First PC trip this year and epic crab fail

First the video that @Cosmo posted about crabbing was what got my ass out of bed this morning and up late last night trying to remember all the stuff that is different in hitting ocean from trolling for springers. Managed to get most/some of it right.

Did exactly as Cosmo showed in the video. Done a ton of crabbing in bays but first time in the ocean and his method for connecting the trap is great and easy and will use it from now on. Dropped the pot SE of the rock in 50 FOW and trolled for salmon for a few hours with no luck. Hit the reef north of the cape. Got a nice Cabezon and a nice Ling. Released two other Cabs and one was a monster.  Trolled back to the rock fished a bit but snagged a rig off. Decided to call it a day and grab the pot.

Found my trap and it took everything I had to just get it up to the side of the boat. When I got a look it was actually FULL. Not just a lot of crab, not one more crab would have fit. There were 3 monsters on the outside top of the trap that I couldn’t reach. A few others managed an escape in the ensuing struggle, but I am positive there was 15-20 very big ones still left, along with a supporting cast of undersized and female characters.

No matter what I tried, I could not get the pot into the Kayak without flipping me in the drink which was not part of the plan today. Decided I would tie it off and drag it in. Problem #1 - I could only make .3mph SOG. This is all bad when you are 1-2 miles out. Finally got to the beach (a LONG time later) and in 4 feet of water I dropped the trap.  Pulled the yak up the beach and waded out to get the buoy and trap. Problem #2 - it had flipped upside down in the surf and there was maybe 10 left. Problem #3 When I turned upright another gang managed a break. I did get one that had escaped from the  trap. Started with 25-30 and managed to get 3 to the beach.

I have crabbed a ton in the yak in the bays. I have NEVER seen anything like that trap. It was crazy.

Thanks for the tips Cosmo. Now just need to figure out a technique to get that loaded trap in the boat

Bob

 - I thought about and should have flagged down a dory heading in with a crab puller. They could have set it on the front deck, I could have sorted, lashed it down and been back on the beach 2 beers sooner.  Next time.

First off, I am by no means a crabbing expert and to be honest I'm not a fan of crabbing from the kayak because I don't like dealing with the line and and everything.  I always fear the worst.  When I do crab though I always pull the pot to the boat and pull it so it rolls up and on to my lap (end over end).  Now, I have never had to pull a pot that full so I'm not sure how well it would have worked for you.  I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in with their $.02

I saw someone messing with a buoy in the surf. Not sure if it was you or not (around 12:30?) I should have seen what was up. But after recovering from my own flip while landing I was calling it a day >.<

First off, I am by no means a crabbing expert and to be honest I'm not a fan of crabbing from the kayak because I don't like dealing with the line and and everything.  I always fear the worst.  When I do crab though I always pull the pot to the boat and pull it so it rolls up and on to my lap (end over end).  Now, I have never had to pull a pot that full so I'm not sure how well it would have worked for you.  I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in with their $.02

I am super careful crabbing anywhere and would never do more than one in the Ocean. I crab Nehalem a ton and it is pretty easy to roll it into your lap. One tip I have found is half a cheap yoga mat and the trap does not slide around on the deck. If today was a normal day, no problem. It was might be enticing to just sit there and pull it up every 30 min and troll around the area for salmon. I saw way more bait balls in 35 FOW that way out

I saw someone messing with a buoy in the surf. Not sure if it was you or not (around 12:30?) I should have seen what was up. But after recovering from my own flip while landing I was calling it a day >.<

YES, that would have been my dumb ass chasing dozens of big crabs away (who likes crab, right? Pigeons of the sea). Bending one of my fins. Almost losing my glasses, thank god they fell inside the crab trap. Looking like a complete dufus. Bet the weekenders got some great material.

Next time

Next time I'll run over there and give a hand! I believe I passed you on the way in too, I coulda helped you get that pot up and sorted through  next time! I've never been there fishing on the weekend before, I prefer Monday and Tuesday. But damn it was crowded. Tons of people got a good show on my behalf too.

That’s a bummer, Bob, but you got a heluva story! I crabbed there today and my pot was full too. Mine got stuck too, or maybe I was too worn out at that point but lucky for me another dude was around to help lift it onto my bow. We stopped counting at 30 huge keepers.

I wasn’t expecting that though. Luckily the crabs aren’t super full yet or it would have been even heavier. I gotta think of a better strategy or install an electric puller.

I have pulled in a cheap Danielson square pot with 28 large crab in some sportier conditions than what I saw Thursday and Friday. I crab and fish from a Revo. I drop my legs over the side to lower my center of gravity and heave it in, but it ain't easy and it is helpfull to have a friend steadying the kayak.  That being said, I found a better solution.  I won a McKay Kayak crab pot at the ORC raffle a few years back. I have never used it before because it was smaller than my Danielson.
https://www.mckayshrimpandcrabgear.com/store/Crab-Pot-Kayak-Crabber-12-x-12-x-24-p53260356
Last year I was going to go out in an Oasis tandem with my son but the Danielson was too large so I took the float and line off of it and tied it to the McKay.  It fits upright in the rear tank well of the Oasis.  I never got the chance to try it in the Oasis because the ocean conditions did not permit it.  On Thursday I saw that the line was still on the McKay so I thought I would try it out.  I am never using a Danielson on the ocean again.  I easily caught over my limit in the pot both sets (Thurday evening for 2 hours and Friday for 4 hours).  Luckily I was with someone else that also had a shellfish license. 

The McKay is so much easier to bait and remove crab from. It is also easier to heave over the gunnels since it is narrower and does not throw off your center of balance as much. In fact, I did not drop my legs over while pulling it in either time.  It had 18 large crab in it, but 3 were female.



With the Danielsons - on the Revo - I would have to bungie them down so they would not fall off going out through the surf. This one fits nicely in the tank well without needing to be secured.
 Thurday evening:


Friday morning: All males and all well over the legal minimum.  Which made for easy sorting.

 I ate crab to my hearts delight yesterday and today.  I gave some away to a neighbor and I still ended up with six pounds of picked meat.  It will pay for itself in one or two sets.  I will only use the Danielsons in the bays now since they are cheap crap and not a big loss if stolen.

I dangle both legs. Get it up as far as possible. Hook a foot underneath it. Lean to the other side. Extend your leg parallel to the surface and roll it onto the deck. YMMV, as not everyone probably has long enough legs to get a foot underneath the pot.

I too was spurred to action by @Cosmo's video to try in the ocean for the first time. Thank you for the step by step.

Out of Depoe Bay Saturday morning I dropped two traps just north of the first buoy - soon after a charter came by and added their traps to the line, so I figured, "they gotta know what they're doing"  - and hoped for some success.

It went better that I expected -  I drive a tandem Compass (my wife calls it a battleship) with the front seat removed, leaving me a nice platform in front for the traps.
After fishing a bit and picking up a too-small ling, small black, and a huge black that I swore would be a nice ling - great fighting rockfish,
I then made my way back the traps and nervously, but safely pulled both - too a modest take of 4 keepers.

Of course, my traps weren't loaded with numbers I've seen recently - much lighter.

Looking forward to keeping at it. Stay safe and thanks again.

Man I keep hearing about these huge crab hauls at PC... I shoulda, coulda, woulda! Glad you guys are getting after them. I haven't had a crab feed in too long.

My first trap at PC had 13 crabs in it, all male, and all legal. When I pulled it up, I knew I wouldn't have to bother with the scale as they all were easily 7" across or bigger. I just had to sort for the smallest.

The other couple of traps I have pulled there weren't quite as good, but I will say that I haven't pulled a crab under legal size there, and the male / female ratio is excellent.

I pull pretty much the way Ling Banger does, and my leg isn't long.

My single pot had 2 limits on a 3 hour soak.
Here's the coordinates, your pot won't be lonely.