# which side is top?



## matthewy8 (Feb 5, 2008)

i am getting different answers between the guy at the bait shop and the internet. who is right?? if i am dropping the basket in the water which side should point up when laying on the ground?


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## bamasam (Sep 27, 2007)

flip it from the way it is in your pictures. The bow has an opening that allows the crabs to fall into the bottom thus trapping them a little better.


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## Cuz (Oct 1, 2007)

> *bamasam (4/8/2008)*flip it from the way it is in your pictures. The bow has an opening that allows the crabs to fall into the bottom thus trapping them a little better.


Correct!!:letsdrink


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## matthewy8 (Feb 5, 2008)

the guy at the bait shop told me that when the crabs walk in they fall into the bottompart of thetrap but i read on the internet that when they crawl in and realize the cant get out theypanic and then swim up getting trapped into the upper chamber and cant climb back out. so which is it, their holding cell goes up to the top or down to the bottom?? its hard to tell but look at the trap on this page it looks like his is setting like mine is bait on bottom trap on top. http://www.bluecrab.info/crabbing/hardcrabs.html

quote from the web page "<P align=justify>







Crabpots are ingenious contraptions in that they utilize the crab's very own escape instincts in order to trap them. Crabs smell the bait and circle the pot, entering through one of the throats. Once inside and unable to reach the bait, the crab feels trapped and threatened. When threatened, a crab instinctively swims up towards the surface to escape, where it winds up inside the parlor. It remains in the parlor until removed through a special opening along one of the top edges."


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## bamasam (Sep 27, 2007)

I have used them for years and always had it down and have caught shit loads of crabs in them. use a raw chicken leg for bait:letsdrink


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## bamachem (Oct 2, 2007)

it's a crab trap. put a chicken neck in it and put it in the water and it will work if it's up, down, or on it's side. they'll find their way in and won't be able to get out either way.

for what it's worth, i put my bait bins to the top when i put mine out so the crabs fall to the bottom. either way, you catch plenty.


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## FishinFool (Oct 2, 2007)

The door to the bait should be placed on the botton. That way the crabs cannot access the bait unless they enter the trap.

Chicken works well for bait. However, I prefer the remains of fish after I have fileted them. Chicken smells like death :sick after the trap has been in the water for a day or two.


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## Reel Twiztid (Apr 8, 2008)

The bait door goes to the top...Although, I really don't think it matters much. It's going to sound funny...but, pork chops is better than chicken if you can imagine that. We picked up some discounted pork chops from Grocery Advantage because they were out of chicken legs and backs. We have never had a haul like that.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

ya i have never known which side goes on bottom...never seemed to matter for me. i'm either gonna crush em' or i'm not


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## P-cola_Native (Feb 5, 2008)

> *Cuz (4/8/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *bamasam (4/8/2008)*flip it from the way it is in your pictures. The bow has an opening that allows the crabs to fall into the bottom thus trapping them a little better.
> ...


Sorry, but y'all are wrong. The bait door goes down, and the holding pen portion is on top. The crabs climb up the walls looking for an escape route and end up in the top of the trap were they can't get out or eat at the bait.


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## matthewy8 (Feb 5, 2008)

yeah i was thinking the bait door went down too. eventhough it probably doesnt matter for the most part. i was just wondering what the intended way to use it was. its funny to see how many people think one thing and so many people think the opposite. as long as it works though thats all that matter i guess. thanks for the info guys.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

Man, I'm glad you guys said something, cuz I would have thought the holding pen was on the bottom.......I always figured the crabs climbed in and fell down the hole.......never thought they actually climed up the wall.


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