Winter Crabbing

Cabin fever is setting in and I want to get out in Netarts bay to do some winter crabbing. The issue I have is that the tides aren't is sync with decent crabbing. The morning high tides are before sunrise or later in the afternoon. Or is it worth tossing the pots out during the morning low tide and daylight hours? I haven't had very good luck crabbing during low tides. Times when the high tides are in the am there is usually a significant exchange that I am not interested in challenging. One idea I have is to crab an early low tide and hang out until the afternoon high tide, this allows the chance to get off the water if the afternoon winds kick up.

Any suggestions on how to approach this situation?   

Not specific to Netarts, but I've caught some crab around the tide cycle at Winchester Bay.  I do try to crab the incoming though.  I also watch river flows, high amounts of freshwater flow does seem to have some negative impact.

If working the incoming is important, just crab the afternoon tides.  Not sure the time of day is nearly as important.  We all rush out in the morning, but I've had lots of good fishing days working the opposite shift.  Species dependent of course, there are some more nocturnally ones

my experience has been that in the winter, after we have had significant rain events (like this year), it is important to crab the incoming to and through high slack, more important than other times of the year when lots of crab are in the bays.  I also try to crab as close to the ocean as possible and safe in the winter.

Cabin fever is setting in and I want to get out in Netarts bay to do some winter crabbing. The issue I have is that the tides aren't is sync with decent crabbing. The morning high tides are before sunrise or later in the afternoon. Or is it worth tossing the pots out during the morning low tide and daylight hours? I haven't had very good luck crabbing during low tides. Times when the high tides are in the am there is usually a significant exchange that I am not interested in challenging. One idea I have is to crab an early low tide and hang out until the afternoon high tide, this allows the chance to get off the water if the afternoon winds kick up.

Any suggestions on how to approach this situation?   

Netarts bay is my favorite for crabbing, and especially in the fall and winter months because it does not have a significant inflow of fresh water like most of the other bays in the area which makes it crab better even when significant rainfall events have occurred recently. I will say though my best crabbing in netarts has always been on the slack to incoming tides and the crabbing significantly slows down as the tide starts to go out. Netarts is even better for crabbing from a kayak because the crabbing "grounds" are so close to the launch that it makes for a super easy and sometimes quick trip. On several instances I have gone out just before slack tide and dropped pots, come back in and had lunch and gone back out to find I'd caught my limit in that one drop.  I would definitely plan around the slack to incoming tide though regardless.

Thaks for your advice!! I am considering a change in my approach. Now I just have to get out and do it and see what happens. It looks like there are some good tides coming up in the next couple of weeks. Will let you know how things turn out.

Thaks for your advice!! I am considering a change in my approach. Now I just have to get out and do it and see what happens. It looks like there are some good tides coming up in the next couple of weeks. Will let you know how things turn out.

I mostly crab Netarts during night time low tides in the winter, spotlighting at night from my kayak but do use pots during the day at times.  The trick I have found with Netarts is to find the "holes" where crab accumulate.  Most successful people have their spots that they return to and then carpet bomb the area with pots.  The sand does move around in the bay so you have to allow for some movement of those spots.  Additionally, as others have said, Netarts is quite shallow, particularly at low tide.  Crabs are more wary at low tide, because the water is very clear and predation is a concern.  Better crabbing at high tide or when the low is moderate.  If you have a GPS,  map where the trenches are by paddling out during a minus tide and establish a track where the deep parts are.  Return at the incoming high tide and drop your pots in these trenches.  Success will be much better and more predictable.

Needless to say,  it gets very busy at Netarts on weekends and holidays.  Crab on weekdays if you can or just be prepared for a couple of dozen boats zooming around.  People do not seem to follow the 3 pots per person rule.

 I have been there on the busy days and it is a zoo!!  I appreciate the suggestions! Will let you know how it turns out after the trip.