Crabbing is one of my all time favorite things to do when I’m at or near the beach. And I’ve used all kinds of crab traps and crab pots over the years. Some work. Some don’t. In this article I’m going to share with you what I’ve found to be the best stackable crab traps. These will work for blue crabs, dungeness and more.
There’s nothing more convenient or satisfying than loading up your boat or even the back of your pickup with your collection of stackable crab traps. What makes it so convenient is that they can stack high and stay out of your way. Because we all know that space is a premium, so having stackable crab traps makes the crabbing trip significantly better.
When I first started learning how to crab when i was a kid, I remember having a hodge podge collection of crab traps. We’d usually set out with about a dozen or so crab traps, crab pots and crab rings. But getting them all into the boat along with all of us who wanted to be on the boat was a chore.
Over the years we started using stackable crab traps almost exclusively. Not only did they work better at catching crab than the crab rings, but they were stackable! We could stack them up nice and neatly in the front of the boat and the rest of us could easily fit into the middle and back of the boat.
So what are the best stackable crab traps? Keep reading to find out.
Additional Reading:
1. The Ultimate Guide To Learning How To Catch Crab
2. The Best Crab Traps For Dungeness (Top Reviews)
3. How Many Crabs Are in A Bushel?
The Best Stackable Crab Traps (Reviews)
1. Danielson Pacific FTC Crab Trap
The Danielson Pacific crab trap is one of the most popular traps in the Pacific Northwest, where I do much of my crabbing, and is also my favorite. This makes it one of the best crab traps for dungeness crab.
When you think stackable crab traps, the Danielson Pacific FTC Crab Trap is probably the most popular crab trap that comes to people’s mind. Their crab trap’s not only stackable, but it’s collapsible as well. This makes it ideal for transport and storage when not in use.
Constructed out of vinyl coated steel wire, this trap will last a very long time if cared for properly. The Danielson crab trap is not small either. At 24” x 24” wide and 13” tall, there’s enough room inside of it to hold plenty of monster crab before you have to pull it up and empty it.
This trap has 4 sides to it and on each side is a one way door that crab can enter but not escape through. In addition to the entrance doors, there are also 2 small round escape rings that smaller crab are able to exit through.
Ever wonder what happens if you lose a trap. Are the crabs left inside to perish? Not with the Danielson trap. This one has a fall away rot cord system that actually disables the trap in the event that you’re unable to retrieve it.
2. Rob Smith Blue Crab Trap
crabbing along the East Coast is significantly different than crabbing for dungeness and red rock along the Pacific shoreline. The traps we use for dungeness are made out of mesh that are just too wide for blue crab. That’s why it’s important to use a trap that’s designed specifically for blue crab.
And if it’s a stackable blue crab trap you’re looking for, then the Rob Smith Blue Crab Trap is the best choice. This is a great little crab trap.
The Rob Smith crab trap is constructed out of heavy duty commercial grade materials, which means it’s going to last a very long time, as long as you take proper care of it. Salt water can wear out even the most durable of materials. So be sure to thoroughly rinse off the trap when done for the day.
Made in the USA, this stackable blue crab trap is 24” x 12” x 12” in size which makes it stack like bricks and weighs approximately 5 pounds, so it won’t be like pulling up a concrete block from the ocean floor.
The Rob Smith trap comes with a bait container that allows the crab to get to it without eating it. It comes with approximately 18 feet of rope and a small float.
3. 
FJ Neil 225-CT Snap Trap Crab Trap
The FJ Neil 225-CT Crab Trap is the best compact stackable crab trap. This small compact crab trap is only 10” x 17” x 10” in size. This makes it the perfect choice for people crabbing from kayaks or other small boats.
When not in use, this trap collapses nice and flat, which makes it great for easy storage and transport.
The trap has two doors which lie flat on the surface when the trap is sitting on the ocean floor. The bait is secured in the middle of the trap. Once the crabs enter the trap, they are free to come and go, much like a crab ring, until you begin to pull up on the trap with the rope. When you pull up on the rope, the two doors swing up and trap the crabs inside.
The FJ Neil trap comes completely assembled and ready to go. Again, this is a very small crab trap. So if you’re wanting to stack a lot of crab traps in a boat, this is a great option.
4. Promar Stainless Steel Mesh Crab Pot
The Promar Stainless Steel Mesh Crab Pot is the only round crab pot listed here in this post about stackable crab traps. But just because it’s round, doesn’t mean that it’s not stackable. If you’ve ever spent time out on the bay and watched the commercial crab boats come in, then you’ll have seen how well these round crab traps can stack on top of each other.
The Promar Steel Mesh crab trap is the cadillac of crab traps. If you’re serious about crabbing and don’t want to mess around, then this is the crab pot for you. This trap is so incredibly durable, our grandkids will be using it well after we’re gone.
This crap trap is made out of solid rebar which is wrapped in rubber, which makes for easy handling when dry and wet. The round rebar frame is wrapped with stainless steel wire mesh, which is built to last for those long soaks in the salt.
The Promar commercial style crab trap has two gated entrance tunnels to help those monster crabs find their way in, while not ever finding their way out. There are also two smaller round escape doors that the smaller juvenile crab can escape through. It also comes equipped with the rot cord which allows trapped crabs to escape in the event the crab pot becomes unretrievable.
On top of the trap is a steel hinged tending door which gives you easy access to the crab trapped inside, and also to the bait container.
This is a very heavy duty stackable crab trap that weighs in at nearly 20 lbs. While it’s not for the feeble crabber, it’s weight will prevent it from being easily moved by ocean currents. The trap has a 30” diameter and is 10” high.
Final Thoughts
Have you found the right stackable crab trap? I hope you’ve found that one of these traps I mentioned here work for you. Don’t underestimate the convenience of being able to stack crab traps nice and neatly. Not only is this perfect for on the boat and in the back of the truck, but also for storage.
And always remember, that no matter which crab trap you choose, if you take good care of it, it will last you for a very long time. The corrosive power of salt water is powerful, so always thoroughly rinse off your crabbing gear.
How do you plan to use your stackable crab trap? Have a great crabbing tip? Leave a comment below and share it with the rest of us. I’m always open to new hearing new crabbing tips!
