I’ve gone through more crab traps than I’d like to admit in order to find one that’s was worthwhile. After dealing with lots of crappy wire mesh and traps that came with hay bale string as line, I finally found my favorite.
While on the boat or fishing pier, my go-to trap is the Foxy Mate Topless Crab Trap.
This is a design of the classic box trap, a reliable, quality mechanism that most recreational crabbers overlook. Other crab traps are made with such cheap material that crabs tear right through them. My FoxyMate, on the other hand, has lasted several seasons and continues to reliably catch blue crabs.
Why I Chose Foxy Mate
There are several brands that sell box traps, but most of them sell cheap traps that don’t last very long. Foxy Mate, however, does a great job at creating traps that last.
You will have to do some maintenance to your trap to keep it functional. This is the story with all crab traps. You’re just replacing some rusted hog rings, nothing too complicated.
Another reason why I love this trap is that it’s made with Galvanized wire. You’d be surprised how many crab traps aren’t! I think it’s common sense to make traps, that are built to be underwater for long periods of time, be rustproof.
The only part that is not rust-proof is the hog rings, which you will need to replace once or twice a season, depending on how often you use your traps. Just pick up some hog rings and hog ring pliers at your local home depot, or check their website (Links to Homedepot.com).
Other Collapsible Traps Don’t Compare
If you’re shopping for a collapsible crab trap, you only have a few options. When you sit down and compare each one, it’ll be clear why this is the best trap out there.
There’s the classic ring net, which is usually garbage netting that falls apart at first use. You can find some quality ones, but they’ll cost three times as much as a Foxy Mate.
Another option is the pyramid trap. I have tried Eagle Claw’s attempt a pyramid trap and walked away very disappointed. The thing constantly tangles and flops open and closed with the slightest current.
All that’s left is the box trap. Keep in mind that I’m leaving out crab pots and trotlines, which are great options.
There are several brands that sell box traps, and I’ve tried them out. I kept finding that these brands were a bit flimsier than Foxy Mate’s. They either didn’t close correctly, were easily bent by crab claws, and so on.
If It’s In Stock, Go Topless
If you’re buying a FoxyMate or any box trap, check if topless traps are in stock. They seriously come in handy when you have lots of traps. Topless traps are made to be stackable like Chinese food take out containers.
When you’re out on a small crabbing boat, traps can take up a lot of room. The fact that these are stackable makes them so much more convenient than other boxy crab traps.
Is a Topless Box Trap Right For You?
Depending on your situation, there may be better crab traps out there for you. If you have access to a boat, a fishing pier, or a bridge, I would recommend that you invest in several Foxy Mate topless traps.
Foxy mates work best from a boat, but they are very effective from a bridge or fishing pier. I’ve seen crabbers catch a bushel within hours with a handful of Foxy Mate topless traps, some buoys, and line. Each of their topless traps is tied to a line and a marked buoy, and they alternate pulling the traps every 10 minutes or so. A few hours of this and you will end up with plenty of crabs.
If you don’t have a boat, Foxy Mates still work. You can operate these traps from a pier or bridge. Just bait the traps, tie them to some line, and lower them into the water from your suspended platform of choice. After 10 minutes or so, pull them up. You’ll end up with fewer crabs than you would if you had a boat, but that’s only because you’re covering less area.
But hey! Keep an open mind. There are plenty of ways to go crabbing. Other options you may want to consider are crab pots and trotlines. Both are very effective at catching crabs and can be much more efficient at doing so.
I would recommend a crab pot. It’s a nice “set and forget” method of catching crabs.
However, there are very few crab pots on the market that are effective at catching blue crabs. They are usually made of very cheap material and can’t hold up to the abuse crabs put them through. If you want to use a crab pot, you should either check eBay or make one yourself. Homemade crab pots outperform retailers every time.
If you’re from Maryland, I would hold off on this type of trap. As a recreational crabber, you are allowed two crab pots as long as you own waterfront property. Otherwise, you have to use other options for catching crabs.
If you have a boat, a trotline is another great option. It’s a more active way of catching crabs with a lot of prior work, but it can prove very effective at catching crabs.