2017 Winter Crab 🦀

[Fishstiq]

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.

[h20hunter]

Have really never put effort in. I think longer overnight soaks would help.

[Shrimper]

The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

[fishngamereaper]

Wait till December. Colder weather better crabbing.

[Fishstiq]

The state commercial fleet just finished their season on October 5th, the crabbing will get better.

 

[lokidog]

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.

[sneakyjake]

Do you have links to the commercial and tribal seasons?

[Fishstiq]

I need to work on my bait too.  The stuff I'm using is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

[lokidog]

Do you have links to the commercial and tribal seasons?

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

[Knocker of rocks]

Do you have links to the commercial and tribal seasons?

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/crab/pugetsound/landings.html

[Shrimper]

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.

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...

[luvmystang67]

Got a 2 person limit in Friday Harbor on an overnight soak over the weekend 

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

[lokidog]

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.

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.

[luvmystang67]

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.

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.

[lokidog]

30% of my keeper size ones this summer were soft, it was kind of a crappy season for me.