Crab traps with doors

[Crabbin503]

I've never had very good luck with crab traps with doors. After thinking about it I think the key to them is that you can't pull them up as often as a trap without doors as the crabs need extra time to find the doors to get in. Back in August I had a cage trap with doors, a regular ring, and a slip ring out doing some crabbing and the cage did absolutely terrible (pulling every 15 or 20 minutes). All I had in the cage trap the whole day was small crabs which can enter anywhere because they are so small. In my experience it's like the crabs can't figure out how to get in the doors. Or maybe they could given more time? On the other hand I watched youtube videos of people using the cage traps very successfully. What gives? Can anyone confirm that the cage traps require longer soak times or?

 

[rogerdodger]

are you using one of the common Danielson box traps? these are killer good but you do want them solidly on the bottom, especially if the tide is moving, most of us add about 2 pounds of rebar or lead to the bottom of them.

you can watch keeper sized crabs coming through the doors in this video I made a few years ago: https://youtu.be/0hercZ4RwYg

I shoot for 30minute soaks.

 

[TheKnigit]

We got our first box style crab trap about 5 years ago, and it had hinging doors. I ran into a similar problem like you have described, we tried leaving it in longer and it helped a little bit. I am rather embarrassed to admit this but we realized we had tied the crab trap upside down. Because the doors were hinged when we would pull the trap up the doors would open, and a lot of the larger crab would scurry out as we pulled the trap up. We probably never would have noticed except we were out one day when the water was uncharacteristically clear and watched it happen from about 15 feet down in the water.

Once we flipped the trap around it started producing as good, if not better than our rings. We typically shoot for the same 15-20 minute soak you had mentioned.

 

[pinstriper]

Meh, 30 minutes is a good rule of thumb. Give or take. It all just depends.

I've seen two traps laid next to each other. One comes up full of crabs, the other comes up with just 2 or 3. Go figure.

 

[DrTheopolis]

Lots of people wrap pencil lead around the bottom of the doors, so they don't swing open with the current.

 

[rogerdodger]

Lots of people wrap pencil lead around the bottom of the doors, so they don't swing open with the current.

I find about a 4" piece of 1/4" lead wrapped around the bottom of the door does the trick.

 

[Hooked Up]

I find about a 4" piece of 1/4" lead wrapped around the bottom of the door does the trick.

I've been meaning to do that with mine.

 

[Crabbin503]

are you using one of the common Danielson box traps? these are killer good but you do want them solidly on the bottom, especially if the tide is moving, most of us add about 2 pounds of rebar or lead to the bottom of them.

you can watch keeper sized crabs coming through the doors in this video I made a few years ago: https://youtu.be/0hercZ4RwYg

I shoot for 30minute soaks.

I think it's actually a Kufa Sports Heavy Duty Cage Trap (28" x 28" x 12") but I'm not 100% certain as it was given to me years ago. From my research and the measurements it's what I've come up with looking around online.

 

[Crabbin503]

I find about a 4" piece of 1/4" lead wrapped around the bottom of the door does the trick.

Will keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Crabbin503]

Meh, 30 minutes is a good rule of thumb. Give or take. It all just depends.

I've seen two traps laid next to each other. One comes up full of crabs, the other comes up with just 2 or 3. Go figure.

Yeah I'm really thinking the longer the better with the cage traps for better odds. I assume the bait was the same in both traps?