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HighTide · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 11:31 am Post subject: Crab Trap Requirements

OK, so I have some of those commercial type crab traps and for recreational use, I can put 6 of them out. Aside from many other requirements, there is a requirement for an ID tag. From my understanding, this tag should contain your name and address and date. The tag is good for 6 days.

Now the questions begin.

1. Do I need to buy the tags from TPWD and renew every 6 days or can I make and date my own tags?

2. They clearly state that the traps can only be harvested 30 minutes before sunrise or 30 minutes after sunset. Really? Though I've see recreational crabbers check them throughout the day, I know that doesn't make it right. I feel stupid for asking this question, but does this really apply to the family and kids spending the day at the shore trying to catch some crabs using traps? It seems to me that the only people that might check the traps during the day are the ones attempting to steal your booty if you can't check them during the day.

BTW, I haven't seen too many crabs around lately. I live on one of the canals and can't catch any here. Are they around here?

Neutral

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HighTide

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If changes in barometric pressure cause your joints to hurt, do pilots and divers have a lot of joint pain?

LoneOak · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 12:24 pm Post subject:

I believe the requirement is that you can harvest the crabs between the hours of 30 min before sunrise to 30 mins after sunset. Catch a bunch.
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ratherbefishing · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 12:43 pm Post subject:

Below answers your questions and corrects incorrect information on your post. Good luck catching those tasty animals...

May only remove crab traps from the water or remove crabs from crab traps during the period from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

A tag constructed of material as durable as the device to which it is attached. The gear tag must be legible, contain the name and address of the person using the device and the date the device was set out. Date is not required for saltwater trotlines or crab traps fished under a commercial license. For juglines and freshwater trotlines, properly marked buoys or floats qualify as valid gear tags.

Must be used with a gear tag valid for 10 days and attached within 6 inches of the buoy or pier to which the trap is tied.
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ziacatcher · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 12:56 pm Post subject:

Haven't been able to catch any crabs in my canal in a while either

HighTide · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 1:02 pm Post subject:

Zia: Is this scarcity common during the summer?
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HighTide

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If changes in barometric pressure cause your joints to hurt, do pilots and divers have a lot of joint pain?

ziacatcher · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:53 pm Post subject:

I don't know. This is the first year in 24 years I have not been in New Mexico for the summer

greenhornet2 · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 448

We find them in shallower water vs using traps but this year has been very tough compared to the last few Summers. I haven't seen many commercial traps out in their normal areas either. Normally this is the best time for us, until it starts to cool off.

HighTide · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 8:03 am Post subject:

I guess the topic is clearly becoming "where's the crabs?" If I can't find them, there's no point in putting out traps. Does anybody have any ideas or thoughts for their scarcity? Salinity?
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HighTide

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If changes in barometric pressure cause your joints to hurt, do pilots and divers have a lot of joint pain?

greenhornet2 · Flour Bluffian in training Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 448

From my observations it's salinity, our wetter winters/springs have produced our best crab summers.

SaltyMutt · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 5:35 pm Post subject:

Not to steal your thread and I hope your'e ok with me asking this on here. What does one use for bait in these traps?
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Bloodhound · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 8:37 pm Post subject:

Cut bait is the typical bait.

bd0202 · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:37 pm Post subject:

I can't speak for legality, but a few years back, we had a family reunion on the river - not far from the the IC Canal and the actual beach - but we saw alligator gar and shark swimming upstream in the night. The rental came with a 'boat dock' that included a crab trap. We baited it with wet dog food. We had a FEAST of taping, lively blue crab by sunset. We boiled them live and feasted all night with beer.

I really haven't gone after crab that aggressively since then - but I'm pretty sure back then enough of us had enough licenses to claim our limit of crabs without issue. We also caught a few stone crab in the surf on Matagorda Beach. Lots of meat in a single claw for sure.
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HighTide · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:15 pm Post subject:

There's actually no limit on the number of blue crabs, just on the size. They have to measure at least 5" from tip to tip on the shell.

As for the bait, I was in Seadrift one time at a place called Seasonal Seafood (it has changed it's name since). This place is a co-op where the crabbers bring in their catch and the co-op buys them, then sells the crabs throughout the state to other businesses. Well, in addition, the co-op also sells crab bait for the commercial crabbers. They explained to me that during normal tides, the crabbers use Pogies. When the tides are slow or slack, the crabbers use catfish heads! I saw some crabbers buying both kinds of bait by the trailer full.

I had to call the TPWD because I needed clarification on some definitions I read about the gear tags. Starting Sept. 1, 2020 the following describes how a customer number can be used instead of name and address: A tag constructed of material as durable as the device to which it is attached. The gear tag must be legible, contain the name and address, or customer number, of the person using the device, and the date the device was set out. Date is not required for saltwater trotlines or crabtraps fished under a commercial license. For juglines and freshwater trotlines, properly marked buoys or floats qualify as valid gear tags.

When the lady at TPWD checked, she agreed with me that the customer number could be used instead of name and address. I asked her if my customer number was my phone number. She said no, that it is the number on my fishing license! I told her that it was very poorly written because that is not very clear. She seemed to think that the way it's written may be a mistake, but she didn't offer what the actual writing should say.

As if we didn't have enough to worry about already!
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HighTide

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If changes in barometric pressure cause your joints to hurt, do pilots and divers have a lot of joint pain?

oldcrustysalt · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 5:52 pm Post subject:

A coupla years back I was camping at MISP in October and a family pulled in around 75 yds away and went out to the first gut with a broomstick and a string tied on the end with a chicken leg quarter tied to it. They dipped it in the water and pulled up crab after crab filling up a 5 gal paint bucket. They built a fire and boiled them right there. Man, it does not get any fresher than that! Sure beat the hardheads I was catching.

HighTide · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:45 pm Post subject: