Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!

[Skillet]

Yep.  I'll keep you posted on the scouting trip plans.

[DoubleJ]

If I can convince the wife that boiling some water in the house this evening isn't going to heat the house up that much, I might get out to the dock tonight

[h20hunter]

Still getting them but it was slower this evening. Still pulled seven for the wife and I. Cant limit everytime I suppose.

[h20hunter]

Well, I think my crab season is done. Went out Saturday and had a nice time taking the wife out on the boat. She was a quick learn regarding coming up on a pot and even pulled one at the end of the evening. The thunderstorms in my area never materialized so it was pleasant enough on the water. We left the pots to soak overnight and the the A team, me, brother in law, and his brother went back out yesterday morning. It wasn't slam dunk crabbing like it has been for me but we managed. The wife and I pulled only 7 on Saturday evening and we called it good enough at 12 dungies and 6 red rock on Sunday. Here is a picture of my wife and some of the haul at the family bbq yesterday.

[Skillet]

Nice catch, man.  We missed you out there because we were, well, trying to get off the mountain.  Didn't get home 'till 10:30 pm...
But, that let my pots soak another day.  Ended up with 13 keepers in 4 pots.  Not bad, but I agree it is slowing down.



I'll probably go out one more time for crab.  We ought to talk about the upcoming silver season...

[D-Rock425]

Nice catch.

[DoubleJ]

Last night was a mess for me.  I thought I could handle the tide movement and ended up 200 yards down the beach from the dock.  Finally had to drop the pot to get back.  Let the tide go slack and went to go get it again.  Still couldn't get back.  Dropped the pot a second time and swam the raft back to shore.  Went home and got my spool of nine line.  Tied it off to the raft and had my wife spool it out as I swam the raft out.  When I grabbed the bouy, she tied me off to the dock.  Then I used the rope to pull myself back in with the pot.  After 3 hours of this dickery, 0 crabs in the pot.  Pissed doesn't even begin to cover my feelings last night.

The system got too complicated from what was bringing me success so, I have simplified things and it should be better the next few weekends before it closes.

[h20hunter]

Sounds like you are pushing it for sure. Saw your review of the crab jell.....eh...worth a shot. I've been soaking my chicken and turkey in the pink Pautzes Fuel and that seems to be helping. However, I agree that your fresh caught flounder and bull heads are even better. That was a nice haul on the red rocks prior to you having a Gilligan moment in the raft.

[DoubleJ]

So, what's the deal with the red rocks?  Thought I read somebody say they stay on or near their rock pile and if I don't get the trap near them, they won't travel to get to the bait like dungies.  Is this true?  Do they have territory that they stay at?  If so, it would explain why I have 0 crabs after pulling 10 even though the pot was in the same spot but it wouldn't explain how I got 10 in one pull after putting it in the same spot that the day before I got 2.

[DoubleJ]

Sounds like you are pushing it for sure. Saw your review of the crab jell.....eh...worth a shot. I've been soaking my chicken and turkey in the pink Pautzes Fuel and that seems to be helping. However, I agree that your fresh caught flounder and bull heads are even better. That was a nice haul on the red rocks prior to you having a Gilligan moment in the raft.

Gilligan moment for sure.  Lesson learned and the pot is now only 200' into the channel instead of 300'.  That extra 100' put me into some hard charging tidal movement.  200' from the dock is still pretty protected by the bay and easier to navigate

[h20hunter]

Next season if things are a little better you are going to have to save up your gas money and make the trip....we'll get you on the crab with a little less work.

[Fishstiq]

So, what's the deal with the red rocks?  Thought I read somebody say they stay on or near their rock pile and if I don't get the trap near them, they won't travel to get to the bait like dungies.  Is this true?  Do they have territory that they stay at?  If so, it would explain why I have 0 crabs after pulling 10 even though the pot was in the same spot but it wouldn't explain how I got 10 in one pull after putting it in the same spot that the day before I got 2.

Red rocks are less migratory than dungies for sure.  They tend to stay hidden in "burrows," like rotted out logs and such.  You don't see them out in the open like dungies nearly as frequently.  So in my experience, yeah, you would have to get the pots closer to red rock in order to bait them in.

[DoubleJ]

well, got 5 red rocks tonight including 2 7"ers.  Pics to come.  Can't believe I didn't take measured pics before.  These are big but we've gotten about half a dozen that were bigger so far this year.

[DoubleJ]

[NRA4LIFE]

Those are some seriously huge reds JJ.  Nice work.