Traps or "pots" are baited cages used to attract the catch and hold it alive until the fisherman returns. Often used for lobster, crabs and shrimp, traps are also occasionally used to catch bottom-dwelling fish, such as sablefish or West Coast rockfish.

Traps are made of wire or wood. They have an entrance, a "kitchen" chamber where the bait rests, and a "parlor" section where undersized animals can escape through vents. Trap fishermen usually lay out many traps attached in a line. After three or four days, they haul their pots aboard, releasing any animals that are too small, too large or not the right species.