Setup for Crabbing - Advice needed

So along with my fitness peddling and slaying the local trout, I really want to start using my PA for crabbing out of Westport.  I am getting me one of these to help pull pots, but wonder where you put your crab bucket and/or aerator for keeping the bugs alive on your yak?

Also...for the people going out of westport, what is the rockfishing like if you head out to the right from the harbor?  When I fish/crab the pier there I often look at the rockwall off to the right and wonder if there is anything there.  I want to take my intro to the salt slowly, and I figured heading that way instead of out towards the jetty would get me wet, but not into the swells and currents launching at half moon or heading left out of the main harbor.  Thoughts???

Put them in a milk crate and dunk them once in a while. If you don't already have rings, check out CrabMax.com. Great for yak crabbing.


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You can put your crab into a heavy duty mesh divers bag.  Then just keep them in the tank well behind you.
Easy to dip them in the water each time you add another crab to the bag.  Honestly though, as long as you are not in direct sunlight or high heat,
crab are fine out of water for a few hours.  Once you get back to shore, shuck em there, put on ice and then you don't have to worry about them dieing on the way home.

You can put your crab into a heavy duty mesh divers bag.  Then just keep them in the tank well behind you.
Easy to dip them in the water each time you add another crab to the bag.  Honestly though, as long as you are not in direct sunlight or high heat,
crab are fine out of water for a few hours.  Once you get back to shore, shuck em there, put on ice and then you don't have to worry about them dieing on the way home.

+1 on the mesh bag

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I've found the Danielson's 2'x2'x1' collapsible traps work well from my Revo.  When folded they stack well on a PVC 'H' stuck into the tank well scuppers.  Actually, they stack well erect with a longer 'H'.  I've got plastic mesh bait "envelopes" that lay flat so the traps still easily fold.  With tie-wraps I've added 23" lengths of rebar to the bottom of the traps to help keep them down.  Every year they go on sale from various brick and mortars for about $13.  I've lost them and not shed a tear.  I don't use weighted line, but I do clip an 8oz ball weight to a loop about 20' down to keep any excess line from being a boating hazard during the tidal turn. 

In the past Zee had posted a very helpful "Crabbing from a Kayak" article on the front page, but I can't seem to find it now. 

I think fisherman's marine has the Danielson's traps on sale right now.  I prefer crab rings when I am going out specifically to crab.  If I am planning on doing some fishing too I use one of the Danielson traps and only check it when I am near it or heading back in. 

I think fisherman's marine has the Danielson's traps on sale right now.  I prefer crab rings when I am going out specifically to crab.  If I am planning on doing some fishing too I use one of the Danielson traps and only check it when I am near it or heading back in.

I dont ever think I go out "just crabbing" so this is what I was looking for.  I have a break down danielson that I use at Westport off the pier already but has the square insert for bait, so it either needs to be pulled to allow the trap to fully break down or I transport it fully built.  Time to really get creative I think....

I picked up a couple of crab hawks to try out. I also have been using the Danielson folding traps. But, I'm thinking of getting a couple of these Promar traps.

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I picked this up to use with the crab hawks and might try using it with the Promar traps if I'm dropping in 60 FOW. I cut the line in half and used Size 7 60 lb cross-lok swivels to connect the lines. Just figured it would be a great way to keep lines wound up. I also bought a couple of 100yd spools of 50 lb Dacron that I might try putting on the spool then I could have 6 sets of 100ft lines for multiple traps when the wife and my nephew tag along. Now I just need to check regs I am restricted to the huge red/white bullet floats. I wish they had smaller floats.

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I picked up a couple of crab hawks to try out. I also have been using the Danielson folding traps. But, I'm thinking of getting a couple of these Promar traps.

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I did not like the crabhawk.  I prefer to use snares in the same situations (usually off the docks).  I actually make a low profile castable crab snare that I use.  I will post some pics later.

The Promar don't have the required escape holes for Washington I think.  When I looked at their site yesterday there were no pics or mention of them at least.

The holes are there. I think it just needs to be tied in with a cotton twine.

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Dino,
I have both styles of promar traps.  You should check them out before you buy.  They are nice, but honestly, I think they are overpriced for what they are, and a cheap Danielson works.

+1 with Lee and Demonick. Using the "H" pvc in the scuppers holds them from sliding off
I usually drop 2. 100' weighted poly line from years ago with pencil weights stuck in the braid in sections down the line to sink the line, Danielson folding pots and be sure to weight them appropriatey to keep them from drifting bye-bye in current. Most of the time I sink them in 40-70' but watch your depthfinder. I run across lots of folks who drop them in too deep of water and they are flat out of there . The bait bags D mentioned work ok but sometimes I stuff them too much and the clasp breaks but they are cheap and it lets the pots fold easier. A burlap bag occassionaly dipped in the water keeps your catch fresh/alive. Good luck.

Bait bags are really nice, because sometimes if your bait is still a little frozen it's difficult to cram into a wire box. On the cheap, you can also make nice pouches from plastic chicken wire and zip ties. Glow in the dark bait cages are goofy because crabs are not reliant on sight for foraging.

I've found a dozen of those plastic capsules (Sea-Mar lists them as the Morrison Bait Jar) that the commercial guys use while trash collecting on the beach. When I crab out of the peak months, I'll soak some cheap dry dog food in fish oil and clip the capsule in the trap along with the bait bag. The dog food dissolves and makes a nice scent trail back to your trap.

Bait bags are really nice, because sometimes if your bait is still a little frozen it's difficult to cram into a wire box. On the cheap, you can also make nice pouches from plastic chicken wire and zip ties. Glow in the dark bait cages are goofy because crabs are not reliant on sight for foraging.

I've found a dozen of those plastic capsules (Sea-Mar lists them as the Morrison Bait Jar) that the commercial guys use while trash collecting on the beach. When I crab out of the peak months, I'll soak some cheap dry dog food in fish oil and clip the capsule in the trap along with the bait bag. The dog food dissolves and makes a nice scent trail back to your trap.

1 liter Coke bottles work for that as well.  Just poke some holes in it and zip tie it in place.
Also, you can pump some sand shrimp and stuff them in the Coke bottle and mash them up a tad to get a ton of them in there.