I never tried it, but while in Palau a few years ago one of the local
diver/shell collectors told me that she had gotten golden cowries in traps
baited with papaya inside the barrier reef.  And she did have quite a few
in her possession.
 
Kurt
 
 
At 05:21 AM 9/9/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Kim,
>
>How were these tin can traps set up: were they simply baited cans with one
>end (top) removed, attached at several points on the same end with fishing
>line?  What is the minimum and the ideal amount of time for such traps to
>sit on the bottom?  Other details?
>
>Regards,
>
>Scott Jordan
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Kim C. Hutsell <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 10:28 PM
>Subject: Re: Shell Trapping
>
>
>>Paul...
>>
>>While in Okinawa, I knew several people who were dropping traps for cones
>>and for bait they were using (of all things) lettuce!
>>
>>The late Bill Naylor of San Diego set traps off Cabo San Lucus a few
>>times.  His traps consisted of tin cans tied off with fishing line. I
>>don't know what bait he used (probably clams), but he caught hundreds of
>>Trophon beebei.  Anyone who purchased T. beebei from me at the 1989 COA
>>bourse got specimens from Bill's catch.
>>
>>Kim Hutsell
>>Field Research, Marine Malacology
>>San Diego
>>
>>Paul R. Monfils wrote:
>>>
>>> The only shells you are likely to get by trapping methods are those
>gastropod
>>> species which are scavengers, that is, which commonly feed on dead flesh.
>>> Conus and Oliva are not likely - they feed primarily on live prey.
>Strombus
>>> would be even less likely - they are vegetarians.  Some Murex species can
>>> definitely be trapped though, as can members of the families Buccinidae,
>>> Melongenidae, Nassariidae, Fasciolariidae, and sometimes Naticidae.  Of
>>> course, hermit crabs will be attracted to bait, so you may get other
>kinds of
>>> shells that way.
>>> Paul M.
>