Thieving....

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G'day all,

I am a relatively new member to this site, but I have been keeping an eye on the topics for a while.
I have noticed that there have been quite a few references about thieves stealing gear (most notably crab pots).
I hate to appear naive, but I have not really done any serious fishing or crabbing for the last 20 years, and I am amazed at the reports of stolen pots etc that appear on this site.
I grew up in Darwin back in the days when you could leave your pots for days and still come back and find them safely( full of big bucks too!!).
Does there seem to be a specific area that seems to get hit harder ie. FNQ/CQ/SE Qld or other states or is this just a shitty practice that goes on everywhere??

Cheers
Ads

[CQ_Fisher]

G'day Ads, its very unfortunate but i think you will come across this problem in most places now days. To date i have never had my pots stolen (and i usually always leave em overnight) but i know for a fact that i've had my pots raided on numerous occasions (the beer can/s in the pot are a dead giveaway, at least theyre showing me how many bucks i'm missing out on :P) . I would like to think that the majority of fishos out there are of an honorable nature, but you will always have a few bad eggs that ruin it for the rest of us.

Cheers
JD

[Maria]

It's like anything Ads...some days you might leave em in for 3 days and they'll be fine. Other days you'll put them in and some bastard will knock em off in under an hour.

In SE QLD I believe it has got that way now where you need to watch your gear - pure and simple. Most of my fishin mates have had crab pots knocked off, and I have in the past also.

Most guys I know don't attach floats to their pots anymore. Just drop em and remember the location. Illegal as it may be, crabbing becomes an expensive game when pots are knocked off at $30+ each.

Thems the times.

Ben

[ads]

A sad and sorry world we live in. I just cant understand why it has come to this. My old man taught me the right thing and I guess I would have hoped that most fishermen have been taught by their old man the right way and the wrong way. Still there is hope. I will certainly be telling my young bloke the do's and don'ts.

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[megafish71]

Unfortunately Ads this kind of thing goes on everywhere, even in good old Darwin. Must say though had somebody rob the crabs from my pot once, but a least the bloke was a good sport and left me a sixpack of green cans in the pot. Cheers ;D ;D ;D
Also had caught a pro crabber robbing my pots in the Adelaide river once, reported this to fisheries, but as usual nothing done about it.

Ron

[Maria]

A the father of my mate's ex girlfriend is a professional crabber. I heard a while back that he had been having troubles with someone knockin off his catch while the pots were set in the bay. He was able to draw some patterns over time and decided to set up a trap. He set the pots one day, the same as always, and then positioned himself on one of the higher outlooks from Wellington Point with a video camera and long range lense. After some waiting, sure enough some kids showed up in a small tinny. He proceeded to record them and comment on the date, location, time, particulars etc for later use in court.

The end result was that although the evidence was in black and white and the kids could be identified clearly, it was thrown out of court and the offenders received a warning.

Ben

[moondancer]

G'day Ads,

you'e right - it is a sorry state that we need to be so vigilant with our gear - gone (long long time ago!) are the days where boaties/ fishos were able to trust each other out there! Unfortunately it's the few b#%%#s that make it bad for everyone. It's to the point now that I often think twice about even bothering to go crabbing - such a hassle, and I feel so paranoid abolut losing gear - gets pricey! Touch wood, I haven't lost much gear, but have had an anchor/ chain/ rope combo stoleb from my tinny, in the driveway. Amazing, they left other bits.

Moral of the story is simplky to be wary, and aware!

Lawry

[Kiktz]

Well it s looks like pots and crabs going a miss is still well and truely alive.

The one and only experience I have had with this is earlier this year I had a mate ask me to on a trip to Bribie. Went had gone out for about 4 hrs chasing winter whiting.

We had set 6 pots just on the eastern side of the Bridge (for those who are familar with the area) Floats attached, names on bottles the lot.The plot thickens.......
On the way back in obviously went to pick up our pots. To our utter amazement pulling up our first pot this guy in a tinny come racing up to us asking what the F....... were we doing :o. Thinking they were our pot we replied What's it look like!!!!!!! >:(

Would you beleive same pots milk bottles with a little milk still in them.(same as us) Every thing was the same except the fact that the bait had changed and his name was on some of the bottles :o. So from there not having a leg to stand :-X on went on looking for our pots. We were amazed that 5 of our pots had been taken. The one that was left was about 100m away!!!!!!!!

You really feel like sitting and waiting, But as Maria has stated it was probably Kids so what do you do.......?

Here's to keeping our pots

P.S I have just seen on tele that tomorrow night channel 7 or 9 " Boaties beware. I is reporting about things getting stolen........ Fits in nicely to the topic.

[Fishinmishin]

I've had soooooooooooooooooooooo many pots go missing that I resorted to dropping the pot with 10 mt rope attached to a brick. I drop the pot then the brick 10mt south of the pot and mark on GPS.
To pickup I drag my small reef anchor east-west on the GPS mark. This allows me to crab in deep channels where props can cut off floats and eliminates theft.
I still have 3 pots in the Southport broadwater I dropped a long while ago which I couldn't find for the life of me. Either someone watching me went for a swim or I stuffed marking it. As the weathers warming, I might go for a dive this sunday.

[bignick]

G'Day Ads,
Unfortunately, this is the sad world in which we live today. It doesn't seem to bother some people that they are stealing off others, most likely individuals with similar leisure interests. And it's also amazing what people will steal and the lengths they will go to to steal it. I think that this sort of thing is on a par with having your house robbed; unknown persons in a place they are not supposed to be stealing the property of others. I bet these thieves would howl and jump up and down with righteous indignation if they were to fall victim to the very same lowlifes. One final point; crab pot robbing and thievery got so bad in Moreton Bay a few years ago that, it was rumored that shots were fired on more than one occasion and I know that a certain group of pro crabbers were on "pot-watch" with a view to exacting a little bit of summary justice. I can tell you that, if caught, these manly thieves magically turn from hero to zero and will blubber and cry and almost give you all that is theirs so as not to be punished. Pretty weak, really.

Cheers,
BIGNICK.

[el_carpo]

Thieves! >:(

The other day, I met a builder who said he lost 5,000 square feet of ply-wood --stolen from his construction site one night. They had to take it with a crane and a flat bed truck! People will steal anything.

As for the traps. Is there a way to make them yourselves? If you can do it for less than the sale price, at least you don't lose as much in cost. It's a shame that some of you guys are discouraged enough to keep you from pariticipating in a hobby you enjoy. There has to be an answer. Maybe take shifts as over night guards? I don't know. What a pain in the neck! You have to wonder what possesses someone to do junk like this. I don't know if it's immorality or amorality anymore, but I do know that I'm tired of it and I suspect the vast majority of folks feel the same way.

[bidkev]

<snip>
I still have 3 pots in the Southport broadwater I dropped a long while ago which I couldn't find for the life of me. Either someone watching me went for a swim or I stuffed marking it. As the weathers warming, I might go for a dive this sunday.

The buggers tend to roll if you stick 'em anywher near a channel, especially on king tides. I've fished up pots in 30 ft of water that only had 10 ft of bouy rope on 'em!

cheers

kev

[tshort]

Yep, wrote in on this subject a week or so ago in the tackle section. My first pot loss from a very quiet area with little traffic and mostly local traffic at that. Had blokes suggest such things as hooks and blades in the float ropes etc. etc. but if it comes to that why bother going crabbing at all. Reading the post about sinking pots, I think thats illegal anyway isn't it, I've heard a bloke who considers any sunken pots he hooks while lure fishing are his. There not hard to get up with a tackle back apparently and considered compensation for previously lost lures on suspected sunken pots. I think the answer may unfortunately be to stay near your pots or if leaving them out overnight be up and on the water very early the next morning. Now when we are still laying in bed and hear the first boat leave the ramp in the wee small hours that it may well be too late to check the pots.

[BigE]

two words SPEAR GUN [smiley=rifle.gif] nothing and i mean nothing makes a pot thief sweat more than been up a dark narrow creek on dusk on the pointy end of a spear gun :o :o :o usaully make em throw everything of value over the side [smiley=bigcry.gif] (gps & sounder seem to hurt especially) have never made em pull the bungs but hear that ruins their day as well.

[NEWBY]

Well.This is a drastic measure but in WA it worked really well on cray pots.
First, tie a rope to a big brick with a float attached.
Split your rope and put razor blades in them so they are under the surface of the water. As the thieving pricks pull them up they shred their hands to ribbons. Easy as that. Guaranteed they dont ever touch another pot.
P.S. Dont have your name on the floats.


NEWBY

[Fishinmishin]

With sinking the pots, the rules are all pots must be marked with an identifying tag and when not fixed to something they must have a 15cm min light float. I will argue that a brick is fixing it to ''something'' #::)as regulations specify.
Kev, I think that I just can't hook up my pots as with those ones I threw a brick in them(as so not to sweep away) but never ran a rope from them to a brick reducing my area to catch them. I'm still planning a dive to see in the hope they didn't catch a heap of weed and sweep away.
Also, if someone stumble upon and pull up the pots and brick with their lure, read the tag just as they would a float and then steal the pots there is no helping me. After losing the pots in southport and then putting a good lenght of rope to a brick, I haven't lose a pot or had them raided yet. :D Touch wood. ;)

[Y-Not]

We lost 6 of our 8 pots last Easter hols on the Southern side of Peel :( Inside the beacons, well out of harms way, several were run over, several slashed open, the rest just GONE :o :o
Then last Christmas, we were doing very well with the muddies thank you very much, up in the mangroves in Jumpinpin area, until the young fellas in the next camp saw us walking off to check them >:( no crabs after that! I would even go so far as to say that a pro crabber checked our other carefully hidden pots for us too that trip, when he saw us tying off to a branch one day. That really sucks when you cant even be certain that you are the next person to open your pot.

[ads]

Geez,
I honestly didn't think that it was so bad out there. It's a shame that some people have got to the point ( after many $$$ lost ) they feel that it's not worth the hassle. Still, you cant go past a nice fresh crab sandwich, so the rewards for keeping an eye on your pots is still worth it I reckon.
Cheers
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[bidkev]

Simple way to beat the thieves if you're using rectangular pots, is to tie 'em up with your float rope. Makes for slow going for yourself but most thieves are in a hurry and just can't be arsed to untie 'em. It really works.

cheers

kev

[skippa]

G'Day Y Not,

Safe Pots, Peel, Easter Hols don't mix. I reckon u might as well throw $30 down in Queen st Mall on a Sat nite, and see how long it lasts there.

Not suprised that even inside the becons at SWR's area, they are run over either. Seen plenty of boats ( big ones too ) cut the corner off. Secretly would love to see one of those big cruisers rip their bum out cutting across there. ::)

Sad sign of the times when you have to watch your pots or anything else for that matter, or they will be gooooonnne.

One reason why I can't be bothered to go crabing anymore. >:(

Cheers,
Tony 8)

[Chrisso]

Yes, just puts a dampner on your day if your always stressed about losing your pots. It's unfortunate people have to stay in a close proximity to there pots to ensure some lowlife bastard doesn't come along and commit robbery (a criminal offence isn't it >:( ). >:( It restricts the fishos who have gone out to have a good fishing and crabbing day on the water - to not be able to fish in specific places away from the pots.

It would be an interesting time to be involved in a sting? Only preoblem is the offenders probably wouldn't learn - slow learners. >:( MAYBE IF THEY LOST THERE BOAT THEY WOULD.

Regards

Chris

[moondancer]

Hmmmm...........a sting........now you're talking Chris! I reckon this little concept is worth developing!!

Lawry

[Y-Not]

I reckon the razor blades in the rope sounds like a goodie! THAT'LL FIX EM!!! [smiley=wut.gif] [smiley=wut.gif] [smiley=bigcry.gif]

[el_carpo]

I completely understand the anger and frustration you feel but I would warn against using the razor blades on the line. The rat would sue you and you'd get taken by him again only for a whole lot more than a crab pot.

Happens a lot. We fight back and the courts chop our legs off. I guess we're just supposed to act like victims. I remember reading a story from England a while back. The farmer attacks some thieves he finds trying to steal his pigs and the stupid court gives the thief the whole farm.

What to do? What to do?

[Glug]

Not only the rats might sue, if a customs, police or fisheries officer pulls your pot they won't be happy little chappies either. ;D

[reef05]

Went crabbing once,put all the pots down and went for a fish.All is well two or three hours later thought to myself just pull the anchor up and drift back towards where the pots were flicking lures on the way just as I rounded the last bend in the creek to where my first pot was located and here is old mate with my pot in his boat helping him self to what turned out to be a good sized buck.Started the motor and went over to him to find out what was going on,when I pulled along side him to my surprise here are my other three pots on the floor of his tinny name tags ropes and floats still atached after a very interesting talk including a lot of F & C words on my behalf all was returned including three good size crabs.I felt quite well afterwards knowing I scared the living daylights out of a low life but it still has'nt made up for all the pots that I have lost over the years

[mini696]

Never had a pot stolen in my life.... I guess I'm lucky in that respect. But Its bound to happen one time.

I remember a good friend of mine once said (while looking at my new boat)... "Gee Mick you musn't be trying hard enough with your crabbing, your prop doesn't have enough dints in it".

It sort of rings true. If you go deep into shallow creeks where its hard to get to, the thieves wont be bothered going all the way in to steel from you. They are lazy buggers.

[jimbob]

Well i went up to Donnybrook on saturday 8 pots between 2 of us i had bougt 2 new from Amart. As usual we drop pots at glasshouse and go pump yabbies on the bank opppsite Mission Pt. Pumped yabbies for 45mins. Fished for an hour or so then went & checked pots. to our amazement some low life scum had checked all pots not closing back properly and thought the 2 new ones would look better in their boat than mine. So you can count me in for any sting. There is nothing worse you start to look at boats driving past thinking did you steal my pots. It just really spoils the whole day.

[mini696]

Count me in on any "Sting", I can add vigilante to my resume... he he... ;D

Whenever I am casting or drifting past someone elses pots, I can always feel "eyes" on me.... Saying or thinking... Are they your pots your near??... Is he going to look in my pots??... Whats that guy doing near them, they aren't his pots... etc, etc...

Its a sad world when you can't trust anyone....

You can trust me tho... I own a boat... I must be trustworthy... he he he

[AussieMozzie]

It sad to know that you can't even enjoy going and putting your pots and leaving them over night for fear that they are going to be taken by some scum bag. I avoid putting them out on weekends for everyone is out on weekends and during the week it is alot quiter. Usually put them out just on dark then go and collect just on sunrise the next morning.

[mini696]

Anyone got stories of "Being followed"??

[AussieMozzie]

Nope but when you are out and about in the creeks and go past someone else's pots you always have the feeling that someone is watching their pots from back in the bushes just waiting to bust someone at their pots.

[DNO40]

Ads,

I leave a few pots in around the Boyne River and Colleseum area and try to check them daily but have never had any troubles - touch wood. I do however hear the odd story but I believe it to be rare around these parts. Most people are pretty wise to the unwritten law and respect other peoples property.

[Burley_Boy]

Be damn nice to have some pots in a location we could monitor on the net, call em bait for the bad guys, the technology is there and we could leave the posted pickies of offendors on a site somewhere.
:)

Just had a car knocked off and trashed by some useless dicks so I know the feeling.

[tshort]

Being followed, there in the trees you just cant see them. I am not paranoid. who said that.

[mini696]

I once dropped a pot in the Boyne and must have found a hole, because the pot and line dissapeared underwater. I tried to find it but lost it.... Until 12 months later I was anchored in the same spot and pulled it up!!

Lucky...