Recreational crab fishing is a sport that many people enjoy, with the added bonus of being able to put fresh crab legs on the table for dinner. It is an inexpensive sport that Washingtonians are able to enjoy from the end of June until the beginning of January every year. Every person over the age of 15 must carry a valid Washington fishing and shellfish license as well as a crab harvest reporting form while fishing. You must also carry a crab fishing endorsement if fishing in the Puget Sound.
Types
Dungeness crabs are the most common type of crab to fish for in Washington, though Red Rock crabs are also harvested throughout the state. Dungeness are larger, meatier crabs, making them ideal for the dinner table. They have purple, gray or black shell backs with white claw tips. Red Rock crabs are smaller but still have tasty meat. These crabs are reddish in color with black tips on their large claws. Other species, such as the Box crab and Shore crabs are present in Washington waters but are not harvested.
Size
A legal Dungeness crab must be at least 6 inches in length along the back of his shell in most areas of Washington. Five inches is legal in a few areas, where other areas require 6.25 inches. Make sure you know what legal size is in the area of Washington where you wish to crab fish. A Red Rock crab, as a smaller species, is legal at 5 inches in most places.
Limit
Five male Dungeness crabs may be caught per person per day in Washington State. Some areas allow six crabs. Red Rock crab limit is 6 crabs of either sex. Female Dungeness crabs are illegal to keep, as are soft-shelled crabs.
Materials and Technique
You may use a crab pot or crab net to catch any variety of legal crab in Washington. The pot or net must be covered in water at all times while fishing until it is pulled up. Attach the bait, which is usually raw chicken, to the bait hook on the pot or net. Drop it into the water and pull up at regular intervals to check the bait and inspect the crab. All undersized, female or soft-shelled Dungeness crab need to be gently thrown back. A crab measuring device is very helpful and inexpensive, though you could use a ruler or measure tape.
Considerations
Handle crabs, especially females, with much care. They are frequently breeding, and it is imperative that females continue the propagation of crab to ensure a consistently good population. After dark is a good time to go crab fishing from docks. The dock is less crowded, crab nets get less tangled and the harvest is good at that time. It is frequently cool and damp. Wear appropriate clothing to ensure a comfortable, productive night. Keep all legal crab in a bucket or cooler full of the ocean water and boil the crab fresh to avoid illness.
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