# Crab Traps!



## Chugg'n & plug'n (Jul 3, 2006)

no, i'm not talking about some of the girls who hang out at greenie's! i want the crabs you eat! what do ya'll know about where to buy the best traps, and what do ya'll use as bait? i'm not saying deadliest catch style, but i'm also not talking about chicken neck on a string. i want to buy like 4 traps to drop out in the water in the morning, and pick them up in the evening. now give me your knowledge.....


----------



## reelax84 (Jun 27, 2007)

i dont kno much about crabbing but it can't be hard. from what i've seen just stuff some menhaden in the bait trap of the crab pot, drop in the water and wait. location is probably the most important thing, some where like lynnhaven should work. good luck!


----------



## Singletjeff (Mar 27, 2005)

Read your regulations though...There are laws about crab pots, where you can tie them off how long you can leave them unless you have a commercial license


----------



## Chugg'n & plug'n (Jul 3, 2006)

yeah i need some crab info! as far as location, i'm just going to drop it wherever i start my fishing and then pick it up at the end of the day. regulations, however, are something i need to look into. those things always attract my ignorance.


----------



## Steve O (Nov 3, 2005)

[URL="http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/recfish&crabrules.shtm"]http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/recfish&crabrules.shtm[/URL]
Check out this link.


----------



## bigfred (May 6, 2006)

*Old days*

In the old days (am 62 years) we tore up crabs with chicken necks and string and crab nets
bigfred


----------



## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

i have always loaded up on crabs using a simple hoop type net with pinfish as bait. however this only works from somewhere up and down or you have to wade near it to pull it up.


----------



## togman (Oct 12, 2003)

*Crab Pots*

You can buy them at Taylor's Hardware stores, or go straight to the source & buy them at Peele's Crab Pot Supply on Westminister Ave in Norfolk. 
Use Fish head or cut fish for bait works best.


----------



## Chugg'n & plug'n (Jul 3, 2006)

thanks for the intel. since i'm not trying to "target" the crabs, as much hope for their convenience, i'll probably just soak a couple pots. i've got one, just need to buy another. probably just use all the heads from last night's slaughter.


----------



## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Check out this link:

http://www.bluecrab.info/forum/index.php

And look for posts on topless traps. There's a guy (in maryland maybe?) who makes them. Reasonable prices and supposedly great traps. I researched this a couple of years ago but never got any.

Cheers.

- Luther


----------



## Mdt1992 (Sep 3, 2007)

how many crabs are in a buschel of crabs. ive always use fish carcases that ive frozen to put in my traps and seems to work.


----------



## Justfshn (Nov 22, 2007)

I think its based on the size of the bushel basket. Its sort of a measurement in volume. That being said it may be something like 5 dozen large or 6-7 dozen medium 8 small.


----------



## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

Ahhh just get a lil jon boat... hit willoughbuy spit at night.. all the crabs you want...... just pull the trap dump the crabs and scoot to the next pot.. 4 pots youll have a boat load

Be sure to use your "Matrix" moves and dodge the shotgun blasts..........


----------



## wolfva (Nov 17, 2006)

If you want REAL fun...do that while wearing a pro Maryland T-shirt....

You can get pots at Boater's world to, of various sizes. Back when I dropped pots I used fish or chicken in the bait pot. Worked well enough.


----------



## jay (Feb 19, 2004)

eaglesfanguy said:


> Ahhh just get a lil jon boat... hit willoughbuy spit at night.. all the crabs you want...... just pull the trap dump the crabs and scoot to the next pot.. 4 pots youll have a boat load
> 
> Be sure to use your "Matrix" moves and dodge the shotgun blasts..........


NO THAT NOT RIGHT!!!

We like to use flares and watch them burn a hole through the boat, shotguns won't do this


----------



## Chugg'n & plug'n (Jul 3, 2006)

well that's still better than last time i went to the spit. dropped 4 traps and when i came back, there was only 1 left. not sure if someone ganked them or caught the buoy in their prop, but i hope i have better luck this time


----------



## GregL (Sep 16, 2007)

I must be old too Big Fred. That's the way we used to do it when I was a kid. We'd head down to Burwell's Bay, tie a chicken neck on a string and weight it down with a big bolt or nut. If you had money, you'd buy one of those fancy pants wire mesh jobs that folded up when you pulled on it.


----------



## incucrash (May 7, 2008)

Chugg'n & plug'n said:


> well that's still better than last time i went to the spit. dropped 4 traps and when i came back, there was only 1 left. not sure if someone ganked them or caught the buoy in their prop, but i hope i have better luck this time


Welp, ocean view/spit is a good spot for crabs, but it's a pain in the arse dodging those things sometimes, it's crab pot city out there, years ago we caught one in the prop and the rope got cut up, had no idea which float (out of the 50 in the bay, at night...) went to the pot we pulled up, so we kept it, rather then throw it back and let it sink... we looked for engravings, initials, etc... but, i'm sure this happens alot, then people use steel cables or rope with the metal inside, which really screws peoples props up... when I crab, i stay with my pot just like a fishing pole... 

I'm not going to tell you the walmart crab pots work good, because they do not, but they are cheap and will get them! 

As a kid, i tied chicken fat backs and brought the crabs where i could see them, and scooped em.... mostly for fun, not to be efficient and feed the family.. lol

check out cabelas for some pots, seen some in catalog, my computer is messing up, restarting, good luck


p.s., alot of crabs @ East ocean view free fishing pier (open sunrise-sunset)

off pretty lake




bigfred said:


> In the old days (am 62 years) we tore up crabs with chicken necks and string and crab nets
> bigfred


i'm 24 and used about the same method =]


----------



## GregL (Sep 16, 2007)

I've seen crab pots for sale on eBay and I've seen plans online that you can download to make your own.

Isn't a recreational license required? I may be thinking about another state.


----------



## GregL (Sep 16, 2007)

Hey Chugg,

Jann's Netcraft has some pyramid style traps but I wouldn't leave them out all day in fear that all the bait would be gone before I could pull it up.

Cabela's has some nice basket style traps though that look like what you want.

G


----------



## Mdt1992 (Sep 3, 2007)

if you have more than 2 pots out it is and if you want to harvest more than a buschel


----------



## Chugg'n & plug'n (Jul 3, 2006)

thanks for the info!


----------



## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

pinfish,bluefish, menhaden, mullet dead and chopped up all work fine as bait. chicken works fairly well but fish oils or scents travels throughout the water faster than chicken oil or scents. therefore it should produce more crabs. i have not tested this but in theroy it will work better.


----------



## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

One thing if you are going to set a pot out in open water that has any kind of current. You have to rig it with an "iron". By that I mean a rectangular piece of rebar (usually 1/2 inch) that is attached to the bottom of the pot around the outside edge. Also make sure you have adequate length of rope as said rebar will pull a standard buoy under.

While you are at it if you want it to last you need to also put some waster zincs on your pots.

Tom


----------

