COMMERCIAL CRAB & LOBSTER POTTING - Giant Crabs ,Lobster & Octopus! Rough Seas 

Thank you for taking me back in time 43 years. My cousin had a 49 foot concrete boat in Northern California. He got it from his dad when he died. I spent may a week and weekend pulling pots just 3 of us working. His boat was specially made so that there was a 5x5x5x5 square foot hole in the bottom and there was a basket that fit the hole and all we had to do was open the pot and throw the crabs into the hole and they basket would keep them in fresh sea water. The law in California was that the crabs HAD to be alive when you get to shore or they could reject your whole load. To give you an idea of how long 43 years were we were paid a flat fee of $1 (one dollar US) per crab flat. But you could go to the store and they would get you $7 to $10 a POUND we never got rich - but we never got rich but we never starved either. The other fun part was that when it was not crab season we could get salmon and that was where we made the money. Not netting but long lining. Now that was a job because once you got on the fish you could be up a couple days at a time 24/7 you just pulled the lines and then reset them and went on to the next line. And like I said once you were on the fish (and Carl was always on the fish - we used to say he had the smell of fish) the money came. Problem was that in the United States it was against the law to keep anything under 18 inches. But by the time you pulled them up they "shakers" would be dead anyway so during salmon season we always had fresh salmon because we could not sell them but you could take the shakers home for personal use. My aunt (Carl's mom) would clean and smoke them then make salmon dip and you have not lived until you take and slice some home made bread, spread it with salmon "dip" a piece of cheddar cheese and grilled it. That was the life. I miss it now but at 69 I don't think I could keep up the pace now. One final note the rough seas you were in were a regular thing in Humboldt Bay where we came out of all you could do was put her balls to the wall and head right into them sometimes it would seem line you were never going to settle back into the water as we cut through the waves. Again Thank you for the memories and as I recall yesterday was your birthday hope you had a good one

This is the best video i have ever seen on this channel. Was awesome to see how a well oiled machine for a crew this is. They never miss a thing ,always working together to get the job done. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Fantastic video. I hope after all that, that the boys gave you a few crabs and lobsters. Thank you Jay for filming how it’s done. Liz 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

love how gentle these guys on handling the crabs and lobsters are.they are so industrious.

Loving the "specials", Jay! Keep up the excellent work! Oh, and I found the secret of stopping sea sickness was, bizarrely, eating something. I know it is the last thing you want to do, but it does seem to help! A good breakfast before going out, and a supply of sarnies for the trip.

Fearless, intelligent, strong, hardworking...you captured my attention with this video. These men and their teamwork are so impressive! New subscriber here, thank you so much for capturing these incredible seamen in their element! Thank you too for sticking it out and fighting the seasickness.

Stunning video! Thanks so much for bringing us along! Such an interesting process, even the details on the by-catch.

That was most awesome. Great job smash. And to the the hard working crabbers, job well done

Love these video's of you heading out on the commercial boats. Keep it up

Nice video man, enjoyed very much, thanks for hanging in there with the sea sickness and the rough waves.. good show

The teamwork of these guys is epic…. Seems like they are enjoying it too.

Loved it, these boat trips ones are really great.

Top clip Jay, hideous weather and a good crew, keep em coming!

Proper interesting that was. Legend for putting yourself through that to get the film. I was nearly blowing chunks just watching those waves.

Great video Smash :) Sustainable and responsible. Proper fishing. We as a culture are so disconnected from where our food comes from, and people think fish fingers grow on trees. All that time, effort, bait and diesel for a relatively small catch, and that's before it's boxed up, transported, retailed and all the other people who are part of the supply chain need paying. Shows why seafood isn't cheap.

Hell Yea, I love when you do these! Great Content Jay!

WOW What a video ! What a team of hardworking crabby gentlemen !!! Good on ya for putting together a fantastic video while being so sea sick. I got a little wozzey just from watching some of those massive waves ! Quite scary when the pots got stuck and suddenly all of the men disappeared out of view, a sure sign of just how dangerous it is every time they go out !

OMG what an amazing vlog dude I was hooked from start to finish, the effort these guys go through to earn the keep to put food on tables of peeps here and other countries, bloody well done my friend loved this vlog, and the cool creatures they showed you 11🙌/10 from me matey and to your new crabby friends, bloody loved it. !!!!!

Lol well done for sticking it out Jay..Sea sickness is awful.. great content & seeing how it’s done on a large fishing vessel.. xx

Fascinating! Well done powering through the sea sickness 😄

These guys are on it. Thanks for the great content smash and thanks to the crew for allowing this to happen 👍

Amazing video Jay, respect to you and the guys on the boat. That's one tough job and fantastic to watch

Keep doing it Smash and you won't be sick again! Keep doing it cos we love it!

Brilliant, even though I felt a bit queasy watching it,how far from Gsy are the strings of pots, wandering as couldn't see any land when they were hauling them up.

What a crazy ride! So much intense suspension with the tension on those ropes! Them are some strong lads!

Great video smash, good to see sustsinable crab fishing by the pro's.

Great team work appreciated the commentary

Hahaha I love the start of the video with you wretching. As someone who gets fearsomely seasick that was funny

Hard working guys bringing in seafood for the people. Alot of respect to fishermen

Incredible Teamwork from the crew there!

Great video smash, been on this vessel myself when she was under refit about a year ago, great to see some footage of her at sea.

Gotta respect those boys , team work , precision proper hard graft , eyes on the prize 👏👍

Smash the days out on the commercials is great pal. Gives you a good insight into the crab game. Cheers pal. Your smash the RU-vid smash. 😂

I love how they all do there job and are happy doing it.

Great to see how it all works!! Those pots come out of the water at break neck speeds! These guys all so synchronised it is crazy. How often do they go out?

i have such a big fear of boats and the ocean but these types of vids make me feel so much better about them, they def are helping get rid of my fears. much love and appreciation 💖💖💖💖

Now this is graft ladies and gentlemen. As he says the video doesn't do the waves and the movement of the boat justice. I know one thing for sure, I'd be chucking my guts up😂

Really educational never missed a sec of video I felt sick just watching 😂😂

Great adventure! Thank you mate.

that was class brought back good memorys done that for ten years loved it good man for sticking it out lol

Thanks for another brilliant video. Those guys certainly get a work-out.

Now that was a great change, and really cool 😄 More please smash

Excellent video mate!

Loved watching this.😊

All I can say is WOW!!What an experience for u.Love it👍

You are so right these fisherman risk their lives everyday to supply the world with delicious seafood for us to enjoy. Thank You

Wow lots a nice crabs awesome video thanks for taking us along

Nice Reminds me of my days pot fishing out of Ocean City Maryland.

A truly great video, they certainly worked their socks off on the boat as a well oil team. At least you added to the crab bait being seasick 🙂. No sponge crabs for years watching RU-vid videos and within 2 days 3 channels are showing sponge crabs (Trojy and fishlocker also). keep up the varying and interesting subject matter.

Great video mate

Absolutely fascinating to watch! 1000 pots and the speed they were coming up… wow. Looked rough and at the end you showed how dangerous it could be… with tension on ropes etc. great stuff fella 👍👍💪💪👊👊

i love this sort of thing, iv been watching deadlicatch for last 18 years, top program

I used to watch deadliest catch Alaska, but this is hands down the best fishing video and authentic. Great crew too.. next time show us the captain ahoy savvy?

Very Excellent camera angles! Love the action! Thanks

I love how the workers are just doing their job without complaining, shouting or mucking around. Legends.

Brilliant video thank you

Somehow I've been really fascinated by these fishing boats and their catches and what actually goes on .. Been surfing the net all over for one, and out comes this simply "Smashing" gem.. Great video with excellent edits ... Thanks so much for this.. You have a fan and a subscriber from Shillong, India..

Great video! Those guys work hard, and way to stick it out J ! Got motion sick just watching!

Amazing Vlog Jay. They seem a great bunch a lads, That choppy sea though, Not for me been there done that. Swore id never go again. Brings it back to me some people not built for that sea life.

Brilliant video thanks for taken us along 👍👍👍👍👍

You are onto a winner with these types of video-very interesting, thanks for going through the mill for content.

Really interesting video, seeing the process and work involved, thanks for sharing, (and suffering 🤢) for us Jay!

Can remember in the 80s picking up a new crew member in the Isle of Man he asked us if it was always this rough we all just looked at him as we was still tied to the jetty getting stores fuel and water aboard

Wow. Nice detour from the usual vids. Good job Jay😁

Reminds me going out with my Dad lobster potting off the coast of Arbroath, but on a way smaller boat.

Great video Smash good of you to chum/groundbait the area up😉

Brilliant video smash...

God don't they work hard, best video I've seen Smash, never seen a sponge crab before but ironically I've seen 3 different videos in 3 consecutive days and they have all caught them even in Cornwall 😎

Watching these warriors of the sea with their well rehearsed drill is poetry in motion. I take my hat off to you gentleman and I hope people understand how much effort it takes in all weathers to fill your plates at home . 👏🦀🦞👌

Great stuff jay,, I’ve been watching deadliest catch on the Alaskan crab boats in Bering sea for years,, them guys are animals it’s brutal but well paid job 🥶

Great video Smash. Top men on the boat 👍

Thanks for sharing your vids with us!

Great video!

Oof that's real work! Well done to the lads! Thanks for the video

Brilliant video thanks for sharing

I'be been there and done that (including the seasick part)! Hats off to you and all the crew.

You deserve a like for this 1 camera never does justice with big waves on a big fishing boat great video Jay stuck it out for all to see good on u bro back to a forage and land lol

Wow great session on the crabs surprise no congers jay

Great video. Wish you had got some of those crabs to cook. That would have been great. Have you cooked any that big on the channel yet?

That guy emptying the pots was the grafter in this vid other lads had it easy compared. Absolutely brilliant video smash I loved it try do more on other people's boats .

Hell of a job smash

nice one smash full belt grafting that . The sponge bob crabs are nuts bud so rare

AWESOME trip!

Great video as always. You would never have guessed you'd been ill. You look as well as always. Shame you didn't get to take the octopus home. Would love to see I cook up with one of those sometime.🤞

Well done lads

that's so cool Jay thanks for sharing✌️Napa California

Smash and Fishlocker getting a sponge crab at the same time (ish) surely a portent of a collab? :P

I enjoyed that cheers

Awesome video! Your channel seems really cool! Just subbed too👍

Fair play mate. That trip looked rough man

WOW! We catch those same sponge crabs here in Key West Fl.

Wow longline crab I haven't seen that in years it's been outlawed in Oregon so it's done now by picking 1 pot at a time awesome video

Belter vid Jay, cheers mate 👍

Hello sunshine. Thanks for taking me out on an amazing adventure. It'll be a while before I get my Land legs back. Catch you on the next one

Id be exactly the same mate sick from the start lol Awsome to see the guys at work tho fair play thats some graft

Awesome my friend, thank you!

Good one!

Proper grafters.. fair play for sticking it out when you were so sick.. most people just want to lay on the deck and die when they feel like that. Some absolute beast of crabs, fascinating to see.

Wow, that was impressive! Thanks

Oo Smash what an incredible exciting video! Also the thumbnail looks really catching too 👌 well done and hope you guys are well.