Question regarding recreational prawning. Beginner needs help!

[Melandre]

Hi,

just got a small cabin in a body of water known to have nice prawns
(Indian Arm, 20 minutes from Vancouver, Canada). The previous owner
left a couple of prawn traps but I am not too sure how to use them.

This body of tidal water is quite deep (250 to 350 feet in the main
channel). Here are some of the questions which you the experts can
help me with:

1) is the trap suppose to "float" (i.e. if the depth is 300 feet
should the trap be at 250 feet) or is the trap supposed to sit on the
bottom of the ocean?

2) given that we have tides, is it best to weigh the trap and/or the
rope so that it stays relatively put? (I almost lost my trap last
weekend as it drifted many yards from where I first dropped it...)

3) is it best to leave the trap for 10 hours + (for example,
overnight)?

4) if I put two traps on the same line, should I set it up with about
50 feet in between the 2 traps and in such a way that both traps are
touching the bottom? So, if depth is 300, should I purchase approx.
400 feet of line (50 for 2 traps on bottom, 300 for reaching the
bottom and 50 extra for tides and some play...)

5) last weekend, I used store-bought pellets for bait. Anything else
that works well?

Needless to say, my first try last weekend was very unsuccessful. Not
only I didn't catch anything but I nearly lost my trap as it drifted
away. Obviously, I need help with this :)

Cheers! Andre

[Sarge]

"Melandre" wrote in message: "just got a small cabin in a body of water
known to have nice prawns (Indian Arm, 20 minutes from Vancouver, Canada).
The previous owner left a couple of prawn traps but I am not too sure how to
use them.
This body of tidal water is quite deep (250 to 350 feet in the main
channel). Here are some of the questions which you the experts can help me
with:
1) is the trap suppose to "float" (i.e. if the depth is 300 feet should the
trap be at 250 feet) or is the trap supposed to sit on the bottom of the
ocean?
2) given that we have tides, is it best to weigh the trap and/or the rope so
that it stays relatively put? (I almost lost my trap last weekend as it
drifted many yards from where I first dropped it...)
3) is it best to leave the trap for 10 hours + (for example, overnight)?
4) if I put two traps on the same line, should I set it up with about 50
feet in between the 2 traps and in such a way that both traps are touching
the bottom? So, if depth is 300, should I purchase approx. 400 feet of
line (50 for 2 traps on bottom, 300 for reaching the bottom and 50 extra for
tides and some play...)
5) last weekend, I used store-bought pellets for bait. Anything else that
works well?
Needless to say, my first try last weekend was very unsuccessful. Not only
I didn't catch anything but I nearly lost my trap as it drifted away.
Obviously, I need help with this :)"

I not sure about your area but when I was a kid my father and I use to place
shrimp boxes in the Mississippi River. We would bait the boxes with can dog
food by making several holes in the can and tossing it in the trap bait
section. We then attached a rope to the trap and placed it in the water
weighted down. The rope was tied off to a secured anchor point. Boxes were
placed 20 to 30 feet apart.

Sarge