[BCfisher]

Im looking to do some crabbing next week probably from Ambleside Park in West Van. Just wondering what is the best time to be out there? Also what kind of bait do you guys use, i'll be using chicken necks. How offten do you guys check your traps, every 10min or so or more like 20+min?
cheers

 

[nvlocal]

chicken necks/backs work great
you going from the dock or a boat. I use the big cage type traps and the longer they soak the better

 

[ramtuffyankee]

poke some holes in a can of cat or dog food. you can use with or without chicken

 

[ambler]

Rockfish frames, are great bait too.

 

[BCfisher]

We'll be crabbing from the peir. Last year I watched some people do it in the summer and it looks like fun and could be relaxing.

 

[nvlocal]

crabbing's good now but slows down once the comercial season starts later in june

 

[ambler]

I am surprised to hear the season closes over there. It is always open around Vic. But that is going to change I think.

 

[timo615]

Hey all,
Having just got out boat at the end of last year, we've been chomping at the bit to get onto some crab, but haven't had any luck at all. I've tried commercial bait and cat food. I've dropped the trap at:
1) the last lighted marker out of Cresent beach
2) the drop off at Spanish Banks, near the last marker almost to Wreck Beach
3) just South of the jetty at the north arm

I've had (what I thought was) reliable tips, so bad luck or what ? Thanks in advance
Tim

 

[marko]

Try ......Cates park.....West Van.....Shell oil refinery.....Bedwell Bay.....Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal
Just to name a few oh and Sand Heads, N west of Steveston, Richmond. All big producers and chicken
backs work best.

:beerchug: Marko

 

[high tide]

All those areas you listed are where I always crab with great success. Check your entry gates, they must swing and close freely, or your bait. Centered in the trap, raw chicken backs, or bottom fish heads and spines, salmon heads.....the problem sometimes is the damn seals too, flipping the traps and stealing bait.
I've been crabbing in 35 to 100 feet of water.
good luck H/T

 

[tsweet129]

All those spots are good...I generally use salmon heads or if Save On has any frozen pinks for around 5 bucks I load up on them for crabbing....

 

[BCfisher]

Well finally went crabbing yesterday at Ambleside Park. Spent about 2 hours there from 6 - 8pm. Didnt get any crab but got some sun and relaxsation. Didnt matter if I caught anything or not, it was beautifull out there. Going back soon.

 

[firstlight]

Keep those Salmon carcasses/heads after you fillet them.
They make excellent Crab bait and dont take up much room in the freezer.

 

[Pippen]

I am yet to try it but I have a big bag of frozen prawn heads to try in the next couple of weeks.

I have heard good things about them.

But in all honesty.....you can almost put anything down there. We use turkey/chicken backs as they are cheap and effective.

We have thrown scraps from lunch down as we were out of bait and caught them. We had the traps down while we were in at Sandbar having lunch; the traps were refilled after lunch with leftover rib bones, pizza and chicken wing bones.....oh yeah and some calamari to make the crabs feel more comfortable eating "one of their fellow sea lurkers". eace: Lo and behold.....we wound up with 4 more big keepers!!