Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: oneshotkill on July 08, 2009, 04:26:08 PM

Title: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: oneshotkill on July 08, 2009, 04:26:08 PM: I just started crabbing and was wondering if it is legal to soak your crab pot overnight? Thanks
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: jackelope on July 08, 2009, 04:27:43 PM: i believe it is.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: h2ofowlr on July 08, 2009, 04:28:09 PM: Some places are legal some aren't. You will have to read the regs on the location you want to place the pots.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: NW-GSP on July 08, 2009, 04:52:18 PM: Im not sure If its legal but you might have to worry more about someone stealing your pots. my buddy just had one stolen then the person called him bragging about stealing his crab pot. ( his phone# was on it )
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: Antlershed on July 08, 2009, 05:29:16 PM: Quote from: NW-GSP on July 08, 2009, 04:52:18 PM
Im not sure If its legal but you might have to worry more about someone stealing your pots. my buddy just had one stolen then the person called him bragging about stealing his crab pot. ( his phone# was on it )
He could have called the phone company and had the call traced... :twocents:
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: BigGoonTuna on July 08, 2009, 05:49:07 PM: i definitely wouldn't leave them out at night here in MA13. i wouldn't even leave them unattended during the day!
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: Antlershed on July 08, 2009, 05:51:52 PM: Quote from: BigGoonTuna on July 08, 2009, 05:49:07 PM
i definitely wouldn't leave them out at night here in MA13. i wouldn't even leave them unattended during the day!
Same in MA12
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: h2ofowlr on July 08, 2009, 06:19:23 PM: In marine area 7 if you get to far away, your pot will get picked if not taken.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: popeshawnpaul on July 08, 2009, 06:21:28 PM: I do it all the time and have never had a pot stolen. Sometimes they get pulled and the crab taken though. Some pots are better than others and the big ones can't get out. Others they can get out so it really isn't worth it.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: PolarBear on July 08, 2009, 06:56:57 PM: Quote from: BigGoonTuna on July 08, 2009, 05:49:07 PM
i definitely wouldn't leave them out at night here in MA13. i wouldn't even leave them unattended during the day!
No kidding! I had 4 pots stolen on opening day 2 years ago in broad daylight! There were several others who had theirs pulled as well. Game cops showed up and said it was probably a couple of dudes from the Nisqually Tribe.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: GEARHEAD on July 08, 2009, 10:01:56 PM: dont forget the russians. out of redondo, they pick them often, at least somebody does, we saw an old crappy bayliner out there last year, with a brand, new yamaha 4 stroke big foot kicker (call me silly, but i dont think they paid for it) and trout rods rigged with power bait. this was in august. they didn't have traps that i could see when they launched , but had one nice round one when they were at the dock later, and a whole mess of crabs. lots of complaints of theft last two years. i use the cheap danielsons myself.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: D_morg on July 09, 2009, 07:03:05 AM: Sounds to me like we need to set up a sting operation,set your pots and watch from a ways out. :mgun:
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: ICEMAN on July 09, 2009, 07:14:25 AM: Better yet....how about tying a mine to the bottom of your crab bouy...? :IBCOOL:

"Wow, this one is heavy...it must really be loaded!" :chuckle:
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: rasbo on July 09, 2009, 07:20:14 AM: I soaked mine at night,hood canal seal rock.leave at dusk and back at dawn.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: BIGBULLBALLS on July 09, 2009, 07:46:26 AM: Or you could use zinc rings until WDFW will start patrolling our gear to catch the crab theives! I always drop my gear on Wednesday night and pull Friday night.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: lokidog on July 09, 2009, 08:03:16 PM: Tag on the bouy says "If you can read this, I can see you in my scope!".

Or razor blades embedded in the line about four feet under the surface.

Put a zip tie on the door, keeps the slightly dishonest people out. I've had mine cleaned out a couple of times but not stolen, luckily. If you have a big pink bouy or something else that makes it stand out, it might not get hit as easily as it would be easier to see from a distance if someone was messing with it.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: big ed on July 09, 2009, 08:13:19 PM: I like iceman way of fixing them be one hell of a surprise. :yike:
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: PolarBear on July 09, 2009, 08:19:56 PM: We use to dump our pots on an extreme low tide with short lines and leave them until the next day. The buoys were well under water for the whole time and no one could pull them. You have to weight your pots really well to pull this off or you will lose them if there is any kind of current. To leave them that long you also have to put a ton of bait in bags where it cannot be picked clean in just a couple of hours.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: coachcw on July 09, 2009, 10:35:40 PM: i soak mine overnight around whidbey, havn't had them taken yet. i would love to catch one of those *censored*s . I hate a thief and think we should use them for crab bait. I'd trace that call and hunt that prick down . sounds like the south sound is rough on pots they must come over from :bash: to take your pots.
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: steeleywhopper on July 09, 2009, 10:38:00 PM: It really sucks to find that one of your treble hooks accidently got caught and left in your crab line. Found that one out the hard way. I do think that a couple of strategicly placed trebles in your crab line might help get the point accross to pot theives. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Legal to Soak Crab Pot At Night
Post by: Clipboard guy on July 11, 2009, 05:14:02 PM: I have had three traps stolen during crabbing. >:(
I would love to sit on the shore with a .50 cal and test how long a poachers boat will float when it is full of holes! :mgun: