# Crab Traps 101



## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Ok, I'm starting another thread to answer some questions and to pass on some information. 

Matt, this is crab related and not pier/surf fish related... so, send it to the Bible or bit bucket, your choice. I'm only posting it because there seemed to be some interest.

*Disclaimer*
The methods I use I learned from smarter folks than I. 

Here are the original questions from the other thread:



RetroYellow said:


> Hey BubbaBlue, about your traps... I have a few questions for ya, if you don't mind:
> 
> 1. Why the bicycle inner tube? and how do you use it with the floats/lines to control depth?
> 
> ...





cygnus-x1 said:


> DAMNNN BUBBA !!!
> 
> I did not know you had a commercial license
> 
> Nice display there!! Do you have a jon boat to crab with?


You don't need a commercial license. If you get the $5 crab license in Maryland, you can work 30 traps. If you don't have the license, you can keep 24 crabs. With it, you can keep a bushel. I usually work 30 traps and keep a bushel.  

I crab both from boats and piers. I have a 14' BPS jon with a 8hp Evinrude. I usually use an electric trolling motor when working the traps. Does the job ok. I used to run a trot line but migrated to traps for two reasons. The trot ended up being too much work, with baiting the line and deploying and retrieving it in the water. Also, once you deploy the trot, you are restricted to where you can crab. Crabs move, but I'm getting ahead of myself and will cover that later.

Ok, first, the topless traps are the way to go. They nest inside each other for storage and are quite effective at catching crabs. 











Some brands have a bait spring. It works good, but if you're using a small piece of bait, it will sometimes push through the bottom. I solved this by putting on a small piece of galv hardware cloth under the spring. I used cheapo Harbor Freight wire ties, but you can also wire or hog clip it.










One of the problems with crabbing from a boat is the rope knot getting tangled up with the trap string while it's down there. I solved this with tying a bowline and taping the tag.










I crab in various depths of water depending on conditions. This can change on the fly and I need to be able to quickly change the amount of rope deployed and know how much is already out. I mark the rope every three feet with a Sharpie.


















Floats.
There are a number of different kinds available commercially, and I've tried them all, but they have problems. Yeah, they work, but most have a round surface, are hard to grab when slippery, are too big for what's needed and provide no way to adjust the line length.

Here's what I use:

Start with a 12" piece of pool noodle. You want it to be small enough to fit on the diagonal of the closed trap bottom. This is so you can nest them for transport and storage. 










Take a knife and cut a 2" slice in one end.


















Tie a slip knot in your rope.









Tighten in on the middle of the noodle.









Wrap the line on the noodle to the desired trap depth, and stick the line in the slot.









Use a small piece of bicycle tube to secure it.









In Maryland, you have to have your name on the float. I use a normal Sharpie.











Done. 



Ok, for storage and transport, put the floats in the bottom and nest them.









These floats have a couple of good things going for them. Cheap... adjustable... easy to grab by hand or boat hook... and the biggie: when the tide comes in and you aren't paying attention, they let you know that you don't have enough line out by standing up. In other words, if the float is sticking up, your trap sides are *not *laying down!! Some folks put a weight in one end of the float, but I don't because I like the float/trap status indication.

Now, to use them. Why do I go to all the trouble of having the rope length adjustable?

Most folks don't realize it, but decent sized crabs move in with the incoming tide and back out on the outgoing. At low tide, the best crabs will be in deep water, as much as 20 feet. At high tide, they will be in as little as 2 feet. The best "time" is sunrise.

I initially deploy my traps in a diagonal line from deep to shallow depending on the current tide state. Yes, I use a depth finder. Once I find the crabs, I'll then move the traps to where they are and then gradually move them deeper or shallower depending on the tide direction. I usually leave a few real deep and real shallow to catch the big boys that don't follow the crowd. These traps don't catch as many, but they usually produce the largest.

In general, the traps are laid out in multiple lines. I hit each trap, check, drop, move to the next, and then cull at the end. Start over.

As far as bait? I only use skinless chicken necks and fowl necks bought in bulk. A 40# tray will go a long ways, and can be ordered at most decent bait shops. Fowl necks are big chicken or turkey necks and have a lot more meat on them, but they're more expensive. I never use anything else. I have experimented over the years with cow lips, eel, chicken legs and backs, bunker, you name it. Regular chicken necks out produce them every time.

There was a question on why I hang my traps.










I hang them on the clothesline like this to hose them off and dry after every trip. There are a few dollars tied up in traps, rope, floats, etc, and if you put them away wet with salt on them, they won't last long. I've been using mine for years and they still look brand new. 


Now, to make this thread fish related, here's a picture of a fish.

I titled it, "Noodling for Doggies"  










Hey justinfisch01, I think that's you in the background on the day of your 6 footer.  

.


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## FL FISHERMAN (Sep 30, 2002)

Great Post! Does this mean we are going to have some crab legs when we hit the beach!!


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Doggone BB!!!!! Great post.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Damn Bubba !!! You Da Man !!!

Thank you sir for that incredible post. It is going on my Hard drive ! I hope one day to be able to use this information (i.e. when I get a small boat)


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## justinfisch01 (Feb 19, 2006)

Yup that sure is me Bubba! Looks like we were just getting ready to start packing up to meet the wives for dinner at hoopers


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## Desperado (Mar 12, 2007)

Thank you BubbaBlue, for sharing what you have learned with the rest of us.

A few questions from an absolute beginner, no experience at all:

I would most likely start out from a pier, so:
- Are these traps recommended for crabbing on piers as well? 
- How many of these can be used on a pier. I'm guessing depends on the pier & how crowded it is.
- On average, how many crabs can I expect to catch? 
- How is the bait attached to the trap?
- Can I catch crabs from just about any pier? Or are there some piers where I might be wasting my time?


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Desperado said:


> Thank you BubbaBlue, for sharing what you have learned with the rest of us.


No problem.



> A few questions from an absolute beginner, no experience at all:
> 
> I would most likely start out from a pier, so:
> - Are these traps recommended for crabbing on piers as well?


Sure. You may need a longer rope if it's a long drop. 


> - How many of these can be used on a pier. I'm guessing depends on the pier & how crowded it is.


In Maryland, you can use up to 10 without the extra $5 crab license.


> - On average, how many crabs can I expect to catch?


Depends on many things. Are they there? Are you the only chicken neck restaraunt on the pier?


> - How is the bait attached to the trap?


I use springs, but you can also wire or tie it on.


> - Can I catch crabs from just about any pier? Or are there some piers where I might be wasting my time?


I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, but if the crabs are there, yes you can catch them pretty much anywhere. If they aren't, you won't. Obviously, some places are better than others and they are usually the most crowded unfortunately. That's why I bought a boat. Crabbing is the only thing I use it for. 
.


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

cool post bubba... hope to catch up with you at AI or coke...


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## chesapeakecarper (Aug 22, 2003)

Awesome tutorial Bubba...got a sudden urge to run for some Old Bay and Natty Boh!

Thanks!


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## GhostCrab (Sep 5, 2006)

Thx for sharing your insights BubbaBlue! Great post.


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## Andre (Mar 15, 2003)

This post is slated for the bible for sure ....awesome post again BB !!!!!!!!

I was told by a waterman that w/perch is the best bait..... true or false ?


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*man*

They look great.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Andre said:


> I was told by a waterman that w/perch is the best bait..... true or false ?


In my experience, false. I've tried back to back testing with different baits, including fish like perch, and for some reason, skinless chicken or turkey necks work the best. Don't ask me why. 
.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

BubbaBlue said:


> In my experience, false. I've tried back to back testing with different baits, including fish like perch, and for some reason, skinless chicken or turkey necks work the best. Don't ask me why.
> .


Let clarify something here. When I say necks are best, I'm talking about when using traps that get checked every 30min or so. 

If you're using a 1500'+ trot line with 250 snooded baits that get checked every 2 hours, then you want something tougher, like bull lips. If you're using a crab pot that gets checked every 24hrs, then something cheap like fish would be best.
.


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## RetroYellow (Jul 21, 2006)

*THANK YOU, BubbaBlue...*

...for taking the time to compose and share the invaluable information contained is this excellent post. Much respect!

I beseech SandFlea to add this to the "Bible" section of the site.

Tight lines... :fishing:


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## Willie in NEPA (Mar 13, 2007)

Great post, this week I am getting out up in NJ and going get the crabs.............bet you have some good recipes too??? Thanks again


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Willie in NEPA said:


> bet you have some good recipes too???


JO #1... 
and JO Garlic Crab Spice... 
from JO Spice...

100% of the time.   

Pick up a jar of Garlic Crab, pre-clean your crabs, dump on Garlic Crab and steam for 15 min. You will never go back to Old Bay.

Also a good time to mention... the mustard. Some folks love it. Be aware that the mustard is the hepatopancreas of the crab. If the crab happens to eat anything bad in its lifetime, like heavy metals or chemicals, THEY WILL BE CONCENTRATED THERE. Limit your consumption of the mustard, especially if you are a child or pregnant female.

As probably assumed, yes, I eat a lot of crabs, but I don't eat the mustard anymore. I pre-clean most of them unless there's some die-hard Merland mustard eaters present. You can pack a lot more in the pot, lots cleaner and easier to eat at the table, and they taste better as more of the spice enters the meat.

Another trick. To pre-clean, fill a tub with water, add a good amount of ice. Dump the crabs in the ice water. In two minutes, they will all have gone into hibernation and are a piece of cake to clean.  
.


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Wow ... great info Bubba Blue ... or is that Bubba Blueclaw  

One question for ya: I have two of those traps that the crabs find their way into but cannot get out of ... at least not very easily  I've noticed that if I don't clear the crabs out and put them in a "holding tank/pot" that new crabs are not very likely to keep coming into the trap, even if I put in fresh bait. But, as soon as I clear them out I see new crabs in the traps the next day. Is this just the way it works or just coincidence?

Thanks,
fishhead


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

fishhead said:


> One question for ya: I have two of those traps that the crabs find their way into but cannot get out of ... at least not very easily  I've noticed that if I don't clear the crabs out and put them in a "holding tank/pot" that new crabs are not very likely to keep coming into the trap, even if I put in fresh bait. But, as soon as I clear them out I see new crabs in the traps the next day. Is this just the way it works or just coincidence?


Sorry, can't help you there. Sounds like a crab pot. Don't have much experience with them. 
.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Great Post BB, I'll have to give that a try when I get my yak. Do you ever have any issues with adding weight to the bottom of the trap so it doesn't roll in strong tide?


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

fishbait said:


> Great Post BB, I'll have to give that a try when I get my yak. Do you ever have any issues with adding weight to the bottom of the trap so it doesn't roll in strong tide?


Wear thick pants and thick gloves...  :redface:


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

You shoulda seen Fingers trying to pick up a crab with gloves on. Laughed my arse off!!!!!!! You'd think the guy was an expert crab handler. Oh well, guys scared of worms, what should I have expected.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

fishbait said:


> Do you ever have any issues with adding weight to the bottom of the trap so it doesn't roll in strong tide?


No. The kind I use open up completely and there's not much up off the bottom that can get caught in the current.

Now, if the current is real strong, it can sometimes pull on your rope and partially close the doors. You can tell by the way the float is acting. I've had to move them before because of this. 

As far as picking up a crab? Tongs all the way. If you don't have tongs handy, get his attention with one hand and grab his back flippers with the other hand. 
This works "some" of the time.   

Suggestion. When doing this on a small boat like mine, it's a good idea to wear closed toes shoes, like tennis shoes. When they're running good there are always a half a dozen walking around the boat... and they LOVE finding a boat driver with sandals.  
.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

fishbait said:


> I'll have to give that a try when I get my yak.


Ummm... kayak?  

Let me know how that works out, ok?



BubbaBlue said:


> When they're running good there are always a half a dozen walking around the boat... and they LOVE finding a boat driver with sandals.


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## e-mag (Jun 15, 2006)

thanks for the info BB.i'm going yakcrabbing this weekend only using drop nets.


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Hey BB, thanks again, and it seems like you have answered every question  . . . but heres one more: Are the traps you drop (say 10) connected in any way? Or are they all individual units? 

Me and the boys are thinkin' about yak crabbin' in the very near future  There are a bunch of guys doin' with great sucess, but as space it at a premium, you might see us pulling along an inner tube with a basket in the middle


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Individual units, not connected.

The inner tube basket sounds like a winner. You'll also need another container onboard, like a milk crate, to temporarily store the crabs until you can measure and cull them. The traps will fit in the milk crate for transport.  

Take an old towel along too. A crab will die in 15 min of sun, but if you throw a wet towel over him, he'll stay alive for days.

Also, make yourself a measuring tool. A piece of one-by cut with a 5" slot in it. Lots easier to use than the orange plastic ones. You'll need another one cut to 5.25" for when the minimum size increases.
.


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Thanks again Bubba. This sounds like an adventure (and/or disaster) waiting to happen  If all goes to plan and I don't end up in the ER because a crab decides to grab hold of me twig-n-berries with with a kung-fu grip, a report/pics should be up in the next couple weeks.


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

BubbaBlue;302094
As probably assumed said:


> I am confused with "preclean". I get the impression that when you preclean the crabs for steaming, you take out the mustard beforehands. How do you do that?
> 
> Also, you claim that you will save space in the pot if you preclean them. I don't understand that either unless you pull all the legs off beforehand and throw them in the pot


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Green Cart said:


> I am confused with "preclean". I get the impression that when you preclean the crabs for steaming, you take out the mustard beforehands. How do you do that?
> 
> Also, you claim that you will save space in the pot if you preclean them. I don't understand that either unless you pull all the legs off beforehand and throw them in the pot


My sister-in-laws family did this as well. They take the like crab and rip the shell, devils fingers, and mustard out (while they are alive) and then throw them in the pot afterwards. The Old Bay seasoning permeates the meat better with this method but they did it for other reasons. They also strictly believed in cleaning your catch (fish) immediately after you docked the boat. Given the state of the bay I can't argue with either one. Just be sure you have real thick gloves when you are handling them alive    

I don't cook mine that way, I just toss them in the steamer and clean them out later.


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## Green Cart (May 14, 2002)

*Oh I See...*

I think I just will keep using the old-fashioned way of throwing the whole crabs in the pot


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Green Cart said:


> I think I just will keep using the old-fashioned way of throwing the whole crabs in the pot


I am with ya on that  It is hard enough work just eating the crabs. I get so hungry eating crabs that it can turn into a never ending cycle


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## Gnatman (Sep 15, 2005)

Green Cart said:


> I am confused with "preclean". I get the impression that when you preclean the crabs for steaming, you take out the mustard beforehands. How do you do that?
> 
> Also, you claim that you will save space in the pot if you preclean them. I don't understand that either unless you pull all the legs off beforehand and throw them in the pot


Green Cart...

I think what BB is referring to is that with the top shell removed, they are less high as with the shell on. Also, because the crabs are dead, you can carefullly arrange them in the pot to maximize the capacity.

I doubt that I will ever try it that way, because I love the mustard too much to give it up.  

:beer:


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Yeah, lots of folks like the mustard, but what I said above is the truth. If you eat a lot of them, like I do, limit the amount of mustard for your health.

How I pre-clean. I dunk them in ice water to put them to sleep, remove the claws, then pull the shell and apron. Then hose out the innerds and scrape off the lungs. Then I take pair of shears and cut off the legs to about an inch. About 5 sec per crab. They are asleep from the cold water when you do it so you can get pretty speedy with it. 

It's *much *easier and cleaner at the table to eat (you can eat more before you get tired), you can pack a whole lot more in the steamer, and they taste better with much more spice flavor in the meat.

To each his own on the pre-cleaning, (I really could care less  ) but I suggest everyone try it once, especially with JO Garlic Crab.  


I've converted many a hard core Merland mustard eater once they tried it my way. 
:beer: 
.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Sounds really good. I'd definitely give it a try. Now if I could only catch a crab, then....


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

BubbaBlue said:


> Yeah, lots of folks like the mustard, but what I said above is the truth. If you eat a lot of them, like I do, limit the amount of mustard for your health.
> 
> How I pre-clean. I dunk them in ice water to put them to sleep, remove the claws, then pull the shell and apron. Then hose out the innerds and scrape off the lungs. Then I take pair of shears and cut off the legs to about an inch. About 5 sec per crab. They are asleep from the cold water when you do it so you can get pretty speedy with it.
> 
> ...


I love your idea of dunking them in ice water. I wondered why my brother never did that ... maybe he liked the svageness of it  

Now I may try it your way using the ice trick. None of us eat mustard anyway so it is no big loss. Just extra preparation time. Since I am using a smaller steamer this might let me do 2 pots instead of 3 for a bushel.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

It sounds like a lot of work pre-cleaning, but it really isn't, especially if you chill them first.

What we usually do is set up two cleaning stations... a low chair, 5-gal buck upside down in front of you with a piece of plywood on it, another bucket beside you to toss the shells. The chilled crabs are between us in a tub. Me and my bud are usually in competition to see who can clean a set number, like 20. The loser has to get up and go get the beers. We drink the beer and then go at it again. 

A youngin is in charge of shaking spice on the cleaned crabs as they're tossed in the steamer behind us and the women are shucking the corn.

We usually have the crabs ready to cook before the women get the corn shucked. That is, if we haven't hit the beer too hard.  

Another way is to set up an assembly line on a picnic table. First person pulls the shell, apron and claws, next hoses out the guts and lungs, next cuts the legs and spices them. Yeah, this works, but it's not as much fun as the first method.  
.


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

BubbaBlue said:


> It sounds like a lot of work pre-cleaning, but it really isn't, especially if you chill them first.
> 
> What we usually do is set up two cleaning stations... a low chair, 5-gal buck upside down in front of you with a piece of plywood on it, another bucket beside you to toss the shells. The chilled crabs are between us in a tub. Me and my bud are usually in competition to see who can clean a set number, like 20. The loser has to get up and go get the beers. We drink the beer and then go at it again.
> 
> ...



Sounds like socialist crab cleaning if I ever heard it!!!! I like it!!!!


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