# Skunked by the fish but nailed the crab



## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

I might have been skunked by the fish this weekend (save some doggies) but I nailed the crab

Put out two of those collapsible traps from Promar (see at Cabella's) on Friday afternoon at the Fort (whereabouts I will save to myself).

Picked up 50 nice blue crabs by Saturday morning all on two mullet heads I had frozen from my trip before.(no sign of any fish head when i pulled the trap out)

Boiled them up in a Zatarans Crab boil along with pound of fresh local shrimp, white corn and lumber jack sausage.:beer:

Discarded the little crab legs but ate the heck out of the left and right leg body part. Dipped them in a real butter, lemon and garlic sauce

WOW was that good:beer:


I may give up fishing and just crab.

On second thought, I believe I need something to do waiting on the crabs,,so I guess I will keep fishing but just as a byline.


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## OBX Jay (Sep 3, 2007)

Great report! You ate 50 blue crabs? Wow! :--| 

Hope you had some help.  BTW those little legs hold some mighty sweet meat.

Sounds like a great time - Congrats. :beer: 

I'm ordering 2 of those crab traps.


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## Justfshn (Nov 22, 2007)

50 is a nice catch. 

I just started crabbing this year cause i could'nt catch any fish either


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

were the crabs heavy and full of meat, or was it kind of hard digging around for lumps of crabmeat?


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

i would suggest buying 4 or 5 of those things. by the time you finish rigging bait onto it and throwing it into the water, there is probably a crab or two in the first one you set out


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## NateM (Jan 9, 2008)

Time to put out the traps! Thats just awesome, good work man.


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## LEADDRAFT (Oct 9, 2001)

were there 30 foot seas & freezings temps?,, Naw just kidding..
Guess it's time too set a trap or 2..
Dern! Fireline!
Maybe We might Meet and greet one day, talk fishing pointers...

Maybe it's the Moon Phase, (almost full) or something.. For not catching fish..
Cause I sure was catchin them late last week..
But thinking back; they started biting as the Moon started Rising Late in the afternoon, I need research funding too check My theroy out... 
Think Sea grant will help? LOL


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## tunadog (Feb 2, 2008)

Don't forget,

I think NC has some regulations pertaining to crab traps. As I understand it, You may use one trap attached to privately owned land or docks. If you are going to use more than one trap, or are going to place your trap in a public area you must obtain a Recreational Commercial Gear License, 35.00 in state, 250.00 out of state. You also need a hot pink buoy. If someone knows more on this please correct me.


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

*This might help.*

ok, I just looked into this last week with the park service..a simple way to put it: with rings or traps no limit on number, dont need a license. If the crab can escape, as is the case with rings and the folding traps, it is considered chicken necking and dont need a license. To use the smaller 16" pots for rec use you need a rec license and, get this, pink buoys. Local license is $35, not sure on out of state. I think, but not sure, to use the larger commercial pots you might need a commercial license.
I'm waiting to go out kayak crabbing, planning on 8 rings with floats and about 4 traps. Tired of paying for crabs! wdbrand

BTW: This post was not mine. Simply copy and paste off another board.


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## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

wdbrand said:


> ok, I just looked into this last week with the park service..a simple way to put it: with rings or traps no limit on number, dont need a license. If the crab can escape, as is the case with rings and the folding traps, it is considered chicken necking and dont need a license. To use the smaller 16" pots for rec use you need a rec license and, get this, pink buoys. Local license is $35, not sure on out of state. I think, but not sure, to use the larger commercial pots you might need a commercial license.
> I'm waiting to go out kayak crabbing, planning on 8 rings with floats and about 4 traps. Tired of paying for crabs! wdbrand
> 
> BTW: This post was not mine. Simply copy and paste off another board.


That was my understanding too...thanks

Now go get em


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## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Link to Cabellas page for Promar folding traps*



NateM said:


> Time to put out the traps! Thats just awesome, good work man.


Here is the link for the traps I got from Cabella's for $18.99
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=crab+traps&noImage=0


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

*Fireline,*

to me that trap would not come under the heading collaspible or chicken necking, and would require a license. wdbrand.


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

Yep those traps wont fly here for recreational use in NC because the crab cant walk out on their own and it wont pass for comercial gear either since there is not a cull ring to let the small crabs out.

Here is the deffinition for collapsable traps that are allowed:

Collapsible crab traps, a trap used for taking crabs with the largest open dimension
no larger than 18 inches and that by design is collapsed at all times when in the
water, except when it is being retrieved from or lowered to the bottom;
anything else would be considered a pot and in 1989, the Marine Fisheries Commission passed rules to require cull rings in crab pots, which allow undersized or small
crabs to escape, while allowing fishermen to keep legal-sized crabs.


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