Optiker…thanks for the “hopeful” insights…I will recheck
Crabs are $10 per dozen on the water. Find a crabber and buy some when you need them. They will get cheaper as the summer goes on. I tried the crabtrap route myself and it always was a hassle to keep up with. I have 3 crabbers phone numbers and they don’t mind me calling them to find out what creek they are working on that day.
www.advoutdoors.com
“I have tomorrow open!”
I have worked on a crab boat for a summer job for several years now, if you dont know the way the tide runs in certain areas it will sweep your traps to who knows where! Also, with the strong tides the past full moon brought it would be easy for the trap to get swept up/down stream. Check the tide charts before setting your trap to prevent further troubles. Also, like the guys said above, if you dont go on slack water the tide will have the buoy pulled under. On the other hand, there are also PLENTY of (fill in the blank)s out there that dont think twice about stealing traps and or stealing crabs. Hopefully, it wasnt the ladder of this comment… common sense isnt so common any more fellas… if you find someone stealing, be sure to beat some sense into them
I gave up after losing 2 traps in the same general area. In one case, my buoy was up in the grass with about 3 foot of obviously cut rope still attached. The 2nd one had 10lbs of weight in it, no monster tides and disappeared in less than 24 hrs. Was a fun activity with the kids. Frustrating.
sealevelPete
Deut. 23:12-13
Off topic… Regarding people who are obviously new to boating, I encourage all you old salts to lend them a hand. The guy in the 20 ft’er was probably just about panicked, sideways in the slip and his child in jeopardy. I have found an encouraging word given in a supportive tone and/or a volunteered hand on a line is always appreciated.
Shoot, I’ve been launching 12-25’ boats at slips for 30+ years and I still have occasion when I appreciate a hand at a busy slip.
Better to incrementally educate the ignorant than to leave them to their own devices.
…me stepping down off my soap box.
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott
Amen! Good advice PalmerS. Most on here are willing to help out a fellow fisherman. Sad to say but I monitored and read for weeks prior to posting just because of the few bad eggs!
19’ Tidewater Bay Classic
150HP Johnson
1542 Duracraft
40HP Johnson
ditto Ridgefisher, I once asked a guy if he needed a hand getting his new boat out of the slip, advice mostly. He had his baby girl and wife with him. After he gave me a very arogant no, I went back to working on my boat. Next thing I knew, he was pissed off, went to push off another boat to right his and fell into the water, leaving his bride and baby in a boat - in gear - in a crowded NJ marina. I calmly instructed his very bright wife on how to stop the boat and allow him to board it. He was an ass but his wife had the last laugh. She later told me “he scratched his precious boat.” Gave me a chuckle
“If a dirty bottom slows you down… imagine what it does to your boat”
PalmerScott,
I hear you and agree totally with you in theory and practice. The situation always needs to be evalutated for safety first. In the incident with the untrained boater in the loading ramp…the lives of those on our boat and those at the dock were definitely in jepordy…taking care of family safety is a first. Would have been nice to have let the boat driver know not to full throttle the accelerator in a loading area…unfortunately his engine was so loud he could not have heard anything anyone was trying to tell him. We’re thankful the real boat driver got there and took command of the situation.
One should always try to help others when it is possible! Your soap-box is a good thing!
Md, I totally agree, safety first. Thx.
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott
Proline…loved your story…and karma always catches up!
LOL!
I had a fishing buddy who had been boating for about 15 years around here take me out on my boat…went several times to make sure I was doing things right. Taught me basics like how to tie off to kleats at boat dock, to how to adjust plane for running up and down channel, how to properly throw out an anchor, …just helped me with most every aspect of boating.
Now I don’t claim to know everything…I am always learning new things because of y’all here on the board…but I would strongly suggest that anyone unfamiliar with boating…take a class, or more importantly—have an experienced captain take you out on your boat and teach you the basics.
I can never say how much I appreciate the investment my captain friend made in me by spending about 6 hours on the water on several different days (to insure I knew about ingoing, outgoign tides…winds…chop on water…etc) to help me get the basics. I still look for other expereinced captians to go out with and to invite on my boat to go fishing so I can learn more.
To aall you Senior and Intermediate members who have done that favor for a friend…God bless y’all!
along the lines of the crab pots getting their lines cut or stolen all together. be mindful of pro crabbers in the area. they tend to get pissed if you toss your pot next to theirs…and then suddenly your pot is gone lol.
livin life