Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: hunthard on June 04, 2021, 09:59:52 AM

Title: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: hunthard on June 04, 2021, 09:59:52 AM: Anybody heard any dates yet????
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: Stein on June 04, 2021, 11:10:24 AM: No, but the commercial fleet is gearing up in Everett. Insane numbers of pots stacked on the docks, most I have seen. Many of them look to be new.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: CP on June 04, 2021, 11:20:29 AM: Tribal gear has been deployed from Everett to the Shipwreck - probably along Whidbey as well. Lots of pots in the water.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: Stein on June 04, 2021, 11:23:11 AM: Looks like they have some newer boats, at least compared to some of the dandies they have had in the past. These boys were serious.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: NRA4LIFE on June 04, 2021, 11:26:24 AM: Just came from the marina. There are pots as far as you can see everywhere.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: hunthard on June 09, 2021, 08:20:30 PM: Still waiting to hear, come on WDFW!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: stkflker on June 11, 2021, 04:32:32 AM: MA and days open are now posted on wdfw website!
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: hunthard on June 11, 2021, 07:51:47 PM: Thanks for the heads up :tup:
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: jstone on June 14, 2021, 10:04:24 AM: What’s your go to crab bait.!!
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: Mech on June 14, 2021, 06:37:00 PM: Salmon carcasses work best for me.
I will save them just for this.

When I don’t have any of those or can’t get anything good I will use chicken legs with the skin still on them and a can of oiled tuna with a couple of holes punched in.
That actually works well

I also sometimes use whole mackerel sliced a bit on the sides.

Every now and then I go to PA the that cheap grocery store on the hill and buy a bunch of them cheapo salmon fillets that are individually vacuumed bagged.

Lots of times I will mix and match or use different items in different pots to see what they like more but it seems that if they like it all but yet a bit more so on the oily baits.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: hunthard on June 14, 2021, 08:32:21 PM: Two years ago i did a little test with my pots, 2 with chicken and 2 with salmon scraps, the chicken out fished the salmon, this year i'm going to put a can of sardines in with the chicken for a little more oily scent.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: Stein on June 14, 2021, 10:08:55 PM: My go to is whatever I have free in my freezer, then I buy the cheapest chicken I can find if I run out. Salmon parts, chicken bones, chicken backs, duck parts, clam guts, rockfish parts, scraps from herring and extra anchovies, I don't throw anything away as it is all good crab bait and free. I'm sure my chest freezer has paid for itself many times over just storing free crab, shrimp and halibut bait.

It's a humpy year, so late this year and all of next crab season will be humpy parts for sure.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: jstone on June 18, 2021, 09:40:56 AM: So if the crab season is two days. Is there a time line for crabbing? Is it open for 48 hours? Or day time only?
I skimmed through and can’t find anything that tells me.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: Stein on June 18, 2021, 09:43:55 AM: Quote from: jstone on June 18, 2021, 09:40:56 AM
So if the crab season is two days. Is there a time line for crabbing? Is it open for 48 hours? Or day time only?
I skimmed through and can’t find anything that tells me.

They hide it in the gear regulation section for some odd reason:

Quote
No fisher may set or pull shellfish gear from a vessel, in Catch Record Card Areas 1-13, from one hour after official sunset to one hour before official sunrise. All shellfish gear must be removed from the water on closed days.
Title: Re: Crab opening in area 6
Post by: jstone on June 18, 2021, 09:46:49 AM: Thank You
That’s why I couldn’t find it.! :tup: