Fishermen like to catch a variety of edible crabs, which are excellent table fare. They use everything from simple hand lines that catch one crab at a time in recreational fishing to large commercial crap pots that catch hundreds of pounds of the creatures. With the right equipment, bait and a little time and patience, you'll enjoy catching crabs.
Species
Several different species of crab exist within the coastal waters of the United States. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Florida Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say these include blue crab and stone crab on the Atlantic Coast. The California Department of Fish and Game notes that fishermen frequently take Dungeness, rock, red, yellow and slender crabs along the Pacific Coast from California north. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that anglers also fish for tanner and king crab off that state's coast.
Methods
Both recreational and commercial fishermen use several different techniques to catch crabs. For recreational crab fishing, the simplest method is to tie a piece of bait to a string and toss it in the water. When crabs feed on the bait, the fisherman simply pulls in the line and captures the crab. Using trotlines, dip nets, cast nets, hoop traps and crab pots are among the other methods to catch crabs.
Bait
Crabs are scavengers, and will take just about any type of bait that is protein-based. Fisherman frequently use small bait fish or squid, or poultry parts, such as chicken necks or wings. It is important to use items that are tough, will last a long time and have a high level of scent attraction. Fishermen need to secure bait items well to prevent crabs from making off with them.
Location
The areas crabs inhabit differ from species to species. Fisherman commonly find blue crabs in grassy tidal flats, saltwater creeks, rivers and marshes, estuaries and other more shallow inshore areas. Stone crabs also inhabit shallow waters, preferring oyster reefs, rock jetties and other areas where they burrow in the sand. Pacific coast crabs inhabit deeper waters, often hundreds of feet down. Fishing for these crabs usually occurs in waters that average between 25 and 75 feet. They prefer rocky or sandy sea beds, often with eelgrass or other aquatic plants.
Regulations
Each state regulates crab fishing, and laws differ from state to state. Some states require a fishing license to catch crabs. Regulations may also control the methods fishermen can use, including limiting the allowable number of traps or pots that can be set. For example, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife requires unattended crab pots to have an buoy and owner identification information attached to the pots at all times. It is generally illegal to take "sponge" crabs, which are females bearing eggs. Seasons, crab size limits, catch limits and other rules also frequently govern crab fishing practices.
References
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Statewide Gear Rules-Crab, Shrimp and Crawfish
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Recreational Stone Crabbing
- California Department of Fish and Game: Dungeness Crab of California and Its Close Relatives
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game: Personal Use Shellfish Regulations
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Recreational Crab Regulations for Chesapeake Bay Tire Waters
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