Well, if you’re wonderin’ how long to leave them crab traps out in the water, it all kinda depends on what kinda trap ya got and what you’re tryin’ to catch. Now, listen here, I’m gonna give ya the lowdown in a way that even the simplest folk can understand.
First off, if you’re usin’ them fancy crab pots, you ain’t gonna wanna leave ’em out too long. Best thing to do is check on ’em every hour or so. Don’t leave ’em out for six or eight hours like some folks say, ’cause once the bait’s all gone, them crabs’ll start fightin’ each other, and all you’ll get is one mean ol’ crab and nothin’ else. You don’t want that! Check ‘em around one to two hours, that’s the sweet spot. Too long and you might end up with nothin’ but empty pots and a bunch of hungry crabs that have already had their fill!
Now, if you’re usin’ them ring traps – them’s the ones that look like big ol’ circles, don’t they? – well, you gotta move quicker with them. Once you throw them in, ya wanna give it about 15 to 30 minutes before pullin’ ’em out. If you leave ’em out longer, them crabs could crawl outta there before you even get the chance to check on ’em. So, don’t dilly-dally too much, y’hear?
As for the time of day, blue crabs, they’re a bit like folks, they’re lazy sometimes. But if you put some good bait in there, they’ll come out lookin’ for a free meal, even during the day. That’s why them ring traps work just fine in the daylight – you just gotta make sure you’re quick about it.
Now, I ain’t gonna lie to ya, some folks leave their traps in the water all day, but that ain’t really the best idea. Best way is to check ‘em every 1.5 hours or so, just like I said before. If you got a lot of traps – like 20 or 30 – ya gotta be on your toes and keep movin’. Go from one trap to the next and keep ‘em all checked in a good, timely manner. You’ll be gettin’ your crabs fresh and proper.
If you’re crabbing off a dock or pier, well, ya can check them traps every 20 minutes. That’s if you got them traps close to shore. But if they’re in deeper waters, ya might need a little more patience. Some folks leave ‘em out for up to 24 hours, but that’s only if you’ve got enough bait and are really serious about it.
Important thing to remember, though: crabs will eat anything that smells good. So don’t you worry if you’re using a fancy bait like chicken necks or fish heads, they’ll get in there quick enough. Just make sure you’re not leavin’ them traps out too long, or they might just go and spoil your whole catch.
When you’re out there crabbing, remember that crabs need air just like we do. They got them gills, see? So when you leave ‘em in the water for too long, well, they might start to get tired and not want to move much. You don’t want them tired crabs, you want the lively ones that are gonna put up a good fight when you pull ’em in! Keep that in mind when you’re checkin’ on your traps.
So, in short: if you’re using pots, check ‘em every hour or so, and don’t leave ’em too long. If you’re using rings, 15 to 30 minutes will do ya just fine. And remember, if you’re out there for a long haul, you don’t wanna leave the traps overnight – you’re better off comin’ back to check ‘em every couple of hours, ‘specially if you’ve got a lot of traps out there. And don’t forget the bait! Without good bait, them crabs ain’t gonna come near your trap no matter how long it sits in the water.
Tags：[crab traps, how long to leave crab traps out, crabbing, blue crabs, crab pot tips, crab trap check times, crabbing advice, fishing traps]
