Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: CP on July 01, 2017, 07:28:30 AM

Title: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 01, 2017, 07:28:30 AM: Quick limit of crab this morning. I need to get them to boiling.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on July 01, 2017, 03:05:20 PM: :tup: :drool:

Where'd you go?
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Gobble Doc on July 01, 2017, 07:28:54 PM: Nice job! We went out but only got 1 :(. We were at not a great spot but with the whole family in the boat and with a breeze we didn't venture very far from the launch. I did almost see a fight break out in the parking lot as a guy was trying to hold a spot by standing in it and another guy wasn't too patient with it.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: ffbowhunter on July 01, 2017, 07:31:49 PM: Congrats! We only got 4 red rocks after two pulls. I have never had such bad luck in our area.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: wheels on July 01, 2017, 07:36:42 PM: nice pot full
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Gobble Doc on July 01, 2017, 09:32:42 PM: Saw police activity and a boat being towed in at the ramp while we were headed out.

https://myeverettnews.com/2017/07/01/1-dies-3-rescued-after-crabbing-boat-swamps-off-naval-station-everett/

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Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: jmscon on July 01, 2017, 09:41:17 PM: Too many drownings already this year!

Be safe out there everyone!

Wear your pfd's!!!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 02, 2017, 07:25:57 AM: Quote from: Fishstiq on July 01, 2017, 03:05:20 PM
:tup: :drool:

Where'd you go?

Area 8-2. It was calm when I launched at O'dark:30 but the wind kicked up soon after blowing against the current. It did get a bit nasty. Lots of people and the usual opening day mayhem. Got out of there early before it got too crazy.

Looks flat out there now.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 02, 2017, 07:36:33 AM: Quote from: Gobble Doc on July 01, 2017, 09:32:42 PM
Saw police activity and a boat being towed in at the ramp while we were headed out.

https://myeverettnews.com/2017/07/01/1-dies-3-rescued-after-crabbing-boat-swamps-off-naval-station-everett/

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Sad news. That's a pretty small boat for 4 people and I'm guessing 8 crab pots.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: C-Money on July 02, 2017, 09:22:26 AM: Congrats on your crab! I had to fish at Winco to cure my crab craving. Caught two snow crab clusters for $8.88lb. Pulled up a top sirlion as well.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: gaddy on July 02, 2017, 11:49:50 AM: Fresh sea food is the 1 thing I envy you west siders for.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: ryanfam on July 02, 2017, 01:12:18 PM: Pretty slow for us as well at Indianola. 4 dungys and some red rock. Talked to some people at the ramp and they had about the same luck. :bash:

Happy Fourth to all be safe.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on July 02, 2017, 03:35:09 PM: Just got a report from a buddy who went out today, 13 pulls, 2 keepers. He was out of Everett, said everything was just babies. I hope this isn't a sign of the season we are going to have this year....
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Trapper John on July 02, 2017, 05:39:54 PM: Stopped over in Edmonds to see how people were doing there on the Pier.
A lot of people but "No Dungeness" and only a few Red Rocks and they were just about legal.
A lot of people fishing for salmon and "nope" none to be caught.
A friend text me and said they went out in the boat out of Everett and only got one Dungeness. :yike:
Season is not starting good. Hope it get better.
JC :hello:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: carlyoungs on July 02, 2017, 05:46:44 PM: Dropped the pots last night (only 2) and checked them about noon and got 8 keepers. We were on Camano.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: sled on July 02, 2017, 08:13:42 PM: We launched sat at about 11:00am. That was like deadliest catch crap out there for my 16 foot bayrunner! We left the channel, bucked waves for a few then headed straight back to the launch.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: idahohuntr on July 02, 2017, 09:26:53 PM: Hmmm...after a couple days on hood canal only a few keepers. This is the worst crabbing I've seen in 6 or 7 years out here...hoping something changes soon!

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Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 02, 2017, 09:35:57 PM: Sled....I've to turned around and come home before reaching that point. Many people don't understand that just coming out of the channel right by the big ships it can get nasty.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: wamuledeer on July 02, 2017, 09:51:25 PM: Slow for us in the canal Saturday. 20 keeper crab but 18 were red rock. At least we got our limits of those. Don't get me wrong I love rock crab but way too many females and undersized dungies.

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Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h2ofowlr on July 02, 2017, 10:45:12 PM: We had a good opening weekend. 63 for our group for two days.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: opdinkslayer on July 03, 2017, 05:58:05 AM: We caught 70 crab (7 limits each day) and had to throw back at least 10 keepers from the last pot yesterday. Wind and water conditions were horrible Saturday but better yesterday. Fun stuff and good eats for the holiday weekend! Good luck to everyone out there. :tup:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: SpringerFan on July 04, 2017, 09:03:43 AM: Was in area 8-2 yesterday. Lots of crab in each pull.....but unersize or legal but soft. Moved to a different area. Soaked two pots for 45 minutes. 5 keepers. All really big. But slower than usual for sure.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: yum tag soup on July 04, 2017, 09:40:22 AM: Four keeper dungies in two days in south hood canal. Also a few reds. Seen some boats fishing but didnt see any action :dunno:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: singleshot12 on July 04, 2017, 09:29:21 PM: A lot of people out today even tho it was closed. Asians keeping everything as usual :bash:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: kball4 on July 05, 2017, 07:37:11 AM: Hood canal not so good this year, overnight soak 4 pots only 3 dungy's.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on July 05, 2017, 06:17:45 PM: We are going out this weekend, I hope some nice big ones migrate in by then!!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 05, 2017, 06:19:44 PM: Joe...Ill be out off and on from Fri pm to sunday am. Text me when out and about. Ill be on my usual crab grounds.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on July 06, 2017, 11:57:39 AM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 05, 2017, 06:19:44 PM
Joe...Ill be out off and on from Fri pm to sunday am. Text me when out and about. Ill be on my usual crab grounds.

:tup:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 07, 2017, 07:56:26 AM: Will be looking for and posting myself water and crabbing conditions for Everett area this pm and weekend. Looking fwd to soaking a few pots.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 07, 2017, 08:40:45 PM: H20 has pots soaking. Little choppy out of Everett but that was expected. Out, drop, home. Will be out tomorrow and will report.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: scotsman on July 07, 2017, 08:52:12 PM: Crabbing out of Port Townsed was LOUSY last weekend. Our usual good producing spots yileded zero legal Dungies. Rumor has it that the tribes had thousands of pots out the past few weeks and cleaned out the legals. However, I have no proof....just repeating the rumor.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 07, 2017, 08:58:09 PM: At the Everett launch there was a tribe truck just hanging out as boats unloaded garbage cans full just this evening.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h2ofowlr on July 07, 2017, 09:00:56 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 07, 2017, 08:58:09 PM
At the Everett launch there was a tribe truck just hanging out as boats unloaded garbage cans full just this evening.

Tribes have been cleaning up the crab for the past 3 weeks. We also saw them running 100 yard long fishing nets east of Deception Pass. They were setting up for Sockeye. Didn't see the game cops checking them at all.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: jmscon on July 07, 2017, 09:08:54 PM: Tribes have been crabbing in 8-1 and 8-2 the last couple of days. Haven't seen them in there last or this week prior to yesterday. Yesterday and today I saw a lot more recreational pots out there than tribal, by far!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: sled on July 07, 2017, 09:34:45 PM: We are going Sunday somewhere.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 08, 2017, 08:01:51 PM: Well, my overnight pots were a bust. I think they were pilfered. Slow morning but picked up in the afternoon. Sent some friends home with 10 and we cooked up a few. Bit windy, mass pots out there, and yes, tribes are still slaying them.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: singleshot12 on July 09, 2017, 07:58:49 AM: Quote from: h2ofowlr on July 07, 2017, 09:00:56 PM
Quote from: h20hunter on July 07, 2017, 08:58:09 PM
At the Everett launch there was a tribe truck just hanging out as boats unloaded garbage cans full just this evening.

Tribes have been cleaning up the crab for the past 3 weeks. We also saw them running 100 yard long fishing nets east of Deception Pass. They were setting up for Sockeye. Didn't see the game cops checking them at all.

:yeah: I gave up fishing and crabbing in this state. The greed for the last of our resources is out of control.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Brushcrawler on July 09, 2017, 08:10:40 AM: Pretty sparse effort and crab in Area 11 this weekend. Plenty of red rock crab if that is what you want.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: jackmaster on July 09, 2017, 08:42:43 AM: How deep are you guys crabbing? I started out last year at no less than 150 , we did ok, I did pull one pot that you could not stuff another crab in there and they all female ,I never had a pot that full !! I know that last year the natives really put a hurtn on them and went over their quota by a lot , I don't want to start a bashing thread, I know one of the natives though and he thinks it's pretty funny :bash:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Angus on July 09, 2017, 09:37:40 AM: Quote from: CP on July 02, 2017, 07:36:33 AM
Quote from: Gobble Doc on July 01, 2017, 09:32:42 PM
Saw police activity and a boat being towed in at the ramp while we were headed out.

https://myeverettnews.com/2017/07/01/1-dies-3-rescued-after-crabbing-boat-swamps-off-naval-station-everett/

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Sad news. That's a pretty small boat for 4 people and I'm guessing 8 crab pots.

I have a 16 footer with much higher sides then that boat, it fishes 3 people very comfortably, never fished 4 but I'm sure it would feel crowded and to add crab gear to that, NO WAY. :yike: :twocents:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 09, 2017, 11:27:50 AM: Scratched out a couple this morning but crabbing is way slower than usual. The tribes are still hitting 8-2 hard.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: singleshot12 on July 09, 2017, 11:54:33 AM: Star fish population going up, crab cycle going down, commercial/rec. cycle going up = no more crab :hello:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 09, 2017, 12:12:27 PM: 4 pulls, 4 pots each time. 1 crab. Had tribes set pots within 10 feet of mine. Heading in and getting some ling putta the freezer.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 09, 2017, 12:55:06 PM: Threw 4 pots in Thursday morning for a 3 hour soak, 4 crab. Let them soak overnight, planned to pick them up Friday but the wind really blew up and we decided to turn around at the green can and head back to the slip. Picked them up yesterday morning with a total of 8. Not too bad I guess. Tribal and commercial pots everywhere. This is going to be a bad season. Had one pot suspiciously move about 300 yards. Never had one move in this spot. Hmmmm
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on July 09, 2017, 05:35:05 PM: This season looks like it's going to be terrible. In past seasons I would go out just to crab. This year I think I'll be dropping pots on my way to go fishing as a secondary option. Don't think I'll go out much just to target crab, doesn't sound like it will be worthwhile.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: HookedOnQuack on July 09, 2017, 05:48:03 PM: Set pots out in area 9 last night for an overnight soak, 5 pots total. Pulled them this morn and had 9 keeper Dungies and 4 huge rocks in the first three at our usual location and depth and then blanked on keepers on the last two on prospect location and depth. It was great to see the look on my 3 year old sons face when we pulled up the first pot stuffed with crab!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: WAcoueshunter on July 09, 2017, 06:07:40 PM: Three limits for us today in MA10. Probably 10% of the pots out there as last weekend. Relative to last Saturday, felt like we had the whole place to ourselves!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 09, 2017, 07:29:34 PM: Enjoy it....up here it is a desert . I expect a few weeks for crab to be OK fishing once the tribes are done. Just can't compete as a recreational pot puller with them.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Gobble Doc on July 09, 2017, 09:12:48 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 09, 2017, 07:29:34 PM
Enjoy it....up here it is a desert . I expect a few weeks for crab to be OK fishing once the tribes are done. Just can't compete as a recreational pot puller with them.

I hope you are right. How does the crab recover in such a short amount of time?
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: singleshot12 on July 10, 2017, 12:52:00 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 09, 2017, 07:29:34 PM
Enjoy it....up here it is a desert . I expect a few weeks for crab to be OK fishing once the tribes are done. Just can't compete as a recreational pot puller with them.

They'll pull out once their contract is filled with China. I heard they're getting twice the price per pound sending crab over there. Crab fishing as we once knew it is over.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 10, 2017, 06:06:34 PM: I agree singleshot. I don't ever remember when the tribes and commercial were allowed to crab during the sport season. Jesus, we have only 2 months now, let us have it. I can see no fall/winter season this year also. Last week made me sick to my stomach seeing all those pots.

And to the A-holes putting pots in the river and mouth of the Snohomish last Thursday, you probably shouldn't have been out there in your puny little dinghy's anyway. Get a clue! I sure hope it wasn't any of you guys/gals.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: jmscon on July 10, 2017, 07:29:01 PM: Non-tribal commercial crabbers haven't been out since March and won't be able to go again until the fall.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Gobble Doc on July 11, 2017, 11:28:09 AM: This thread is depressing me and is talking me out of spending money on a bigger boat. If all of this is true then it seems bleak for crab. I haven't read very much optimistic about the salmon season. I don't see needing an 18' boat to fish planters in the local lakes. Anyone got some good news here?
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 11, 2017, 11:29:00 AM: Nope! Sorry.

I do plan to give it a go this weekend.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: WSU on July 11, 2017, 11:38:11 AM: Quote from: Gobble Doc on July 11, 2017, 11:28:09 AM
This thread is depressing me and is talking me out of spending money on a bigger boat. If all of this is true then it seems bleak for crab. I haven't read very much optimistic about the salmon season. I don't see needing an 18' boat to fish planters in the local lakes. Anyone got some good news here?

Good news, crabs are cyclical and will bounce back. Also, my family has been doing decent, but not great, out of Everett.

Other good news: there will be lots of places to catch salmon this year. Neah has fish now. There will be fish to be caught in the sound, GH, Willapa, and Columbia with your 18' boat starting very soon.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Bronson on July 11, 2017, 11:59:31 AM: My FIL and I set pots in A9 over the weekend. Saturday was a complete bust, 3 crab in 4 pots. Was so bad I almost pulled the pots and boat and called it. But we rebaited, moved the pots a bit and let them soak overnight. Ended up with both of our limits. We threw back 2 keepers and 4 softshells that were legal size.

Side note, I spotted 5 pots floating in over 400ft of water on Saturday. Tides were ripping this weekend which I also think slowed the crabbing.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: lazydrifter on July 11, 2017, 01:00:31 PM: We crabbed area 6 this last weekend. Friday thru Monday. We had 4 pots in and wound up with 42. 50 ft. deep. Almost all Dungeness. And we had more bigger crab than I usually see.
Hopefully things will continue to be this good for a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 14, 2017, 08:37:39 AM: Quick pre-work crab run this am. I had the place to myself, just me and the ferries. I'm sure that is about to change in a day or 2.

Two hour soak results in 1 legal crab. Dismal. :rolleyes:

But you can't beat the views and the boat ran like top.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Stein on July 14, 2017, 09:19:25 AM: Bummer, 1 crab is the worst. Enough to get the boat and cooker dirty but not enough to do much with.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on July 14, 2017, 03:01:33 PM: I'm putting out pots again this weekend, fingers crossed for my first legal crab of the season..... :bash:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 14, 2017, 06:26:43 PM: Jmscon, look at the rules. Tribal and commercial pots were everywhere last weekend and legal.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: jmscon on July 14, 2017, 08:50:25 PM: Quote from: NRA4LIFE on July 14, 2017, 06:26:43 PM
Jmscon, look at the rules. Tribal and commercial pots were everywhere last weekend and legal.

February 17, 2017 5:30 PM area 2-E (8-1, 8-2) closed to commercial crabbing.
March 20, 2017 Effective Immediately, area 2-W (9) closed to commercial crabbing.

WAC 220-52-046
Commercial crabbing is allowed in Puget Sound October 1 through April 15

Good luck trying to find out when Tribal fishing is allowed!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: FWilliams on July 14, 2017, 09:11:19 PM: as stated earlier in this thread, last week was strictly a tribal opener.......

this was in 8-2 on a 5 hr soak today. had 2 pots out both looked like this, they are there, I just changed up things a little. it is not the slam dunk it was the last couple of years.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 17, 2017, 08:36:10 AM: Found the crab again:
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: h20hunter on July 17, 2017, 08:52:57 AM: Same here. Went out yesterday, night and day difference.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Bronson on July 17, 2017, 02:43:50 PM: You guys think the huge tides were a factor last weekend? Seems like they were for me. If they werent soaking for a couple of slack tides, then there werent any crab in the pots.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 17, 2017, 08:14:33 PM: Quote from: Bronson on July 17, 2017, 02:43:50 PM
You guys think the huge tides were a factor last weekend? Seems like they were for me. If they werent soaking for a couple of slack tides, then there werent any crab in the pots.

Too much current isn't good. Other than that I haven't found that it matters much. I don't usually leave the pots for more than 2 hours unless I'm off fishing. They will find a way out of the pot if you leave them long enough.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on July 27, 2017, 11:28:52 AM: It's turning into a pretty good crab season after all.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Ellensburg on July 28, 2017, 11:41:41 AM: We got about 25 keepers in 4 pots off Camano. Looks like they are back.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Jake Dogfish on July 28, 2017, 04:41:07 PM: Thats great there are still some crab up north. 8)
Areas 10-13 are overfished and should be closed.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Whitenuckles on July 29, 2017, 09:24:32 AM: It's been bad for us in 8-1 also. Tribal guys everywhere
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Sakko300wsm on July 30, 2017, 08:33:28 AM: Went yesterday in area 7 , had 30 keepers in a 3 hr soak, kept 20
20' of water
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: WAcoueshunter on July 31, 2017, 08:52:41 AM: Quote from: Jake Dogfish on July 28, 2017, 04:41:07 PM
Thats great there are still some crab up north. 8)
Areas 10-13 are overfished and should be closed.

I can't speak to the others, but we're still doing fine in 10. It's not MA 7 good, but it never has been. Pretty crazy to me how many pots are out in any given weekend, but there's still keepers to be had. We got 9 yesterday in 4 pots x two pulls. A few were 7+ inches. :dunno:

Headed to MA 7 on Friday. That's always a different story.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Stein on July 31, 2017, 08:56:09 AM: Fished 8-1 yesterday for a quickie and did ok. Tons just below legal but we did get our legal ones and they were much larger than legal. It certainly paid to have good bait and fish where others weren't.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Stein on August 06, 2017, 04:51:42 PM: 8-1 again with some friends in town, averaging 1.5 keepers per pot. Not red hot, but plenty of crab for immediate use. Having your pots in during the slack really helped with the tides this weekend.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Fishstiq on August 07, 2017, 08:43:12 PM: What kinds of crab pots is everyone using? Just the cheapo collapsible ones or the more expensive kind? Notice any difference in how they fish?
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Ellensburg on August 07, 2017, 08:53:33 PM: Quote from: Fishstiq on August 07, 2017, 08:43:12 PM
What kinds of crab pots is everyone using? Just the cheapo collapsible ones or the more expensive kind? Notice any difference in how they fish?

Cheap Danielson and I always do well.

Turkey is the king of bait.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: jmscon on August 07, 2017, 09:49:07 PM: Try squaw fish er um northern pike minnow for bait sometime, never seen anything like it!
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: CP on August 08, 2017, 06:05:32 AM: Quote from: Ellensburg on August 07, 2017, 08:53:33 PM
Quote from: Fishstiq on August 07, 2017, 08:43:12 PM
What kinds of crab pots is everyone using? Just the cheapo collapsible ones or the more expensive kind? Notice any difference in how they fish?

Cheap Danielson and I always do well.

Turkey is the king of bait.

The cheap 4 door collapsible pots fish better than most of the more expensive pots.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: kball4 on August 08, 2017, 06:14:26 AM: I bought 4 octogon commercial pots w/ 150' lead line for $75 each from an commercial craber in PA.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Stein on August 08, 2017, 07:00:25 AM: We have 3 octagon and one folder and CP is right. For bait, fresh fish works the best for us.

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Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: Gobble Doc on August 08, 2017, 09:18:30 AM: I use the inexpensive Danielson and if there are crab around it works well. I like a combo of a turkey leg with a can of cat food.
Title: Re: Crab!
Post by: HuntnFishnRyan on August 26, 2017, 11:40:23 PM: fish heads/skeletons and scraps all the way :tup: