Automatic baiter for fish traps

摘要

In fish traps of the type that are lowered into and left in the water, an improvement comprising automatic baiter apparatus for obtaining live bait fish in the trap after the trap is lowered into the water while inflicting an injury on the live bait fish. In a preferred embodiment for trapping crabs, the automatic baiter apparatus comprises a plurality of molded plastic flexible fingers secured to a rigid frame to form a converging passageway into the trap when the rigid frame is attached to a similar frame on the wall of the trap. A means for injuring the bait fish is provided by a cutting implement attached to one of the flexible fingers such that the cutting implement will penetrate the stomach of the bait fish as it passes through the converging passageway and is gripped by the flexible fingers as they are deflected and spread apart by the body of the bait fish. Optionally, a lure for attracting bait fish may be attached to one of the flexible fingers and a tunnel means may be employed for retaining the injured bait fish in a central region of the trap.