40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Getting ready for Dungeness crab season, started thinking about the crab bait canisters and a better way to broadcast the bait scent than stuffing it with whole anchovies. Started looking at bait grinders and they can be very expensive so I came up with this, Lol! It works, but I have to improve the feed somewhat. It doesn’t like the larger sized herrings or mackerels, anchovies don’t jamb it up as much. They’re all frozen (it’s an ice cube crusher, so why not?), after slicing and dicing, I bag it up into individual canister sizes and back into the freezer. What else you gonna do while retired?

Unused ice cube crusher from garage freezer, it’s mounted to a board and sitting on a cooler


Increased the wall height of the “bin” and sloped it into the feed screw


Using an old screw gun as the motor/power drive


Had to fabricate a drive mandrel


Depending on how I have the crushed vs. cube arm set, I can get fine or medium chop, this is finely chopped


Quick video in action, still a few bugs to work out………
Attached file:
(Download)

Also modified the pot puller, Increased height by 2’, added a guy wire for additional support and safety. Was too low for my old back!

Jarheadfishnfool Loc: Woodlake/Tulare ,Ca.

Great idea Denny ! Looking good !🤙 Hope you're doing well my Friend 🤙🤙

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Thanks Bobby! All good and ready for crab season! Hope you are well and going to get out for crab!

Jarheadfishnfool Loc: Woodlake/Tulare ,Ca.

Yes Sir ,I do ! Great idea also to raise your Potpuller , I still have the Scotty Potpuller and have to swing the Pot over ,,😰🤙😁

anmlcrkrs1 Loc: Sebastopol, Ca

Necessity is the mother of invention! Great innovation. Is that an ace line hauler pot puller and what did you use to extend it’s height? I’m looking at the ace line hauler pacific pro vs a Lester’s puller but I’m having a hard time justifying twice the price for the Lester’s. Need to get something for my new boat before crab season.

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Nice 😊

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Thanks anmlcrkrs! It is the Ace Brutus, came with the boat. I used 2 1/2”x2 1/2”x1/4” thick square tubing and bolted 2 pcs together to get the inside dimension of the Ace mounting bracket. Then cut the sides (and middle seam) at the bottom of the 2 pcs of bolted sq tubing, then mounted side plates so my extension slid over the top of the boat mounting plate. I have some concern that the added height will increase the force on the mount when pulling a full pot, but thats why I added a supporting guy wire that goes from the arm joint down to a Scotty rod mount thats on the side of the gunnel just aft of the puller. We’ll see how it does in a few weeks, I hope…….

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Thanks Bobby, Im hoping the extension will allow me to raise the pot and just swing it to the gunnel, save my back from having to pull it UP and over the gunnel.

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Thanks NJ!

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Some serious American Ingenuity there 40. Nice going and thanks for posting the pics.

Jarheadfishnfool Loc: Woodlake/Tulare ,Ca.

Good Morning anmicrkrs 1. There's a guy outside of Seattle that makes his Potpullers, Schedule40 & Schedule 80 Aluminum , motors , deck or gunwale mounts ,a lot cheaper than Lester's, I'll look for his info and send you a PM ,maybe you'll like them 👍🤙

Stabicraft2250 Loc: Stockton CA

Great ideas. I am going to look at raising my crab pot puller.

Got fish Loc: Petaluma

Hell of an idea for the grinder and the puller! Opening day is right around the corner. Are you running out of the gate or elsewhere?

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Thanks Plumbob, appreciate it!

40GRIT Loc: San Ramon, CA

Thanks GF! Yes, out the gate and up the coast a bit.