Well I know you guys are a great bunch of good people so I will share what I learned in many years of crabbing. I buy my crab traps here.
http://www.cudjoesales.com/cart/index.php/traps-trapping-supplies/traps/crab-traps/full-monty-crab-trap.html
You will get five good traps for about $23 each with what it takes to rig them. Make your own bait cups out of heavy plastic food containers.
Paint your buoys with spray paint. Use a paint stick to paint what looks like (but is not) a "X" and then fragments of numbers. (putting a fictitious number on them is frowned upon) You want it to look like a commercial crabbers trap. Shove a net lead or two into the floating rope so it sinks straight down below the buoy. On the bottom of the buoy, carve an "R" into the float and paint it black. You don't want it to show. Now you have met the letter of the law. An experienced FWC officer won't likely fault you for this and I have made it known to several of them.
For bait nothing beats frozen pigs feet available at Wal-Mart for <$1/lb. fasten it just inside the opening in the top of the trap taking care to position it where they can't just pull it out. Stone crabs can't swim so have to walk where ever they go. Give them a couple of days to enter the trap.
Don't set your traps near a commercial crabber's line and stay away from channels, islands within easy wading distance and other real busy water routes.
I can catch more stoneys with one trap than most families can eat. It might be a good idea to share traps to lower the initial investment. One guy can fish two and the other 3 or whatever. Don't forget to respect the seasons and limits.
Best regards and good luck,
Frank_S
