Crab fishing reopens

Anyone up for some fresh crab legs? 

fm Sea Times:

The sport crab season reopens Sunday in parts of Puget Sound, and the opportunities should be good heading into the New Year.

Central Puget Sound (Area 10) and most of northern Puget Sound (9) will be open daily at sunrise this Sunday through Jan. 2. A portion of Area 9 south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point will remain closed.

Crab fishing is also open daily now through Jan. 2 at Neah Bay (4), Sekiu (5) and southern Puget Sound (13).

Drool,

Say.... yeah, crabbing might be just the thing this time of year.  With the run of pinks earlier this fall, they ought to be pretty thick near any of the river delta areas what with the shear biomass of humpy carcasses to feed on.  Those humpy bodies should be pretty decimated by about now and so they ought to be still in the area, but ready for their next handout.

Where do you operate out of?  Myself, I'm just itching to give it a go in the Port Susan area (fed by the Stilliguamish) about a mile off of Kayak Point.  My theory right now would be to fish for some flounders while crab pots are soaking.

Fishin-T


P.S.
Doah!!  Area 8-2 (Port Susan) is right out.  Only areas 10 and some of 9.  Oh well, if you've got a spot that you like then give me a post or a P.M. and I'd probably be interested.

Area 13 is open down here in the South Sound. Anyone want to set some pots and fish while they soak. I'm new to the area and would love someone to show me around.
Dan

Fishin-T, OMR - It would be great to hit anything with ~2 hr. drive. I guess I mostly have central and south in mind but pretty much anything goes.  Am a newbie here.  May need someone with yak exp. with crabbing, but would love to get out.

 

Kayak Point is a great location.  Lots of crab in those waters.  Back in August we were catching keeper crab on herring rigs just laying on the bottom.  If you pulled them up carefully and grabbed them underwater you could boat them before they let go. 

Would someone take a beginner for crabing on Sunday, and show around?
Thanks
Frank

Drool, 525rider,

I've checked the weather forecast for Sunday and all looks pretty good to me.  Also, I have no problem taking out someone who's a begginer to crabbing, kayak angling, kayaking, or all the above.  That's typically what I do more often than not.

I have enough gear to drop either two pots or one pot and one ring.  If either or both of you guys want to join in, I'm not that excited for crab meat and I'll evenly split whatever we catch.  If one of you has any gear, then we'll certainly work something out.  Here's a really excellent link for some crabbing clues:  
http://www.johnssportinggoods.com/2009%20July.pdf

If either of you want to use my one extra unit of crab pot or ring, you are more than welcome to it for the day.  But you would need all the gear that goes with it to operate one unit of gear.  That means:  Bait, bait box, weights, red and white marker bouy, and as much as maybe 150' of rope.  If the rope isn't leaded line, then you'll need to have some means to sink the top 50' or so of line (see the crab gear regs).  Speaking of gear, in the link above you might notice that John (of Johns sporting goods) says that he can set you up with one unit of gear for just under $40!!  That includes a pot and not a mere ring, and 100' of leaded line.  Sounds like a helluva deal to me.

If you guys (or anyone else I suppose) are interested then give me a reply and we'll coordinate a time and place.  I've heard that roughly one hour before and after high tide is the best.  High tide on Sunday at Marysville is approx. 4:15am and then again at approx. 3:07pm.  Shooting from the hip, I'd vote to launch from Picnic Pt. (just north of Edmunds ferry dock but south of shipwreck point) at approx. 10am to high noon, crab within 1/2 mile of the launch site and beach our boats no later than 5:00pm.  Sunset is about 4:50pm.

Fishin-T

Fishin-T -

Thank you very much for your offer! I'm about 50% sure of heading up there for your 10AM start. I guess Edmonds area is in MA-10?  Would you be trying for flounder as well?

I have a danielson crab pot, rope and buoy, although the rigging could use an experienced eye to get it just right.  What would be the depth you work out of?

Zee has a kayak crabbing basics video on the forum front page.  Zee was a huge help in getting my crabbing process down.

Here is a tip for those with scuppers in the live well like the T13.  I don't remember if I thought of this myself or if I stole it - probably stole it.  Build a PVC 'H' with legs that will fit into the scuppers.  The uprights should stick up above the level of the deck enough to allow crab traps with mesh wide enough to be dropped over the PVC uppers.  No need to lash your traps down.  If you use collapsible traps you can easily carry one collapsed and one erect.  For collapsible traps the plastic mesh bait bags are great.

I did an article on kayak crabbing in NW sportsman mag that mentioned the crab trap rack. But it all comes from the master kayak crabber ChuckE. Here's his article on it. http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?page=18
He's down in Cali so there's one difference about the pot buoy. We need to use the real full size red and white ones and no substitutes like the pool noodle.

Z

Thanks for the links, advice all of you.

I guess Edmonds area is in MA-10?  Would you be trying for flounder as well?

I have a danielson crab pot, rope and buoy, although the rigging could use an experienced eye to get it just right.  What would be the depth you work out of?

Drool,

Picnic Pt is at the end of Picnic Point Rd in Mukilteo:  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
That puts it in area #9.  Yep, I plan to dink for flounders while soaking pots.  Depth?  There's a lot of talk around that guys are doing better deeper and deeper these last few years, but I plan on crabbing no deeper than 100'.  Probably more like 30-75'.

If you can make it out, then for sure bring your danielson.  I think that's what most of the kayakers who crab are using.  I'd suggest a piece of thick cloth or a carpet scrap to protect your hull from roap burns.  And gloves too, also for rope burn protection.  Neoprene are my favorite for wet handed rope work.  Be sure your pot is weighted enough (3, 4, 5lb?) so it doesn't get swept away.

Fishin-T

Appreciate the advice T.  I plan to be there in the morning about 10.  Just PM'd you.

Fishing-T, Drool
I think I have everything for crabbing, except weights for pots.
For bait I got chicken drum sticks and someone told me that cat food in cans is good, so I have one of those. Since this is my first kayaking, I'll be there little earlier practicing.

I have a danielson crab pot, rope and buoy, although the rigging could use an experienced eye to get it just right.  What would be the depth you work out of?

Is this the one you have?

http://chetcomarine.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2148

Chuck