-- Last Updated: Feb-26-06 9:46 AM EST --
Any one try crabbing from a kayak?
Better take a wire basket along, don’t
let one of those suckers lose. Other than that, it shouldn’t be too difficult. Take a couple of chicken necks and go to town.
I’ve caught them from kayaks incidental
to flounder fishing. I usually toss them back because I’m unprepared for carrying them back. Sometimes I will set and check my traps from my kayak though.
I have done it on several occasions
simply scoop them up and flip them into my tankwell on the back of my Tarpon 160.
Like Reefmonkey, I often catch them when fishing with bait, but have targetted them specifically, when the fishing is slow.
YotF
I used to use a
bushel basket w/lid that was set in the middle of an innertube. I would tow this behind me and use it as a live well. I would also recommend a good wire crab net with the handle cut down to 4’. Last thing you want is to be putzing around trying to untangle a crab from one of those nylon or twine nets.
Soft crabs can also be caught from a kayak. For some reason they don’t seem to notice you sneaking up on them as much, but the down side is you only get one shot at them because they always seem to run under your hull.
How well does the tube tow?
I have thought about putting a cooler chest in one of the toy mini rafts and towing it. Maybe anchor it when I get where I am going.
Tubes and rafts tow like a lead weight.
The raft may be a bit better because it drafts almost no water, but it’ll catch almost every bit of wind on the water. The best raft will be one with an inflatable floor, but don’t expect it to have too long of a life. On the other hand, after you get tired, you can always transfer the ice chest to the kayak and stretch out for a snooze.
It could work
The only down side I can see is that unless you hit into one heck of a run of crabs you would have to just sit and wait.
We used to crab of the docks in Coosbay OR with rings and fish heads from the local shop. A nice relaxing day in the sun. Take a book and your music, you are set.
Did I say something about a down side?
You want the water
getting into the basket, thats how you keep the crabs alive. I tried to keep at least 6" in there. I never used a cooler to store crabs, they last much longer either in a submerged basket or totally dry basket with them lid on it to protect them from the sun (the dry basket is how commercial crabbers do it, but they are typically off the water well before noon). I never paddled like this more than a mile or two, but you only really noticed the drag out in the open river and only if you had a good load of crabs. Back in the creeks it was no problem.
Not crabs
I was thinking of putting fish and ice in the cooler chest. It gets pretty hot around here.
we do it
i take the rear hatch cover off my sink and use a chicken neck on a string to lure them up to the surface, then scoop em up with a short handled dip net and flip em into the rear hatch. very productive : )
crabbing Northwest
Getting Dungeness crabs…All you need is hoopnets or traps, bait, rope and buoys…Crabs can easily be stored in a Divebag left over the side of the kayak and then pulled up while paddling. Crabs either need fresh salt water or no water at all(kept cool)…They will die in a bucket full of water unless changed often…Leave the hoop nets for 15 minutes or and check…or leave the traps several hours…Mighty fine eating and easy to do…Fish, chicken or Turkey make good bait. Try to avoid areas with seals as they will steal your bait. Good Luck