Dungeness crabs anyone?

[livebaitboy]

Hello,

I was just wondering if anyone out there has ever dove for dungeness crabs, either in Puget Sound or just along the west coast. I'm contemplating a move out to Seattle and I would really like to try my hand at catching them!

Thanks,

LBB

 

[feign]

They are easy enough to hand pick off the pacific west coast. It is just a matter of going to areas that they inhabit. They love mud/sandy bottoms to bury in. I think the depth range can really vary, but lots of them sit in subtidal water. Random ones will be found in other rocky areas. Legal size in Washington is 6 1/4" I think, measured across the widest points of the carapace. The diving is not as fun in the flat mud/sand areas, but the reward can be great . I don't know any areas in Seattle to go for them, but in Vancouver and the island there are some good places.

 

[livebaitboy]

Yah, that's where I have heard they are found, in snady or muddy areas. Kind of odd, I am from Wisconsin and our resident crustaceans, crayfish, live in the rockiest areas you can find.

Any idea how the visibility is typically in Puget Sound?

 

[Sonny B]

I went diving for Dungi's at the Mukilteo Oil Docks a few years back. Took home my limit which is 5 per day 5 1/4" min, no females. Check the regs for when the season is on and what days you’re allowed to harvest crabs. I took mine freediving in about 40 foot of water. The top 10 feet were muddy but on the bottom it opened up to over 20 feet. The crabs were mostly buried and were somewhat difficult to spot. I used an abalone iron to feed their claws while lifting them out of the sand. They get pissy fast and can pinch the hell out of you if not careful, hence the abalone iron. Once they have their claws clamped down on the ab iron they are much easier to deal with. Good luck.

 

[ocean_314]

Diving for crabs is fun jsut look for a crab shell in the sand that is all you will see a lot of times the rest of the crab is buried. Just wear dive gloves and dont worry about being pinched, with the gloves on they wont hurt.
You dont want to get pinched by a rock crab that hurts, big difference in the strenght of the pinchres.