Of the three pots we had dropped on Friday, one was still in place, one had been dragged about 85 yards, and the third was still in place, but the buoy had been pulled so hard sideways that the line was hung around a snag. Annah Bethel (frequently called "Belle") and I searched for the pot for a few minutes before we saw the buoy just below the surface on the water. One quick pull, and the line was free.
I would mark this as a successful test of the stability of these Florida style traps.
Editors Note: Now watch Capt. Dad get cocky and loose 50 traps in fast moving water. ;-)
Belle, Jas, and I pulled the pots to see if by chance we had caught some 'stones', but the water temp had dropped from 51.7F to 47.8F. Crabs don't move much when the water is below about 54F.
I'm not saying it was too cold for an aging fisherman, however, Belle entertained herself by skating around on the ice built up on the forward deck of the boat.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
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Sounds like ya'll're having tons of fun! I don't know much about this type of work, but is there not a gps little tracking device you can attach inside each pot in case you lose the buoy? Just a thought =)
ReplyDeleteTracking devices for the traps is a good question. Typically the devices are far more expensive than the cost of the traps and render the option infeasible for commercial use. Second problem is recovering the trap in the dark water without SCUBA gear.
ReplyDeleteThere is a simple device that when connected to the pot transmits the water temperature at that submerged level to a receiver at the helm. However you have to be almost directly above the pot to capture the signal.