Kayak Crabbing

[MetroMan]

Paddle yak trotline. TIGHT!

[Yak Fish]

Thanks Alan,

Yep, I'm down for hitting the gunpowder anytime. I haven't tried there yet, even tho it's so close. Had a couple of successful trips on the severn and some awesome days down near Cambridge MD. The crabs were thick and heavy when I was down there.

Hopefully this year ends up being a good one!

I wouldn't say the gunpowder is hot and heavy, but it's enough crabs for me. Company while crabbing is nice. It can get monotonous out there.

[jhoss]

I think that's why the severn was appealing to me. I'd set my line then go fish a little, run the line, the fish some more. I'm sure you've done the same. I could certainly use some pointers on where to set lines and what tide. I always had problems changing my mind and then switching to a different spot.

Check this out: just saw one of these on a farm down the road. Thought it would be perfect for holding the crab line and making it easy to reel back in. Reel easy ha ha!
It's an electric fence reel

[Cowpokey]

That's pretty slick, any idea what it costs?

Check this out: just saw one of these on a farm down the road. Thought it would be perfect for holding the crab line and making it easy to reel back in. Reel easy ha ha!
It's an electric fence reel

[jhoss]

If you search electric fence reels you will see a variety of models. This one was around $37 I think...

[Cowpokey]

If you search electric fence reels you will see a variety of models. This one was around $37 I think...

Thanks, I was hoping you had a price for that one that you found. More info for everyone reading the thread, so they don't have to go searching.

[Yak Fish]

I figured I'd bump this thread since a lot of folks are going out looking for crabs on their yaks. This shows a lot of the evolution as the post has been reincarnated many times. I learned a lot through the years. This was 5 years ago, almost to the date. Crabs were more plentiful back then.

[moc]

So I haven't seen very many paddle yaks crabbing with a trotline. You might get a good laugh out of this if you see me on the water but it does work. Here's what I devised last summer. I used a PVC arm I made that pushed into a spare rocket launcher rod holder. This fits into my ocean kayak rod pod. I chose to put it up front so I could see the line coming toward me. See photo one. A laundry basket up front holds the crabs I dip up. I basically just paddle up the line and as I see a crab is on I quickly put my paddle on my lap (gotta have some momentum moving you still) I then push the net out to scoop him up. See on the photo the net it loosely bungeed alongside the boat for quick access. For the line itself I got an empty (big) fishing line spool from west marine (thanks Joe). I use a very lightweight line-braided masons twine ($7-home Depo) I made a crank handle and put all of this on a home Depo brush handle extender so it is pretty easy to reel back in when you're done. For snoods I use heavy wt. hair ties. Again, lightweight and cheap. I have had some tangles occasionally, but because of the cost I can easily cut them out and add more line. I run about 500 foot of line. In deep water I add some 5oz. Lead weights to help hold down the line. Buoys get clipped on along with weights. I use 2 paver bricks at each end.

Anyone getting any crabs yet this year?

Inventive. I remember seeing the info that you posted on this. As Yak Fish said, I remembered when I started running trot lines on my kayak, that it was mot unusual to get a bushel every time that I went out. Now, I seem to fish more instead of crabbing.

[Salty Dog]

Sounds like a lot of work, Heading to the Del shore next week with 4 crab pots. Its a shame MD does not allow limited use of pots for recreational purposes like DEL and VA.

[sparky1423]

You can tell this is an older thread. Yakfish is sharing the time AND place where he is yakking!

[Yak Fish]

You can tell this is an older thread. Yakfish is sharing the time AND place where he is yakking!

LOL! Hey, when have I ever kept secrets from you Sparky! :-)
Besides, there's no crabs left there anyway.

[phoenixkeith]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=j6ctfSkzA8E ---- i been doing it this way and having decent success lately . my son and i went out last week armed with 25 hand lines on pool noodles and caught 3 dozen . as already mentioned the crabs and stripers seem to be in bad shape right now as far as numbers go . it use to be easy !

[Yak Fish]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=j6ctfSkzA8E ---- i been doing it this way and having decent success lately . my son and i went out last week armed with 25 hand lines on pool noodles and caught 3 dozen . as already mentioned the crabs and stripers seem to be in bad shape right now as far as numbers go . it use to be easy !

Thanks for adding the video to the thread. This looks like a nice and easy way to catch them. You don't need a whole ton of gear to set up and pack up. I'm sure you can stow the handlines rather easily when they are all wrapped up and can repositon quickly if need be.

[Yak Fish]

Here's another instructional video I'll add to the thread on how to run a trotline from your yak. I deploy from a reel rather than from a bucket and bait on the water as a result.
https://www.facebook.com/chesapeake....type=2&theater

[jet]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=j6ctfSkzA8E ---- i been doing it this way and having decent success lately . my son and i went out last week armed with 25 hand lines on pool noodles and caught 3 dozen . as already mentioned the crabs and stripers seem to be in bad shape right now as far as numbers go . it use to be easy !

thanks for the vid! did you make that net? pretty sweet. dont the crabs run off with the chicken and pool noodle? well, i'm sure they are within sight, but can you see them moving, lol? i hand line too, but tie about six lines to the kayak around me and i just sit anchored.