publicize it in all the papers.  Seriously they should have done that years ago.
Who knows maybe they are doing that and the problem is why beyond their control.   

[WSU]

I would be willing to bet that a lot of the "stolen" pots at nisqually are actually lost pots.  I speak from experience, and watched it happen to my pots along with about 20 others this year on the opener.  The tide really rips off the flat, and within about 10 or 15 minutes all the pots went from bouys floating nicely to gone.  I came back at the slack at daylight, and there were 4 or 5 pots left where there were 20 some at dark.  Unless everyone pulled them in the dark, they got washed away.  I'm sure the pots got pulled right off the shelf. 

This isn't to say that pots aren't stolen.  I know for a fact some of mine have been picked while I was out there this year, and don't doubt there are plenty of lowlifes who would take someone's pots.  Also, if you can't find your pot, don't be afraid to look a hundred or so yards away.  Often people float away from were they pulled your pot while they clean you out, and the toss it out when they are done. The end result is your pot moving which ever way the tide was going when they pulled your pot.

[PolarBear]

You are right on about pots being swept into deeper water.  I would also bet that most of them wind up that way.  This is why I weight my pots (30-35 lbs) , double buoy and have almost twice the depth of line (weighted enough to stay under).  The pots that I "lost" were set up like this and I use my sonar to make sure that they are not sitting near one of the shelfs. It is also a good idea to be near your pots at slack tide when the current won't effect your buoys as much.  I bet that someone with a grappling hook with a long line and a diver bag could find plenty of lost pots out there.  Throw it out and let it drift.