I would like to provide a scenario to see how members would react in the situation I was in.

Last summer.... I was crabbing, I would drop my pots at first light every friday morning (open fri-sun)..... As the season was nearing end my success was diminishing substantially and my bait was disappearing. So.... one Friday morning I dropped my pots, ran a few erands, grabbed a subway, got my binoculars, and headed towards a bluff that over looked my pots...... Before I could finish my sub, I observed the next four boats in the area drop their pots and then proceed to pull mine.

What would you do?

LT

LT,

If BS like that is going to happen, too bad it didn't happen last summer when you and I were out there, instead of you being by yourself.

I'd say boat numbers and pics would be the best you could do...maybe a call to the Sherriff? Have a deputy, or a WDFW enforcement officer, sit up on the bluff and watch you drop your pots and motor away...and then watch the other guys come and pull them, then meet them at the boat launch.

Fish on...

Todd

Aunty's right. But I'm not sure there's anything worse than stealing IMO. If you had the means to get them back, would you? I've been a theft victim several times. I always say that if I ever caught the thief, I would beat him to a pulp. Given the emotion at the time, a passive approach would be difficult. But if he put his pots out, youd be able to trace him that way, and if you had your cellphone, you could have him arrested with your pots. That would be good. But if I thought I could get away with it, I'd hunt the lowlife down and take it out on his boat. If he's lucky.

When I was younger I would have been very vindictive. I probably would have found out where he was launching from and took it out on his truck, trailer or maybe even went out to his pots and cut his line but that is against the law so now a call to the sheriff with some sort of way to identify the guy via photos, boat numbers or video. The best way of course would be a sting operation and let the WDFW catch them in the act. Or you could get his name and address off his crab pot bouy and run an add for a huge collection of Gay porn for sale in his local paper leaving his name and address and telling those interested to stop by for inquiries. HEHEHE..

This leads me to another point, I was violated four times in fifteen minutes (I know, that sounds really bad but don't let your mind wander from the topic and don't change web sites either). How many times would this happen over the course of three days?

Aunty M - for the price of the camera I could eat a lot of king crab and prime rib at the Keg.
Also, in the picture you would have to see my identification on the bouy. The note saying I am taking you picture might work, but it seems bit much like the scare crow in the garden.

Todd, I contemplated filing a complaint with law enforcement. But the response probably would have been about the same as any other complaint (nil). But actually, I will start filing complaints about violations. If there are are enough filed, maybe then enforcement will be increased. It can't hurt.

Hairlipangler, I felt the same emotions and many of the same ideas came to mind. As I sat there and stewed, I had to remind myself that it was only crab they were stealing.

MetalheadRon, They are lucky that I am older, but then again so am I. Cause a few years back I would have reacted with out thinking.

Thanks for the input
LT

LT,

Good luck, buddy.

How's the fishing been?

Todd

Todd,

have not been fishing for a few weeks, I am in the process of landscaping my yard. It would be nice to get it done before summers over.

LT

I'd get his boat numbers, and print up a flyer with his numbers and boat description. Then I'd paper the parking lot of the nearest ramps with the description, saying that he/they had been sighted raiding other people's traps.

Silver Hilton, great idea!

Thanks,
LT

Here's some options:

1) Call the law.

2) Videotape them in the act and give to the law.

3) Wait for them at the launch with a Louisville Slugger and swing away.

I prefer #3.

Reading your original post it would seem that every boat in the area came and pulled your pots. If it was one guy, you could do any of the above suggestions.. But it seems like everybody out there is out to get you. Maybe you should stay out there and watch them ??? instead of leaving

LT,

Is this the same spot that you and I dropped the pots last year? There didn't seem to be too many other crabbers in the area...just a few other buoys.

I do remember, though, the first morning we were out there another boat went out and came back one pot short...remember? They thought someone had taken it.

If you could talk an enforcement officer, or a Sherrif's Deputy, or maybe even a city cop, into sitting up on the bluff for a couple of hours, if he watched you drop your pots and kept an eye on your buoys, he wouldn't need to see your information on the buoy...he'd just need to see you drop yours. You may want to drop them a bit away from the others to make sure the deputy doesn't get confused as to which are yours. I bet he could read boat #'s from the bluff, too, if he had a good set of binocs, which I'm sure he does.

Are you going to fish on Saturday?

Fish on...

Todd

Have some stickers made up with some very strong adhesive. They should read. "I have been caught stealing other peoples crab pots" The size of a bumper sticker should be good. Follow them to the launch and stick it on their boat when you get the chance..

Ah for the days when you could leave your pots out and not have to worry about them. Now days its sit on them or suffer the fate you did.

I still like the solution one of my cohorts came up with. Set out one old bouy, Attach one old weighted toilet(Really Heavy) and let them jerks pull that up!

This is what I would do and know someone who has done it with good success.

On your Bouy it should read as follows:

As you read this be aware that you are in the cross hairs of my scope which is mounted on a 300 Winchester Mag.

I must say I don't recoment this but , HEHEHE trebles woven into the lead line will make the unlucky ******* think twice next time. If they are being pulled by hydraulic or gas puller concrete dye in a small bag taped on the line will make it easy to see who's a thief. I know of a fellow who was loosing his generator to some ambitious thieves ( they had to hike in quite a ways ). He JB welded the long floor scraping razors to the handles and was rewarded with a large puddle.

I like the note , i like the bumper sticker, I like the "i steal pots" posters around the area and it may just be the jar head in me but i like a few rounds down range. if you are on the bluff over your pots the chance of bounceing rounds is less and nothing will make you take cover like a few well placed rounds around the boat. I havent used my rifle in a while so i need a reason.
you did not say they where stealing your pots or just your crap. maybe a pioson crap. oh not enoguth to kill just give them the ****ts.

I know what I would do if I saw them screwing with my stuff......and there wouldn't be any cutesy tricks involved.....it would, however, be a close encounter of the most unpleasant variety. Sound carries a long, long way on the water, and there would be plenty to listen to and no doubt as to what was going on. I'm sure that would end any desires by the offenders to try it again. (I'm not a strong advocate of tact. After all, you catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar....but who the Hell wants flies?)

thats crab not crap and we still need a spell check on this site.

Here's a free one, Tom..... web page

free and works great (when I use it :rolleyes: )