Abstract: A crab trap that opens automatically when dropped in the water and closes immediately when pulled out of the water, said crab trap designed to provide a top chamber of screened enclosure and having a buoyant layer of styrofoam in the upper chamber to lift said upper portion when in the water. A handle that extends through said upper portion of said trap to a screened bottom panel and slidably affixed to the upper portion of the crab trap. A tie rope for dropping said crab trap into the water and two ends of said tie rope extending through the top center of said crab trap, and layer of styrofoam, and each end extending down through said bottom panel around the screening and back up to be tied on opposite sides of said trap, so that a pull upward of the tie rope will first pull said bottom panel closed against said top portion and then lift said crab trap out of the water.