To Bring Crab Traps or Not to Bring Crab Traps, that is the question........

In one of the recent Depoe Bay posts, a couple of members were wondering if they should bring their crab traps when they fish on a given day.  I want to check my understanding on when to bring crab traps to soak while I fish or not based on tide/current.  Went to the NOAA tide predictions website for examples.  So with a tide prediction at Tillamook Bay for four hours (8 to noon) we see tidal change moving from about 6' to 9.2' then dropping about to 8' (see first two charts) which I assume means moderate currents and a reasonable time to soak traps while fishing.  Conversely, if we move from 12:00 to 4:00 as an alternate, the outgoing tide moves from 8' to roughly 1' (see second two charts) which is a lot of water movement and a great chance to lose your trap if dropped.  Am I on the right track?  What do you look for when considering to bring your crab traps?   

I think you are on the right track for keeping your traps - for many areas that is the information I look at before I plan on taking crab pots.  In my kayak, if there is a big tidal swing, I don't usually take my crab pots because I hate to lose them. Also, it takes away from my fishing time (to find a good spot for the pots or fight the current to get to the pots).
     
I often get to fish with a couple of avid crabbers on their PB, and we try not to plan crabbing during big tide swings, but if fishing is good and there is a major tide swing, we will change our placement - in many of the bays or coves there are good places where light pots are still safe, even during big tidal swings (those places have been learned the hard way, and can be miles from where we are fishing).

i always thought it was the bays that u have to watch out for big tide exchanges with currents they produce.  It is same for the ocean?? currents that bad out there for crab pots that have not done yet but also plan to?  always thought out there not a factor just get em out there.

I haven't dropped crab pots out of Depot, so I won't speak for there, but fishing for salmon out of Tillamook, we've watched pots walk away.  But the current is sometimes moving faster than we are trolling....

We ziptie rebar in the Danielson pots for weight before we use them in the ocean.    With careful placement (and/or timing), we've never needed weight in the bays, and I don't like using the heavier pots in the yak - a full pot of crab can be heavy enough.                                       

I haven't dropped crab pots out of Depot, so I won't speak for there, but fishing for salmon out of Tillamook, we've watched pots walk away.  But the current is sometimes moving faster than we are trolling....

We ziptie rebar in the Danielson pots for weight before we use them in the ocean.    With careful placement (and/or timing), we've never needed weight in the bays, and I don't like using the heavier pots in the yak - a full pot of crab can be heavy enough.                                       

For Tillamook Bay just don’t drop them in the channel and you’ll be fine with no weight. Also I tie my line dead center on the trap no 4 way bridle so when the trap hits the yak it tips up and I grab the side that is at the top, that way you don’t have to lean out to get it over the side of the boat, potentially leaning too far and taking a dip.

Thanks everyone.

When the water is moving swiftly in the bays the crab typically burrow into the sand. They emerge to forage when it's mellow. The rule of thumb is soak your gear 2 hours before the slack and pull it 2 hours past slack.