Kayak Crabbing?

[wintermute]

Has anyone tried (blue) crabbing from a (sit-on-top) kayak? One idea of mine was to just dump a crab pot off the back of my yak when paddling out to fish or just paddle, then pick it up on the way back in. The big bonus of this is that it wouldn't be labor intensive and would just be a secondary activity out on the water. The big concerns are possible tipping during the retrieve and dealing with too many crabs, with them possibly dropping into the cockpit with me. Otherwise I'd get about a half dozen crab traps and tie them to floats, and go around checking on the traps. This'd be more labor intensive, but possibly safer.

 

[Glock26]

It can be done, my only experience is with my Ocean Kayak. I would only think, wear waders and spread your legs over the kayak and you'll be pretty stable. But I would suggest you need to buy the biggest kayak. Tell us what you think.

 

[wintermute]

I have a Tarpon 140, so as far as secondary stability goes, short of a barge like the Cobra F'n'D, I'm pretty darn stable. Spreading legs with crabs on board poses a unique problem

 

[Oakietree]

I have done it. Its a little tricky. Its not really any different then anything else on a kayak. I just stow everything that might get lost if I tip. I generally wear a 3mm farmer john wetsuit. Figure out where you are going to stow it while you paddle in. If behind you then I would probably turn around and face backward before I pulled it. It helps to have another kayaker with you. It also would help to have a smaller trap. When I did it, some little ones fell out and ended up in my lap but I had a milk crate and rods behind the seat. I ended up just throwing the trap on my brothers yak and he paddled in with the crabs.

Would love to see pics if you get any.

Matt

 

[PDE]

No, but I have thrown a cast net while standing on my ocean kayak.

I would say it is a lot harder than what your proposing, you should be fine.

 

[wintermute]

Thanks guys. I think I might actually do something sensible and start with a few diamond traps and then graduate to the pot. A couple of crabs at a time will be a lot more manageable than a whole pot ful, especially since I'll be doing this in the summer, likely without waders or a wetsuit, and I don't want to catch a painful case of the crabs

That's a beautiful yak you have there, Oakie!

 

[vector001]

how about adding a pontoon?

you can rig one up wiht PVC pipe if you don't want to build a slick one, and the stability can't be beat IME.

vec