Crab Proof Keeper

[kingtin]

Patent Pending. ;D

This is the keeper that my mate and I have trialled with considerable success. We now use it in all our pots and our take home is substantially improved whilst the bait supplied has decreased.

150mm of 90mm pipe with holes (10 bit) drilled approx every 35 mm. caps drilled at 12,3,6,and 9 o'clock with 600mm of cord knotted at ends to prevent loss of caps and facilitate tying of keeper to bottom of pot. Doesn't matter which hole you thread the cord through on the caps as the caps can be twisted to ensure that the cord is always lying along the bottom of the keeper thereby ensuring that the keeper is always held hard on the bottom of the pot.

Trust me..........these do catch more crabs. Last camping trip at Pin we were still catching on mullet that had been in the keeper for 3 days. One keeper that simply had a tuna oil soaked sponge even caught.

Pros:

Bait remains in keeper as crabs and pickers can't get at it.

Bait life extended as oily fish isn't washed out as quickly due to less flow on the bait.

If pot settles on obstruction, crab can't feed through pot from underneath.

Small soft scraps such as left over pilliescan be used whereas in conventional keeper they get washed out or picked at

Crabs fail to feed and continue to try, whereas once they've had their fill from conventional keeper, they start looking for a way out.

Keeper stays hard on bottom of pot ensuring crabs have to enter pot to get at it.

Do not degrade or get damaged by those bloody Jennies.

Can double as burley pot

Cons:

Bulky

More expensive

kev

[ssab1]

good one i like it and will definitely make up some thanks.cheers alex

[Chezzy13]

WOW, Thats excellent kingtin, brilliant, NOW that would work...:D
Well thought up..( Thumbs Up)
When can I get one?? ;):)
The Jenny I got today got stuck into my home made one, Waaaaaa:( LOL..
Its a wonder she didnt crush the males in there too..:o

[Horse]

Good to see it worked well. I was considering it a few years ago but the cost of end caps and the sheer bulk of them stopped me. Might have to have another crack at it

Cheers

Neil

[kingtin]

Good to see it worked well. I was considering it a few years ago but the cost of end caps and the sheer bulk of them stopped me. Might have to have another crack at it

Cheers

Neil

You can half the cost of end caps if you're prepared to put a bit of extra work in.

If you make a mark on one end of the pipe at say 12 and 6 o'clock and then cut with a jig saw or similar at 45d left and right of each of the two marks, you will end up with (in effect) 4 cuts making 4 unbent flaps, 2 with a straight edge, and 2 coming to a point.

Heat the pipe over a gas ring or similar (I used the camping stove) in line with where the cuts have stopped down the length of the pipe and bend over the two pointed flaps towards each other and then bend the remaining straight edged flaps, cut off surplus of straight edged flap if not needed. Hard to explain but if you've got a cardboard cylinder such as an empty toilet roll holder just practice by following these instructions using scissors and it will all become clear.

Depends if you think the extra work is worth the $1.80 that it would cost you for the caps, but it's fun to try anyway and see something coming together.

Oh, and if you try this, you will have to make your pipe about 40mm bigger to allow for the ends being bent over.

kev

[ShaneJ]

Looks good Kev, I might try some myself.

Are the end caps a tight fit, or do you rely on the rope to hold the ends on as well as hold it down?

Thanks

[Chezzy13]

After a while, Off on, off, on, off and on repeatedly, ETC, ETC..Would as a guess make it loose????? Just a guess??

[johnlikes2fish]

I use a very similar idea I got the idea off a TV show called the worlds deadliest catch I use a berley bucket from my local tackle shop ($8) and a screw top tupperware container from coles in the other pot ($7) it allows the use of smaller baits and fish pieces I use all my old pillies this way and they work fine.

[kingtin]

Looks good Kev, I might try some myself.

Are the end caps a tight fit, or do you rely on the rope to hold the ends on as well as hold it down?

Thanks

Yes, they're tight enough to stay on even after continuous use. If they ever loosen, there's enough length on the rope to allow a loose knot hard up against the cap which will then hold it in place.

You can use thick elastic also with a loop on one end and a snap link on the other, this saves time tying the keeper to the bottom of the pot.

kev[/quote]



kev

[Chezzy13]

Yes, they're tight enough to stay on even after continuous use. If they ever loosen, there's enough length on the rope to allow a loose knot hard up against the cap which will then hold it in place.

kev

Cool!!! :)

[ShaneJ]

Yes, they're tight enough to stay on even after continuous use. If they ever loosen, there's enough length on the rope to allow a loose knot hard up against the cap which will then hold it in place.

kev

No worries mate, I'll give one a go.

[rando]

Thats a beaut design Kingtin
Thanks.
rando

[kingtin]

Modifies a previous answer after some of you had read so here it is again:

You can use thick elastic also with a loop on one end and a snap link on the other, this saves time tying the keeper to the bottom of the pot.

kev

[thedeckie]

Kev,
We have a guy at work that makes some subsoil drainage fittings for us using similar caps,mainly to suit 100mm PVC,Im sure I could buy them from him really cheap as he buys them by the thousands.

Let me know if you are interested and I will get you some to trial,just PM me.

Cheers

Paul

[Kleyny]

plumber mate uses something very similar.
obviously he made his. has one end glued and the other is a screw on (i think).
so looks like the local plumbing stores will have an influx this weekend.

neil

[kingtin]

Kev,
We have a guy at work that makes some subsoil drainage fittings for us using similar caps,mainly to suit 100mm PVC,Im sure I could buy them from him really cheap as he buys them by the thousands.

Let me know if you are interested and I will get you some to trial,just PM me.

Cheers

Paul

OK Paul, thanks for that.

kev

[kingtin]

plumber mate uses something very similar.
obviously he made his. has one end glued and the other is a screw on (i think).
so looks like the local plumbing stores will have an influx this weekend.

neil

Neil, gluing one end causes no end of trouble. If you are using frames as bait, when you come to pack up and pull out the old frame, then the chances are that fin bones will catch in the holes of the keeper, cause you'll be pulling em out in reverse of how you put 'em in. Having a two way option for pulling 'em out gives you a chance that the fins will lay flat at least one way, and not catch in the keeper holes.

It all goes to lighten the load of baiting and un-baiting which can be a bugger if you've got mates with you and have quite a few pots out. Push the frames in one end, so the fins lay flat, and pull 'em out the opposite end so they're still laying flat. You can even mark arrows on the keeper with a laundry marker so that you instantly know which end to open when you're baiting up or packing up.

kev

[Navi]

Bloody great idea, the only thing is why didn't you just start selling them......lmao
thanks for the idea will try in my pots, use to use the plastic mesh stuff.

cheers Chris

[kingtin]

Bloody great idea, the only thing is why didn't you just start selling them......lmao

cheers Chris

By the time you cost materials and time spent drilling the holes etc, they'd have to sell at 10 bucks a piece to cover labour and that's without costing in a profit margin, which is probably why there isn't already one on the market.

kev

[mickstar001]

When can i pick mine up Kev?

Mickstar

[vb4me]

Top idea kingtin. I have been using cheap gutter guard. $2 for a 15m roll and 1/2 dozen small cable ties. Beats payin 4 or 5 bucks for the same thing in a tackle store. So I got enough to last for ages. I love the idea of using plumbing pipe and end caps. It will take forever for the crabs to get through that. I have used small buckets with clip on lids like 500g m&m buckets. drill heaps of holes in and 1 low cost burley bucket. Your idea doubles as both.8-) . Will definately have to make a couple up for myself. If you wanna sell em then burley buckets/cages cost from $5 and up so You may have a market yet:)