Alaska Trapping- Living

[fishermann222]

LOL the difference, well marketing and price Thats my own perspective. Copper river uses MAJOR marketing to promote their product, other than that? no difference. I prefer Kuskokwim salmon as i net here on the kusko for myself.

[lungslicer]

I kind of thought so. The guy that is trying to sell the salmon claims that his Copper River salmon are priced higher because they have a different type of fat that adds to the taste. Any truth in that one? Also, I was wondering if you have ever been involved in any Bering Sea crab fishing?

[fishermann222]

I have fished Bering Sea crabs but through the ice off the western tip of Nunivak Island once. But never in a boat.

[fishermann222]

My season has been a bust. From 37 below we raised quickly to 42 above. THe river is all water, no snow left. 5 buddies sank their machines in overflow yesterday, about 8 feet of water, it was ugly. I won't be able to get to my cat sets for at least a few more days. The joys of the weather.

[SnoManX]

Fish,

How do you fish for crabs thru the ice? How do you locate them?

Do you use traps and if so how big? How long do you let them sit and how do you pull them up? Do you use a chainsaw to get thru the ice?

[fishermann222]

well their are two ways to do it, one is jigging lik eyou would for fish, only you use a chunk of salmon, let it sit on the bottom and when you feel weight lift slowly and then have a net to scoop the crab before you try and take it out of the water. The other way is to use a rebar/chicken wire pot. You don't really locate them, its all luck. their are spots where they tend to congregate and the natives know those spots.

Traps are 4 feet squar usually. The time i went we set the trap when we got there and pulled it when we left that night. ice moves too much to leave it in overnight. You can use a chainsaw, but its pack ice and alot of times it is real thin in spots, so you just pick one of those spots to spud a hole.