Lobster traps/crab pots in the NW?

[Boulder GT3]

I was on a ferry going through the San Juans and I was amazed how many pots/traps are in the water. They seem to be everywhere including in the middle of all of the ferry routes. Other than a keen eye, what do you guys do to avoid them and how do you miss them at night?

 

[Nehalennia]

I was on a ferry going through the San Juans and I was amazed how many pots/traps are in the water. They seem to be everywhere including in the middle of all of the ferry routes. Other than a keen eye, what do you guys do to avoid them and how do you miss them at night?

Well typically no one runs around the San Juans at night. They are only crab pots, as we don't have lobsters around here. Also the crab pots are "typically" out of the normal routes up there but in some areas people have them set pretty thick. You just have to keep an eye out.

 

[Jim240]

Stupid question time! What happens if I hit one of the buoys? I watch for them all the time (especially while I'm looking for dead heads). Don't think I've hit one yet, but for the most part, won't they just bounce off the hull without doing much (provided the line doesn't end up in the prop)?

 

[Nehalennia]

Stupid question time! What happens if I hit one of the buoys? I watch for them all the time (especially while I'm looking for dead heads). Don't think I've hit one yet, but for the most part, won't they just bounce off the hull without doing much (provided the line doesn't end up in the prop)?

That's the only worry. Keep a nice stainless blade knife on had incase you get the line spun up in the prop.
Otherwise there's not much to worry about the foam float.

 

[Boulder GT3]

Well typically no one runs around the San Juans at night. They are only crab pots, as we don't have lobsters around here. Also the crab pots are "typically" out of the normal routes up there but in some areas people have them set pretty thick. You just have to keep an eye out.

Thanks for the response. I know you live there but they looked to be anywhere and everywhere to me. In fact, I'm sure the ferry ran over a couple of them.

I remember seeing a curved knife type deal that went on the cutlass one time. Maybe that's what it was for.

Crazy beautiful place up there.

 

[Nehalennia]

Thanks for the response. I know you live there but they looked to be anywhere and everywhere to me. In fact, I'm sure the ferry ran over a couple of them.

I remember seeing a curved knife type deal that went on the cutlass one time. Maybe that's what it was for.

Crazy beautiful place up there.

Yes, in season they are everywhere.
I sure love the area too. So much to still explore.

 

[Jim240]

Yes, I keep a good knife on board for cutting lines. As for the ferries running over things... I was on one recently and was watching from the bow. In front of us, a good 20 feet of 2 foot diameter douglas fir bobbing in the water... I barely heard it go "doink" when it hit the hull.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

I have run into crab pot buoys before but have not had one get caught on the prop... yet... As Todd pointed out, they are foam and the cordage is a nylon type material. We are suppose to add a weight to the line maybe 20 ft from the float so the line does not trail the buoy during our tidal swings of 12-18 ft and that way avoid having the line float on top of the water. Unfortunately, too many pots don't add that weight. We are suppose to do the same with shrimp pots that are typically in 200-300 ft of water.

 

[midway]

Wait until you are running at low tide where the water is only about 3 feet deep and you run over the wire basket part and wrap that around your prop. About 2 hours later you can go on, I was lucky that I was running slow and the engine shut down before damage was done. I have hit the balls when they blended into the brown water we have here in the SouthEast and looked back to see pieces floating in the water behind me. Here they will place them dead center in the channel you have to run in and it makes it real bad in the narrow creeks.

 

[Boulder GT3]

Yes, I keep a good knife on board for cutting lines. As for the ferries running over things... I was on one recently and was watching from the bow. In front of us, a good 20 feet of 2 foot diameter douglas fir bobbing in the water... I barely heard it go "doink" when it hit the hull.

I didn't describe it well but this is the type of "knife" I had seen. It didn't make sense until I saw all of the pots.