Recreational crabbing is a fun a rewarding sport. It's something you can enjoy by yourself or with others. It's also great for kids and adults of all ages. Not only is it fun to be outdoors crabbing but you also get to go home and put food on the dinner table. With the right tools and techniques you can catch crabs easy and effortlessly while enjoying your time on the water. I've been crabbing ever since I was a young boy and I have learned many tips through the years to help catch more crabs. I want to show you how to crab so you too can bring home a nice catch.
So Captain Pete, show me how to crab. Well there are various methods to catch crabs. I will be discussing two ways to catch blue crabs. You can catch blue crabs from a pier or from a boat. The best methods are to use hand lines, crab traps, and trotlines. In this article I will discuss using hand lines and crab traps. Hand lines and crab traps can be used from a pier or from a boat. A trotline can only be used by boat.
How to Crab Using Hand Lines
If you are crabbing from a pier or boat using handlines, you'll need a ball of string (kite string works or something similar), bait (raw chicken necks), a net with a long handle, a bushel basket or bucket to keep the crabs in, crab tongs, and a measuring device for the crabs to make sure they are the legal size limit. These are enough supplies to get you started. Hand lines are nothing more than a long string with a chicken neck tied to the end of it.
Make sure the string is long enough to get in the water from the pier or boat. You want the bait to reach the bottom (or close to it) without much slack. Once you got your string cut to the length you need, tie a chicken neck to the end of one side. When you're ready to start crabbing, lower the bait in the water. When it gets to the bottom, tie the top part of the string to the pier or boat and wait a few minutes. Then start pulling up the string SLOWLY. If there is a crab on the bait you will feel it moving slightly. Keep pulling up the string SLOWLY until the crab is just under the surface, then put the net under the crab and scoop it up and into your bucket. You can use multiple hand lines at a time to catch more crabs.
How to Crab Using Crab Traps
Crabbing with crab traps is one of the best methods to catch blue crabs, especially if you are crabbing from a boat. Make sure to check with your local laws to see how many traps you can use as a recreational crabber. Bait your traps with chicken necks attached to the center of the bottom grate using a snood or a spring. Make sure the length of your string is long enough to get the crab trap to the bottom. This is important because the trap will not open unless it hits bottom. If you are crabbing from a pier, tie the top part of the string to the pier. Leave some slack (an extra foot or 2 after the trap hits bottom) so the trap doors stay open. If you are crabbing from a boat, tie a buoy to the top part of the string (buoys are sold at tackle shops, or you can use an empty 2 liter bottle sealed shut with the cap). Once you have the correct length, lower the trap into the water and let the buoy float on top. Again, remember to have enough slack in the line so the doors open after it hits bottom.
Leave the trap in the water for a few minutes than QUICKLY pull up the line all the way until the trap comes out of the water. If there is a crab in there, shake or pull the crab out with your tongs, place the crab into your basket then drop the trap back in the water. Traps are different from hand lines. You have to pull them up quick to shut the doors and keep the crab inside. You can use multiple crab traps as long as they are within the amount allowed by law. If you are crabbing from a boat, drop the traps in a line about 2 boat lengths apart then go back and pick them up one by one.
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