Man I wish i had a boat, wouldn't have to worry about getting crab and competing with everyone on the docks. Guess I should have mentioned that but I would not have gotten near as many replies. After all, if it works in deeper water it should work off the docks, right.

I can't find the Danielson Top Loader so if someone has a link I would like to see them.

I have been seriously thinking about building an octagon pot and it looks like it might be the way to go. I have to go collapsable because I don't have room for full size traps. The van isn't big enough to carry more than 1 of those with the kids. Won't be too hard to do and will be netting instead of wire with either aluminum or stainless frames, maybe pvc.

I will agree with good bait and the fresher the better. Have never had more crab in, on and all over a pot than when I put fresh tuna carcasses in the pot. I thought a seal was sitting on it. Had 3 rider keeper size on top and 7 more inside in less than 30 minutes. All were soft shell but 1 but it was loaded.

Anyone ever use those drop in the top traps? drop top crab trap
Am thinking about making on of those to try out. Would be easy enough to modify it if it doesn't work to a bottom swing gate type. Probably make it rectangle or octagon but who knows.

I am just trying to find the best way to outfish others on the docks and get some keeper dungeness. Have been skunked too many times with soft shells galore, at least we get some rock crab but they don't have near the meat in them. Collapsable is a must for space and size and weight is an issue because I am hand pulling and my kids will hopefully be helping me pull anything I make. Light weight is less of an issue because I crab off the docks.

Sky-guy, those are house traps. My sister loves them. I can buy them locally actualy. I have never used them although I am storing 2 of them for her. May have to try to make a couple of them just to see if I can.

I enjoyed fishing the McKay. Somebody liked the pot with nine pounds of lead better, out in front of Lilliwaup, 100ft of line over 65ft water.
I still had four keepers in the cheap Danielson I dropped on my way this morning. Rebar under the bottom, baitbox with chicken, and poly line were my only additions.


So the cheap pot is now my favorite.

9 x 5 = 45

43/45 = .956 on base percentage

Hall of fame, baby, hall of fame.

Sorry about the merc.

Must be catchy, my Big Merc developed a case of the Scream High Temp Alarm, didn't even make it out into the Strait. I'm hoping for poppit valve problem vs blown head gasket.

Fishy,

If you are crabbing off the docks then you are pulling them by hand and tying them off to a rail. You need something light and the danielsons are prolly the best for you. You don't need much weight tied on unless there is a lot of current. The comments about good bait in a tied down cage are good. You can put some smelly jelly on there as well. Then you can do a nice long soak and see what you get.

I don't see any rot cord escape hatches on those top drop pots, so that is a nice way to gt a ticket.

Someone here will remember going out on the railroad trestle across from the refinery in Anacortes and slinging crab rings. I was a regular there in the late 70s and caught tons of keepers. I think the limit was 10 or 12. Cooked them up right there, with butter and white wine. Then drove back into the U district and went to classes the next day.

It got kinda spooky when a train came through (not often) and we had to scramble out onto these platforms and hang on until the train passed. I cannot believe the shite we got away with.

You can fit 3 crab rings into the trunk of a '63 bug.

Mexican Creeper by Dr. Rick.

If I were fishing off a dock, I'd definitely go with a flat trap. Used to make my own out of rebar and gill net....no sides. As long as you pull up fast the crabs can't get a foothold to scoot off the trap.

"If" ain't much of a Sales Pitch.

Big stick's back.

Where's Fresh Prince?

Humpies still enthrall the oblivious and Crab Pot "analyzation" just might be the Swan Song for same.

You are right about the drop top traps. If they have a tube at the top they have to have escape rings or it will be a ticket. If there is no tube at the top it is an open trap and doesn't need them. Not according to enforcement in Montesano anyway. WIll probbaly just leave the top open for them to drop or crawl in and take my chance without the tube in the top. If it doesn't work, I will add a tube and add escape rings. I have not found a legal drop tp crab pot online so if I did buy one I would have to modify it anyway.

The only thing I don't like about the Danielson box traps is in Westport boat basin there is a lot of kelp and other stuff on the bottom that seems to limits crab entering the trap. Sometimes I do well with it, others it seems like the crab simply can't get in even though my other traps with the same bait are working fine.

Might make a "flat trap" that is the same as a ring trap but has a 6-8 inch tall raised second ring that helps keep the crab in longer. Can't hurt to try it out.

I just figure that at $8-10 to make about anything I want to make I can experiment and maybe I will hit on somethng that out performs everything else, and everyone else on the docks. That it gives me something to do when I don't have anyone to fish with.

GOOD bait is the key.

You can't stop GOOD bait from working.

AuntyM, that is one design I plan to build although I would be making it out of PVC or Aluminum being I have no way to weld anything. I figured filling the PVC with sand and then sealing it would give it plenty of weight and maybe adding some rebar if the sand isn't haevy enough for fishing in currents. Can always add rebar or other weights to it anyway.
It would also be collapsible.

Thank you, I will have to look into finding some of those for the bottom supports and anything else I need. Will make it a lot easier if I can "weld" the supports on the risers rather than try to make them stay with rope, cotter pins and other means.

Will let you know when I get a couple made. If you were to get some what would you want them made out of? My plan is not round ones but either squares or octagons. A lot easier to do with my hand rod benders than even attempting a round pot. PVC can be done either shape also, I think. I think I can make rounds out of pipe but not sure how strong that flexible stuff would be for upper sections.

Schedule 40 shouldn't crack for a long time. Drag might be an issue. Will have to see.

As for cost, I can get 1/4 inch aluminim rod for about the same price as 1/4 inch PVC.

What size model crab pot are you using? I'm thinking bout picking me up a couple of the mckays just not sure which ones to get.

cheap square pots, rusty old and ran over once work best for me. no joke . no one wants to steal them

+1 for the cheapo danielson pots. Easier to pull up, you can fold them, & the doors swing freely.

Mckay all the way. Fish with Danielson as well but my Mckay outfish every other pot I have.

That could be because I have the most confidence in it and put it in my favorite spots.