Crab pot electrolysis

[Anythingalaska]

A lot of the commercial Dungeness fisherman down here in Southeast use zincs on their pots and have all sorts of ideas/theories on how electrolysis on their pots change their fishing. They say that the crab can sense/feel the electrical current and can be deterred by it. They say that Dungeness are the most sensitive from it and it makes the most difference when fishing for them; and less so for Kings and Tanners. Any thoughts/Ideas on this? It's kind of like line voltage for salmon fishing...a bunch of black magic maybe?

[MacGyver]

I have no idea if crap pot electrolysis has any effect on craps. If I does why would anyone add zincs to a crap pot? Electrolysis is cause by two dissimilar metals in this case salt water. Making the pots out of say S.S. would be a better solution or cover the metal in a protective coating.

If it did it would be easy to find out by having craps pots of difference designs and see with ones get the most crabs. You could also add a battery to a pot and see if it would trap any craps.

[mike h]

That's a lot of craps.

[0321Tony]

That's a serious case of the craps

[Anythingalaska]

"Commercial Dungeness crab pots have traditionally been built in a round shape using welded mild steel frames. The welded wire frame is hand wrapped with strips of rubber to help prevent corrosion and to separate the mild steel frame from the stainless steel wire mesh that is hand knitted over the pot’s frame . This separation of the mild steel frame from the SS mesh is very important. Usually, each pot would have two knitted SS tunnel ramps leading to a SS tunnel eye that has SS triggers that flip up to allow the crab to enter. If this stainless steel comes in contact with mild steel, it can create an electrical charge that might zap Mr. Crab as he tries to enter through the SS triggers on the pots. Fishermen will often add zincs to their mild steel pot frames to help neutralize any electrical charge that might develop. It is very important in these traditionally built pots to make sure your pot is not ‘hot’."

http://www.neptunemarineproducts.com/traps-shellfish/

[Amigo Will]

All my SS pots come with a stud for screw on zinc. With all the electronics on boats now days we got lots of juice in the water.

[mallardman]

Just wire in a beer can.