How to Catch Dungeness Crabs
If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you probably know firsthand how delectable those brownish-purplish bugs more commonly known as Dungeness crabs can be. If you want fresh Dungeness crab without a lot of work, it's best to live near neighbors that have crab pots and deliver them right to your door each day. Catching them isn't hard at all, so put on your wading boots, get your cooking pot out, and be sure to ring the dinner bell when you're ready to eat! Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Crab regulations from the Department of Fish & Wildlife
- State shellfish license
- Catch record card
Instructions
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Using Crab Pots
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1
Write your first and last name and address on a red and white marker buoy, legibly and permanently. Only one name and address may be on each buoy.
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2
Attach the red and white marker buoy to the crab pot. Buoys must be visible on the surface at all times.
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3
Weight the buoy line to keep it from floating to the surface.
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4
Bait the crab pot with herring, salmon head or carcass, rockfish carcass or clams.
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5
Set the crab pot in water 10 to 60 feet deep below the lowest tide line.
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6
Pull in the pot after several hours or leave overnight.
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7
Remove the crabs, throwing back the ones smaller than 6 1/4 inches across the back and any females.
Using Ring Nets
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8
Tie bait to the bottom of the ring net. Use salmon heads or carcasses, rockfish carcass or clams.
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Set the ring net in the water 10 to 60 feet deep.
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10
Pull up the ring net about every 15 to 30 minutes as these nets are tended to frequently since they don't actually enclose the crabs like the crab pots do.
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11
Keep only the male crabs over 6 1/4 inches across the back and throw back any that are smaller or females.
Using Short-handled Dip Nets While Wading
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12
Wade into shallow water at low tide with waders on. Using a net is most effective in eelgrass beds, where crabs tend to be found.
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13
Tow a small container or gunny sack to hold the crabs caught and to keep both hands free to use the net.
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14
Dip your net into the water to catch the crabs.
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15
Put only the largest male crabs ack into the container or gunny sack.
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Tips & Warnings
Pick up by the two back legs so the pincher claws don't get your fingers.
