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Author Topic: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀  (Read 5908 times)

Offline Fishstiq

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2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« on: October 07, 2017, 01:22:10 PM »
Winter crabbing opened today, anyone else get out and pull any pots?  I had some time this morning, enough for a couple hours soak anyhow.  Got one monster, but not much else out of 4 pots.  After the summer crab season we had, I am really hoping for a more productive winter season.  If today's short trip was any indication though, winter season might not be worth the fuel and launch fees.
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline h20hunter

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2017, 01:33:01 PM »
Have really never put effort in. I think longer overnight soaks would help.

Offline Shrimper

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2017, 02:05:46 PM »
The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.
"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ’Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it."

Offline fishngamereaper

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2017, 03:22:53 PM »
Wait till December. Colder weather better crabbing.

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2017, 05:39:31 PM »
The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

 :yike:
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2017, 08:31:53 PM »
The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

Huh?  Shrimper, I think you might be a little confused....

The tribes pulled their pots on the 6th, yesterday, but the non-tribal commercial season is Oct. 1 to when the quota is filled.

Fishstiq, there are crab around, just have to find them.  One of my neighbor families got 27 keepers on the 28th or 29th.

Offline sneakyjake

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2017, 09:06:54 PM »
Do you have links to the commercial and tribal seasons?

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2017, 09:19:57 PM »
I need to work on my bait too.  The stuff I'm using is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2017, 09:54:59 PM »
Do you have links to the commercial and tribal seasons?

 I called my neighbor who is a commercial crabber, is that good enough?

Offline Knocker of rocks

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2017, 08:20:05 AM »

Offline Shrimper

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2017, 07:44:17 AM »
The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

Huh?  Shrimper, I think you might be a little confused....

The tribes pulled their pots on the 6th, yesterday, but the non-tribal commercial season is Oct. 1 to when the quota is filled.

Fishstiq, there are crab around, just have to find them.  One of my neighbor families got 27 keepers on the 28th or 29th.

Wow, how did I screw that up...

I meant to say the State commercial fleet STARTED their season on October 1st and the season will get better when they are finished.  Apologize for the confusion. :DOH:

I was assuming you were fishing MA 8-2 or 2 East on the commercial maps. 

Fishstiq - If you have the ability and willingness crabbing deeper usually produces better in times of high pressure.  I was crabbing in 230-260 feet this summer and doing really well.  Of course you need heavy pots and a puller to make it more enjoyable.  Good luck out there...
« Last Edit: October 09, 2017, 07:50:29 AM by Shrimper »
"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ’Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it."

Offline luvmystang67

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2017, 08:51:15 AM »
Got a 2 person limit in Friday Harbor on an overnight soak over the weekend  :tup: :tup:

We use hearts and livers as bait.  This time it was lamb hearts and livers.  Works well.

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2017, 10:04:27 AM »
The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

Huh?  Shrimper, I think you might be a little confused....

The tribes pulled their pots on the 6th, yesterday, but the non-tribal commercial season is Oct. 1 to when the quota is filled.

Fishstiq, there are crab around, just have to find them.  One of my neighbor families got 27 keepers on the 28th or 29th.

Wow, how did I screw that up...

I meant to say the State commercial fleet STARTED their season on October 1st and the season will get better when they are finished.  Apologize for the confusion. :DOH:

I was assuming you were fishing MA 8-2 or 2 East on the commercial maps. 

Fishstiq - If you have the ability and willingness crabbing deeper usually produces better in times of high pressure.  I was crabbing in 230-260 feet this summer and doing really well.  Of course you need heavy pots and a puller to make it more enjoyable.  Good luck out there...

That's some deep crab, wow.  Last year, the commercials took a hiatus mid-winter sport season, so they were crabbing long after we were done, at least around the islands.  I find that late November into December I have to sort through a lot of softshell crabs to get a few keepers.

Offline luvmystang67

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2017, 10:38:08 AM »
The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

Huh?  Shrimper, I think you might be a little confused....

The tribes pulled their pots on the 6th, yesterday, but the non-tribal commercial season is Oct. 1 to when the quota is filled.

Fishstiq, there are crab around, just have to find them.  One of my neighbor families got 27 keepers on the 28th or 29th.

Wow, how did I screw that up...

I meant to say the State commercial fleet STARTED their season on October 1st and the season will get better when they are finished.  Apologize for the confusion. :DOH:

I was assuming you were fishing MA 8-2 or 2 East on the commercial maps. 

Fishstiq - If you have the ability and willingness crabbing deeper usually produces better in times of high pressure.  I was crabbing in 230-260 feet this summer and doing really well.  Of course you need heavy pots and a puller to make it more enjoyable.  Good luck out there...

That's some deep crab, wow.  Last year, the commercials took a hiatus mid-winter sport season, so they were crabbing long after we were done, at least around the islands.  I find that late November into December I have to sort through a lot of softshell crabs to get a few keepers.

We threw out probably 5-6 softshells that would've been of legal size.

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #14 on: October 09, 2017, 07:18:52 PM »
30% of my keeper size ones this summer were soft, it was kind of a crappy season for me.

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #15 on: October 11, 2017, 01:03:02 PM »
Got a 2 person limit in Friday Harbor on an overnight soak over the weekend  :tup: :tup:

We use hearts and livers as bait.  This time it was lamb hearts and livers.  Works well.

That's a new one, never heard of using hearts and livers before!  I usually use salmon bellies/heads/carcasses but didn't have any on hand last weekend.  I'll have some for this weekend though, and hopefully I can restock my freezer during winter blackmouth season  :tup:
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline luvmystang67

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #16 on: October 11, 2017, 04:37:56 PM »
Got a 2 person limit in Friday Harbor on an overnight soak over the weekend  :tup: :tup:

We use hearts and livers as bait.  This time it was lamb hearts and livers.  Works well.

That's a new one, never heard of using hearts and livers before!  I usually use salmon bellies/heads/carcasses but didn't have any on hand last weekend.  I'll have some for this weekend though, and hopefully I can restock my freezer during winter blackmouth season  :tup:

Honestly, we've used all kinds of things.  I've been cussed out on here before (not really, but accused of being stupid) for not using oily baits.  We use all kinds of crap and have pretty good luck.  We've used rabbits halved.  We've used hearts, livers (fresh and frozen), old freezer burned hamburger, old freezer burned stew meat, along with fish pieces (heads and tails).  They've worked just as well for us as salmon parts when side by side.  Now we throw the kitchen sink down there.

One thing they dont like... old freezer burned trout.  Nothing touched those.   :chuckle:

Offline NRA4LIFE

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #17 on: October 11, 2017, 04:57:42 PM »
We ran out of bait one day and threw some baloney in the bait boxes.  The crab did not care for that.  Rabbit carcasses work great, I save them all now because I can't stand eating them anymore.  I know this is going to sound sacrilegious, but I unearthed some 4 year old razor clam meat in the freezer this past summer and gave it a try.  That was like magic crab candy.
Look man, some times you just gotta roll the dice

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2017, 11:04:01 PM »
They love duck carcasses and I've done well using the trimmings from past deer. I've not done well with stuff that was massively freezer burnt, a little bit is no problem.

Offline SeatoSummit88

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #19 on: October 12, 2017, 09:15:11 AM »
As a past commercial fisherman, I can suggest what we used, which seemed to produce high volumes. We broke a razor clam in half and put that in a clam jar. Then in the beginning of the season to get extra scent we would use a chewy sack and stuff it with sardines/mackerel.  And then we would always have a scotty about half full of illex squid.

Good Luck!
If I'm not selling, I should be hunting, If I'm not hunting, I should quit!

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #20 on: October 13, 2017, 07:29:35 PM »
Headed out tomorrow morning for the secret spot, with secret bait and secret pots.  Hopefully better than last weekend was.
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline Stein

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #21 on: October 13, 2017, 08:23:40 PM »
Mukilteo, turkey legs, Danielson pots?

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #22 on: October 14, 2017, 01:11:44 PM »
Mukilteo, turkey legs, Danielson pots?

Ssshhhhhh, keep it to yourself!  Everyone else will know the secrets too!
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #23 on: October 14, 2017, 06:23:47 PM »
Decent day today.  We took home 9 dungies and a cabezon!  The cabbie was in one of our pots we pulled up, I guess there was something in there it wanted.  22 inches!  Fillets should go well with crab  :tup: :chuckle:

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #24 on: October 14, 2017, 07:29:26 PM »
Decent day today.  We took home 9 dungies and a cabezon!  The cabbie was in one of our pots we pulled up, I guess there was something in there it wanted.  22 inches!  Fillets should go well with crab  :tup: :chuckle:

 :chuckle:

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #25 on: November 05, 2017, 04:16:53 PM »
Went again yesterday, 4 pots on a 4 hour soak just out of Everett.  Salmon heads and chicken and tuna in oil.  Left the pots while we were out chasing blackmouth. 

Zero, zip, not a dang thing in any of the pots.  I've never had a year this bad for crab.
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline Stein

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2017, 05:18:19 PM »
Wow, I didn't know that was possible around there.  I thought you could throw an empty pot in and at least get a couple small ones.

I'm waiting for a bluebird day, the thought of washing the boat afterward in 36 degree rain makes me think the clams in the freezer sound better than fresh crab.

Offline lokidog

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Re: 2017 Winter Crab 🦀
« Reply #27 on: November 05, 2017, 06:20:45 PM »
When I get 0 crabs, I'm pretty sure someone has picked the pot.

I got three keepers, more softshell, last week for two pots on an overnight soak.  Pulled the pots yesterday and got three keepers as well, one pot had all of them as well as four legal size, but soft ones.  Te other pot, a hu dred or so yards away, had no keeper size ones, very strange.

 


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