Winter Crabbing

[mainer78]

Has anyone been out.. Is it better than summer?

[idahohuntr]

I was wondering the same thing...never been out in the winter.

[MIKEXRAY]

Never been either, interested in the answers.  I always assumed it would be mostly slow after everyone fishing all summer, might be wrong thinking.

[Buckmark]

Been doing ok so far this year, i crab both when out fishing and ofter work off a dock till daylight savings time.
We drop pots when out fishing and pulled 7 keepers out of 4 pots on a 5hour soak last sunday, had 2 others but they were soft so tossed back. Had 2 keepers the weekend before in a new spot, but the pots were full of females and undersized.
Off the dock i actually do ok, i use some old lightweight pots and toss them out and let soak till im ready to go home (like an hour usually), never get limits but i do get atleast one on average, my best night was 3 in an hour.
I am heading out tonite after work to drop pots off the boat, will hang and check them after an hour, then reset them to soak over night, pull and rebait tommorow and let soak till sunday when i head out to fish...

[Buckmark]

Tonites dinner...had 4 legal size but 2 were soft so went back...

[JohnVH]

commercials have ruined it up north, pretty slow

[Buckmark]

How far north? b-ham area?

[JohnVH]

How far north? b-ham area?

birch bay

[lokidog]

commercials have ruined it up north, pretty slow

They haven't "ruined it" out here, but certainly has slowed it down.  I've seen three, four, and four legal ones in pots in the last few days but also some empty pots as well.  We are starting to get more soft ones though.

[Buckmark]

Is slower than summer but still worth it i think, we have commercial guys around here also infact im set up pretty close to some commercial bouys (they are deeper though, 150-200ft) and still getting some, figure they know were the crab are.

[Buckmark]

Yesterdays catch, between 2 of us and 2 pulls we had 17 legal size with 8 being soft and so went back.
5 for me and 4 for my partner (he got the one fish we caught yesterday).

[SeaRun1]

We have been freediving for Dungies in the second season.  While the numbers are down from this summer we have been limiting.  It's worth a try if the weather cooperates.

SR

[Bronson]

I put pots out in the southern hood canal last weekend for a couple hours.  Very few crab in the pots and one keeper.  I just put the pots out in front of our place out there, didnt drop them in the spot I would have liked to  have.  Still got some dinner though.

[jeepster]

Use cockles and squid

[pjb3]

I'm gonna try it this weekend, ITS MY B-DAY!!!