How to Make a Cage to Catch Shellfish

Shellfish are a delicious addition to anyone's menu. Popular shellfish to catch in traps or cages include crayfish, lobster and crab. Luring the shellfish into the cages is simple and the fisherman will have a healthy catch in no time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Hand tools
• Wire
• Screening
• Rope
• Weights

1. Purchase a roll of wire screen used on windows. The screen must be made of metal and not synthetic mesh. Shellfish can tear through typical non-metal mesh screening.
2. Take a length of steel wire and form it into a triangle shape where each side is 12 inches long. Overlap the ends but don't twist them together. Make four of these triangle frames.
3. Place the mesh screening over the triangle frames and attach them using a long thin wire to interweave to the frame support.
4. Put one triangle flat on the ground and arrange the remaining three triangles against the center one facing outward.
5. Attach a two small wire loops at each adjoining corner to make a pair of hinges. The outer triangles pull up to a point and the center triangle will form the bottom of the shellfish cage.
6. Weight the outer tops of the side triangles so that they open up and lay flat on the bottom of the waterway. Simple lead weights wired to the frame will do well.
7. Create a drawstring using three cords tied to each triangle's top corner and form a slipknot. Tie this slipknot to a much longer rope. Pull on this rope to make sure the cage closes.

Tips & Warnings

• Build a larger shellfish cage to catch bigger creatures.
• Let the cage sit on the bottom for a few at least a few hours to attract the shellfish.