Originally published in 2014, this post was updated in September 2026 with refreshed underwater crab fishing videos, captions and presentation.
Underwater cameras give us a chance to see what actually happens around a crab trap after it disappears below the surface. A trap can look perfectly fine from the boat while the crabs below are feeding, entering, escaping or reaching bait from outside. I find crabs especially interesting to watch. Their movements can look almost robotic at times, but they can also be surprisingly fast, fluid and sneaky when they need to be.
What Underwater Crab Fishing Videos Can Teach Us
One of my favourite videos shows crabs blazing across the bottom toward the bait, leaving a plume of sediment behind them that reminds me of an episode of the Dukes of Hazzard. It is a good demonstration of how quickly crabs can move when they pick up the scent of food.
The videos also show how crafty crabs can be around bait. If they manage to tear off a piece, they may simply leave the trap and find somewhere else to eat it. Watching this happen gives you a better appreciation for both bait choice and bait placement. You can see how many crabs a bait attracts, how long they remain interested in it and how well the bait holds together while they feed.
I like to keep the bait low and centrally located on the bottom of the trap, where crabs have to enter the trap to reach it. If the bait is too close to the sides or the top, crabs may be able to feed through the mesh from outside without ever going through a door.
The footage also reinforces the importance of checking the trap doors before every set. Make sure they move freely and close properly. A door that seizes open can give crabs free entry and exit. Crabs can also come partway through a door and hold it open, giving crabs already inside an opportunity to escape. This seems especially likely when a trap is getting crowded and there is a traffic jam around the entrance.
Another interesting part of underwater footage is seeing everything else that visits a crab trap. Depending on where the camera is set, you may see sole and flounder, herring, rockfish, halibut, seals and even diving birds. There is often much more happening around the trap than we realize while waiting on the surface.
Here are a few of my favourite underwater crab fishing videos. For more fishing footage from around the B.C. coast, see FishinBC.COM BC Fishing Videos: Fishing Tips, Wildlife & the West Coast.
Crab Fishing Underwater Videos
Your Turn: What Have You Seen Around Your Crab Traps?
Underwater video can reveal a lot about what happens around a crab trap while we’re waiting on the surface. Have you ever put a camera on your crab gear, or noticed something in underwater footage that changed the way you bait or set your traps?
Share your underwater crab fishing observations, favourite videos, or lessons you’ve learned in the comments below.