In Reply to: Ghost Trps posted by halibug on November 22, 2013 at 05:41:33:

Three flavors
1. Commercial poachers who put strings of traps underwater and recover with grappling hooks at night. These are usually licensed lobster fisherman (or know someone who is) as they catch large #s to sell. Dive buddy recently found a set of these on Front Side of Catalina. Get a GPS fix and call Cal-Tip. I have done so and been told that they were aware of the traps and it was part of an ongoing investigation. That was the fellow mentioned in another post who drown after getting caught in his pot warp and whose friends had denied for years he was a poacher.
2. Single “drowned trap” that has line but no buoy. Generally these have had their buoy cut off at the surface by boat traffic. Open it up and I suggest taking the door completely off and dropping it somewhere else.
3. Single “drowned trap” that has no line at all. These are likely put down (or found and “rigged”) by a diver who is visiting the trap to illegally “catch” lobster. I have seen a number of them in Paradise Cove over the years. Open them up and definitely the door completely off and dropping it somewhere else so they can’t be rebaited – used.

Have fun out there - the Admiral and I are off to Antarctica - no, we are NOT planning on diving