Any South Florida Crabbers...

[captmarc]

I just checked my fishing license and see it allows 5 recreation traps.
Is anyone crabbing in the Keys?
I hear blue crab are in Manatee Bay (Key Largo), I am not looking for your Honey Hole, just asking if it is worthwhile to get a few traps and making a go of it. Just looking to fill a table ocasionally.
Also, where in Miami or the Keys do I find traps?

Continuing this Idea, anyone try Stone Crab traps??? Same Questions...

Love this site,
Marc

[coores14]

I've been doing stone crab traps for a few years now and have had great success. Granted, I have friends who do it commercially for a living, so I have the advantage of insider tips/info. But it's really not all that difficult. You can get your traps at most any commercial type fish dealer. Cudjoe Sales in Cudjoe Key has them -- 5 for 99$, just add the concrete.

We keep it simple, in terms of bait. A few pigs feet in each trap, maybe throw in fish carcasses from our previous fishing trip. We pull bi-weekly, maybe every 10-14 days. Last year, we found that our "pound per trap" average was actually a little better than most of the commercial guys and we also found that our deeper traps were producing the best. Deeper meaning 11-16 feet versus our shallow traps of 4-10 feet.
The Carolina Skiff makes an incredible crab boat. My 258DLV has had 35 traps loaded onto it and still popped right up onto plane and cruised along at 28mph.

[coores14]

here's just a few shots from a couple of years ago...

[tomytek]

Those traps look heavy to pull up compared to what we use in the Chesapeake. Nice pics. It's neat to see how you crab in different parts of the country.

[coores14]

Those traps look heavy to pull up compared to what we use in the Chesapeake. Nice pics. It's neat to see how you crab in different parts of the country.

Yeah, they definitely are not light. I've never put one on a scale, but they have to be a minimum of 30 pounds, I'm guessing. And depending on how over zealous we get with the concrete, there are some that could weigh much more than that.
Yet, even with all of that weight, under a good blow and strong currents, our traps will walk considerable distances.

[captmarc]

does the 5 trap limit make it a combined number (blue + stone crab) or can I have 5 of each, if I do, can only 5 be set at a time?
Thanks for your answers,
Marc

BTW, those heavy looking traps are Stone cradb traps, they have a smaller space between slats...

[balboabob]

I am considering setting out my 5 trap limit in the st lucie. I will be tending them on my kayak. Good idea?

Can anyone tell me how to apply the concrete?

Thanks,

Bob

[Redfish]

does the 5 trap limit make it a combined number (blue + stone crab) or can I have 5 of each, if I do, can only 5 be set at a time?
Thanks for your answers,
Marc

BTW, those heavy looking traps are Stone cradb traps, they have a smaller space between slats...

It is my understanding that you may only have five traps out at a time. You can combine stone and blue traps, but you cannot have five of each.

Stone crab traps are heavier and have to be made of wood or some other material that the crabs cannot cut through. Stone crabs will cut out of wire traps that are used for the blues.