The number of crab traps lining our water ways these days is quite staggering. They can make for some interesting rides when you are riding along and looking around at other things as you are cruising down the waterways. Over the last several years, savvy anglers have found crab traps to be great fishing locations. Each day crabbers spend the day moving from trap to trap. They pull the traps, cleanout the crabs, re-bait the traps and put them back for the next days catch. They follow a pattern for getting the days work done and fisherman have discovered that if they fish around the pots not long after the crabbers have re-baited they have some great success catching reds, trout, and even flounder.
The crab traps work like a chumbuoy. As the fresh bait is placed in the trap and dropped back to the bottom the bait in the pot breaks up and fills the water column. Smaller fish are instantly attracted to the bits and pieces and the larger fish are soon to follow. Anglers have reported good success fishing with live bait or artificials and as one pot quits producing they just follow the pattern of the crabber and find fresh chum at each stop. When the fish in your usual haunts just don’t seem to be hitting you may want to take a look around. There may just be a freshly baited crab trap near by.
Andy Pickett,
CharlestonFishing.Com</font id=“blue”>