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Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Jamieb on June 22, 2012, 04:27:45 PM

Title: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on June 22, 2012, 04:27:45 PM: Crabbing opens up here in the sound July first. I've always set pots out at westport or on hood canal but I'd like to try around here. I've been out in the south sound playing around and know my way around ok but I've never crabbed out there, I dont know much about where to go.
Heres my plan, let me know if I'm off base here. I'm going to set pots off the Nisqualy, looking for a sandy bottom, 40'to 100' deep.
It would be nice to crab this year close to home and save a few bucks.

BTW, I'm looking for dungees.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Wacenturion on June 22, 2012, 09:53:14 PM: I see that no one has replied. I too I'm planning on crabbing in the south sound. From what I understand, you thoughts are pretty much right on. Both dungeness and red rock are caught. Most I have talked to use 150 of leaded line, plus or minus. Nisqually area is supposed to be one of the better spots.

Sorry that not a lot of help, but hopefully others will chime in.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: wraithen on June 22, 2012, 09:56:20 PM: Not too far off solo point used to be good. Gonna get lotsa red rocks though.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Wacenturion on June 22, 2012, 10:00:23 PM: Here's something I clipped from an article....

"It has been a windfall of a new sport fishery in South Sound, and the greatest populations of crab are in the Nisqually Delta, which is a wonderful habitat for crab," Floor said. "It is different from most other areas in Puget Sound, and the best success comes from 130 to 190 feet in the northern section of the delta and that depth range has been money for the past few summers and winters now."

Floor says the delta isn't the only place to find huge populations of crab, and points out the southeast corner of Anderson Island, and the region from the Puget Marina and off Zittel's Marina are good crabbing zones."
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: wraithen on June 22, 2012, 10:09:07 PM: Soooo... I'm hearing don't expect to get in those areas very easily anymore due to massive overcrowding, likely due to the newspaper.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on June 22, 2012, 11:03:40 PM: 130'to190' deep, thats a lot deeper then I had planned. I set pots in 60' at westport and only have about 100' of line on each pot. I might have to take along the spools of line from my hood canal shrimp pots. Opening day is on a Sunday so I'll only have one day to look for crab that first weekend.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: ICEMAN on June 23, 2012, 04:55:22 AM: Keep a good eye on your gear in that area.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: BigGoonTuna on June 23, 2012, 08:09:42 AM: +10 on that one, iceman. i used to fish that area all the time and heard a lot of stories of guys watching several other people pulling their pots, not to mention outright gear theft.

lots of rock crabs out there.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: fishinmike on June 23, 2012, 08:10:18 AM: Fish the last hour of the incoming tide, the outgoing tide really stirs up the kelp which tangles around your line and pot. You will do fine with your 100ft pots. Fish them 50-70 and you should be fine. Tide movement will "steal" your pots, so pay attention. Every year people complain of pots being stolen, they are just washed away by the current and end up all over the south sound.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: WSU on June 24, 2012, 07:23:48 AM: Quote from: fishinmike on June 23, 2012, 08:10:18 AM
Fish the last hour of the incoming tide, the outgoing tide really stirs up the kelp which tangles around your line and pot. You will do fine with your 100ft pots. Fish them 50-70 and you should be fine. Tide movement will "steal" your pots, so pay attention. Every year people complain of pots being stolen, they are just washed away by the current and end up all over the south sound.

That is no joke. I put a lot of extra weight in my pots, and an extra bouy. I've watched dozens of pots go under as the tide starts to rip, and then come back to get mine at the next slack tide and only a few came back up. About 99% of the people who get their pots stolen have just lost them to the tide. It really rips through there.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on June 24, 2012, 05:35:28 PM: I cleaned out the boat.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F001-15.jpg&hash=667b73be5ce2a592ec735b5dcac3ff40879b1c12)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F002-15.jpg&hash=60c568d38e3f02898289d396c5d8a97f1151889f)
I'm ready.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: wheels on June 25, 2012, 12:52:33 AM: me and my dad crabbed down there yes 100-130 good but tide rips hard i would get rebar to weight down your pots and if you GPS mark pots should get back no problem there also couple 70 foot spots keep you out of current
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: WSU on June 25, 2012, 09:48:11 AM: JamieB - You need a lot more weight in your pots. If you don't, they will get "stolen."
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: WSU on June 25, 2012, 10:38:14 AM: I just checked, and the tides are terrible this weekend. I'm willing to bet hundreds of pots will be lost on the opener at Nisqually. And, crabbing will mediocre at best.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on June 25, 2012, 01:14:14 PM: I've got 2 pieces of 3/4" rebar 2' long in there right now, I've got some 12oz lead weights so I'll ziptie one of those in each corner.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: WSU on June 25, 2012, 02:09:20 PM: When are you planning to crab? If it were me, I would make sure to have my gear out of the water and in the boat within an hour of slack.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on June 25, 2012, 09:52:43 PM: Quote from: WSU on June 25, 2012, 02:09:20 PM
When are you planning to crab? If it were me, I would make sure to have my gear out of the water and in the boat within an hour of slack.
The season opens at 7:00 AM on Sun. low tide is at 10:00 AM. I'm planning on setting pots at 7:00 and pulling every 3 or 4 hours or until I have 5 keepers.
Title: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: sirmissalot on June 25, 2012, 10:19:38 PM: There are areas nearby Nisqually that produce well and you won't have to chase your pots or lose them in the current. I will just say west of the delta. I also pick shallower water than suggested above.

It can be hit and miss. I would go home with a limit of rock crab before i went home empty they eat great just a pain to clean. There are plenty of rock crab everywhere in the south sound.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: wraithen on June 25, 2012, 10:24:51 PM: Anyone ever try near the ship? I kinda want to get my diving certification just to explore that thing.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: WSU on June 26, 2012, 08:54:37 AM: Quote from: Jamieb on June 25, 2012, 09:52:43 PM
Quote from: WSU on June 25, 2012, 02:09:20 PM
When are you planning to crab? If it were me, I would make sure to have my gear out of the water and in the boat within an hour of slack.
The season opens at 7:00 AM on Sun. low tide is at 10:00 AM. I'm planning on setting pots at 7:00 and pulling every 3 or 4 hours or until I have 5 keepers.

Let us know how it goes. If you are in the crabs it won't take long to get 5 keepers.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: MP123 on June 26, 2012, 11:03:24 AM: Wow, you guys crab pretty deep down south. Bellingham/San Juans we knock 'em dead in 30-50 feet. And those little red rockies have very tasty claws, just a pain to get open.

Happy crabbing all!
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Alchase on June 26, 2012, 12:13:48 PM: Nisqually Delta has lots of crabs. As others have said, thieves are thick down there and it ain't the tides, it is a few well known tribal members and their white friends or family.

We quit fishing the Delta for crabs after seeing the same boat pull over twenty pots that did not belong to him and take the crabs. After contacting the Game officer at the boat ramp, we were told basically it would be their word against ours. I told him he is still out there stealing now, go watch him! His reply was "that would be considered racial profiling" :bash:
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: PolarBear on June 26, 2012, 12:26:05 PM: Last year the bigger crab were caught more towards Zittle's in the 150' line, Off of the old barge was dead for us. Also, run over to Orro Bay for some BIG rock crab. Weight your pots, double buoy them and DO NOT let them out of your sight or they will more than likely be picked up. We usually crap out to 300 feet but last year everything was 150 -80'. We caught several dungies in the 9-10" range.
Good luck!
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: jackmaster on June 26, 2012, 12:30:13 PM: we use to go straight across from pt defiance lauch and fish 25 to 40 feet of water and did damn good all the time, we always brought some ring nets while we were soakin are big pots, and i agree watch your stuff, alot of people with sticky fingers out there.......
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on June 27, 2012, 07:10:17 PM: I got out the lead pot and melted up some lead flashing I had.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F001-16.jpg&hash=b27af6cb444c313b09440a37819b9a69abb94bbc)
I cut some 1/2" copper 16" long, smashed one end shut and poured them full of lead, about 1 1/2 lb's each.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F002-16.jpg&hash=1a385da3e85aef1ec1d40cba5e2bf2d63cf1ff80)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F003-7.jpg&hash=c2347d16903953e2a8798ce6fab130a52854d217)
A couple of those in each pot and hopfuly the pots will stay put.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: wraithen on June 27, 2012, 08:02:57 PM: To avoid spillage of lead when I make pier gaffs I learned to us a little high temp rtv. IDK how much you care but if anyone else wants to do something similar. I had to pour lead on an apartment balcony so I had to get creative :chuckle:
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: DoubleJ on June 27, 2012, 08:24:01 PM: Wish I had a boat :(
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: PolarBear on June 28, 2012, 12:30:50 AM: I use those old timey cast iron widow weights and weight my pots to about 25-30 pounds. Sure it sucks pulling them by hand (especially at 300 feet) but they will not get swept away by the current into deeper water!
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: jackmaster on June 28, 2012, 06:36:19 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on June 28, 2012, 12:30:50 AM
I use those old timey cast iron widow weights and weight my pots to about 25-30 pounds. Sure it sucks pulling them by hand (especially at 300 feet) but they will not get swept away by the current into deeper water!
well when you get tored of pullin those pots from that deep let me know i have a 4horse motor i can sell, aint know way i would be pullin pots from 300 ft, go to john wayne marina, ya only gotta fish 30 60 ft, i am useally around 35ft, are boat gets are limits evry time, sometimes though it gets pretty picked through when you are competing with the natives
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on July 01, 2012, 07:16:34 PM: A couple of pictures from today, a nice day on the water.
flat water
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F002-18.jpg&hash=32b07d5006720c7895a6ab0ccfbf4596532d94d0)
I beached the boat at solo point.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F001-18.jpg&hash=4ed63029e2807eac82759b93509c5427e82541f8)
A couple of the victums
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F005-6.jpg&hash=f2d1758b7ef3fedae872da1ac8f8ba5a7c5c6fbd)
I set pots in 100' water at Hogum bay, I pulled the pots twice, each time after a 3 hour soak and got 5 keepers.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: Jamieb on July 01, 2012, 07:17:45 PM: (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2F004-7.jpg&hash=25a701043a783528cc80e027e537d36a0cf524bb)
The two dungies I got.
Title: Re: Oly area crabbing?
Post by: gasman on July 01, 2012, 08:38:50 PM: Nice :tup:

We ended the day with 2 limits of dungeessssss and had a crab feed for dinner :EAT:

Threw back at least 20 undersized crab and only one rock crab worth keeping.

And we were in Commencement Bay, alomng with the many, many other people :bash: