Foldable vs. Ring Crab Traps: Which One Should You Use?
Share
Walk down any pier during crab season and you will see three kinds of gear: ring nets, box pots, and more and more often, small foldable traps cast from a fishing rod. Each one works, but each one works best in a different place. Here is how to choose.
The quick answer
| Ring net (crab ring) | Crab pot / box trap | Foldable castable trap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it's deployed | Dropped straight down on a rope | Dropped on a rope, left to soak | Cast out with a fishing rod |
| Reach | Right below you | Right below you or from a boat | Out past the pilings |
| Soak time | 10 to 20 min | 30 min to hours | 10 to 20 min |
| Crab can escape? | Yes, if you pull slowly | Rarely | Less often than a ring |
| Size to carry | Large, floppy | Bulky | Folds flat, fits in a bag |
| Best for | Piers with deep water right below | Boats and docks, long soaks | Piers, jetties, beaches, kayaks |
Ring nets (crab rings, hoop nets)
A ring net is two metal rings with netting between them. It lies flat on the bottom, crabs walk in to eat the bait, and when you pull the rope the net forms a basket.
Pros: cheap, simple, and very effective when crab are thick.
Cons: you have to pull it up fast and without stopping, or the crab walk right out. It can only fish straight below you, which on many piers means shallow water or the pilings. And it is awkward to carry and store.
Crab pots and box traps
A pot is a closed cage with one-way entry tunnels. Crabs get in and cannot easily get out.
Pros: holds crab well, so you can leave it longer. Great from a boat or private dock.
Cons: heavy and bulky, and many public piers limit or discourage them. They also need a buoy and more rope from a boat, and some areas have specific escape-ring and marking rules.
Foldable castable traps
A foldable castable trap is a small, lightweight trap that you clip to your fishing line and cast out like a heavy sinker. When a crab goes for the bait, the trap closes around it as you reel in.
Pros:
- Reach. You can fish sandy bottom 30 to 60 yards out instead of only straight down.
- Portable. Folds flat, so you can bring three in a backpack or kayak hatch.
- Uses your own rod. No rope, no buoy, nothing extra to haul.
- Works on both coasts: Dungeness and rock crab in the West, blue crab in the East and the Gulf.
Cons: you need a rod strong enough to cast and lift it (medium-heavy, 30 lb+ braid), and it holds fewer crab per pull than a big pot.
Our AirFly Foldable Castable Crab Trap is patent pending and was designed by crabbers on San Francisco Bay for exactly this kind of fishing. It also comes in 2-packs and 3-packs if you want to run more than one line.
Which should you pick?
- Fishing from a boat or your own dock? A pot is hard to beat.
- Pier with deep water straight below you? A ring net works, as long as you pull fast.
- Pier, jetty, beach, or kayak, and you want to reach past the pilings? A foldable castable trap or a castable crab snare.
- Walking a long way or traveling? Foldable, every time.
Before you go
Gear rules vary by state and sometimes by pier. Check your state fish and wildlife agency for which gear types are allowed, how many you can fish at once, and current size, sex and bag limits. Bring a crab gauge and measure every keeper.
Still not sure? Email contact@airflyfishing.com and tell us where you fish. We will tell you what we would use.