Good crabbing?

[Metal man]

Anybody know of any decent (and legal) places to find some crabs in between Edmonds and Seattle? Never tried this while being under water but it sounds like fun.

[Sounder]

I believe the season is closed until next summer. There was chatter about a winter-season, but I'd have to look up the regs to see exactly what areas would be opened.

[sunnydude]

You are out of luck now until next season in this area. They opted not to open our areas up for winter crabbing.

[Nwbrewer]

](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

[sunnydude]

I am used to the Everett area, looks like Seattle is open:

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
October 24, 2008
Contact: Rich Childers, (360) 586-1498 ext. 400

Four areas of Puget Sound reopen
Nov. 1 for late-season crab fishing
OLYMPIA - Four marine areas of Puget Sound will reopen to recreational crab fishing Nov. 1, based on summer catch assessments by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) that show more crab are available for harvest.
Starting Nov. 1 at sunrise, marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) and 12 (Hood Canal) will reopen for sport crabbing seven days a week through Jan. 2, 2009.
Crab fishing will also remain open seven days a week through Jan. 2 in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu), and 13 (south Puget Sound), where the fishery has continued uninterrupted since June 18.
Sport crabbing will not reopen this year in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 east of Whidbey Island and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), where the summer catch reached the annual quota, said Rich Childers, WDFW shellfish policy coordinator.
"Our goal is to give crabbers as much opportunity to fish as possible, while remaining within the catch quotas," Childers said. "Catch assessments for the summer season helped us determine which areas we could open for a late-season fishery."
This is the second year that summer crab catch reports were required after Labor Day, with fall/winter reports due Jan. 2-15. The two-stage reporting system is designed to give fishery managers more accurate information about the recreational crab catch during the course of the season, Childers said.
Of the more than 210,000 crabbers licensed to fish for crab in Puget Sound, 70,378 complied with the September reporting requirement, including 43,919 who filed their catch reports on the reporting website. In calculating the catch-to-date, WDFW considered the direct reports from crabbers as well as phone surveys with 6,039 people who did not submit catch reports by the Sept. 15 deadline.
"The good news is that more people are complying overall, which has given us a lot more catch data to improve our estimates," Childers said. "However, we need more crabbers to report their catch before we can eliminate the phone surveys entirely."
Childers noted that all crabbers who submitted catch reports on time will be entered into a drawing for 10 free 2009 combination fishing licenses.
After Sept. 1, crabbers who fish for crab in Puget Sound should use their winter catch cards to record their catch, Childers said. These winter cards are valid until Jan. 2 and the late-season catch reports are due to WDFW by Jan. 15, 2009, after which another drawing will be held for free fishing licenses.
"It's important that people submit their reports, even if they didn't catch any crab," he said. "A report showing no crab caught is just as important in calculating the catch as one that shows lots of crab caught."
The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. In addition, fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across. Additional information is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/index.htm .

[Sounder]

In addition to the new scootie, I've got a new trick I'll be putting into play next season... they REALLY won't stand a chance next year. This year's Crabapalooza at my folks' house was fantastic and next year only promises to be even better!!

[BillZ]

I'm completely bummed the Muk is closed for the winter season.


Has anybody had any luck crab diving in the areas that are open?

[Sounder]

I'm completely bummed the Muk is closed for the winter season.


Has anybody had any luck crab diving in the areas that are open?

From what I can tell, WDFW elected not to open the winter crabbing season... so no crabbing until next summer.

[sunnydude]

I haven't crabbed any area south of Possession so unsure of where the hotspots are in the Seattle area.

[Sounder]

I haven't crabbed any area south of Possession so unsure of where the hotspots are in the Seattle area.

I wouldn't eat anything south of Edmonds.

[BillZ]

From the WDFW site they have opened up some zones and kept some closed.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/index.htm

I'm not super familiar with the boundry lines of the areas and the map they provide sucks, but here is what I can tell:

Zones 1,2, and 3 - From the Oregon boarder to Neah Bay - Open all year for crab diving - Dec 1 - Sept 15 for pots

Zone 4,5, and 6- Neah Bay to Port Angeles - Open through Jan 2nd

Zone 7(N,S,E) - San Juan's - Closed

Zone 8-1, 8-1 - South of Everett through Bellingham - Closed

Zone 9 - Admiralty Inlet (Keystone Jetty Area?) - Open through Jan 2nd

Zone 10 - Seattle Waterfront (Alki) -Open through Jan 2nd

Zone 11 - South Sound - Federal Way - Tacoma - Closed

Zone 12 - Hood Canal - Open through Jan 2nd

Zone 13 - South Sould - Olympia Open through Jan 2nd

[Sounder]

Well, it's neat there are still a few areas to catch them but unfortunately they're not in areas I frequent. Next summer they're in HUGE trouble.

[sunnydude]

I remember reading that they received less than half of the catch record cards back this year. They count those as full limits when they calculate if they are going to reopen the season. Next year they are going to charge you extra the following year if you do not report your catches.

[BillZ]

I haven't crabbed any area south of Possession so unsure of where the hotspots are in the Seattle area.

I wouldn't eat anything south of Edmonds.

I'm with you on that one

[Sounder]

I remember reading that they received less than half of the catch record cards back this year. They count those as full limits when they calculate if they are going to reopen the season. Next year they are going to charge you extra the following year if you do not report your catches.

They even have an online-reporting option now and they sent out reminder cards... it's a shame so many people don't bother returning their catch cards. It just hurts everyone's fishing opportunities, but I guess it's good for the crab.

[Tom Nic]

I've never had much luck crabbing "on the fin"... Some of that is no doubt being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had visions of eating crab all the time when I started diving - a vision which, alas, has not yet materialized!

Everything I've heard about a scooter tells me that is THE way to go to catch those elusive little buggers!

[whatevah]

I've never had much luck crabbing "on the fin"... Some of that is no doubt being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had visions of eating crab all the time when I started diving - a vision which, alas, has not yet materialized!

Everything I've heard about a scooter tells me that is THE way to go to catch those elusive little buggers!

The best strategy is not to chase them - learn to spot them where they're buried and put your hand on them before they make a break for it. Chasing them can be fun but it certainly isn't very efficient.

[Tom Nic]

I've never had much luck crabbing "on the fin"... Some of that is no doubt being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had visions of eating crab all the time when I started diving - a vision which, alas, has not yet materialized!

Everything I've heard about a scooter tells me that is THE way to go to catch those elusive little buggers!

The best strategy is not to chase them - learn to spot them where they're buried and put your hand on them before they make a break for it. Chasing them can be fun but it certainly isn't very efficient.

Yeah, I learned that in a hurry!

I also haven't found alot of great sites here in the South. I did OK at Sunnyside in Steilacoom, but mostly Red Rocks. There are ACRES of "barren" Sand that would be great to cover on a scooter to locate the little varmints!

[Layner]

From the WDFW site they have opened up some zones and kept some closed.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/index.htm

I'm not super familiar with the boundry lines of the areas and the map they provide sucks, but here is what I can tell:

Agreed, that map sucks! Looking at it, I thought Muk was in zone 9 and reported that way for my summer catch.

Anyone been out for the winter season yet? Any reports to share??

[Metal man]

Anybody know if the Edmonds marina jetty is part of the marine sactuary?

[John Rawlings]

Yes, it is. Everything north of the Edmonds Oil Pier is regarded as a marine sanctuary.

[BillZ]

Is Edmonds in Zone 9 or 10?

EDIT:
Is Edmonds in Zone 9 or 8-2?

[Metal man]

Edmonds is in zone 9.