Diving for Crabbing Advice

[iscuba2]

Okay, I believe we all know crabbing season will open on July 1st….and I love crab, both Red Rock and Dungeness!

I have been the unlucky harvester of crabs from the docks around the sound and never able to catch my limit using the ol’ crab ring. And beside; it’s getting too crowded there. One of the reasons I got into diving is so I can harvest crab and I am new to dive.

Any suggestions where will be a good diving and crabbing place around the sound that also a great place for picnic? Any thoughts? Or maybe any advice why you should not do diving for crabbing?

Thanks!

[WASP7000]

Those poor marine crustaceans, leave them alone!......Just kidding, it's actually part of the reason I got into diving too. This year will be my first year diving for them, so I don't have a whole lot of advice for you, but we've all gotta start somewhere. Do you have a boat?

[Dusty2]

Mukilteo is supposed to be a good place for such things. Reds are just about everywhere but dungeness are a little more difficult. If your new it's best to find an experienced buddy till you get some dives under your belt. Them guys is way fast when they need to be and it's easy for a new diver to get in trouble chasing them. Just remember to take your crab gauge. They look allot bigger under water and the mounties aren't very forgiving.

You might try showing up for the monday night mukilteo dive. I know some of those guys is crabbin fools!

[BillZ]

Here's some pointers....
The Mukilteo Oil dock is one of the best places for crabbing but it's a long swim/wade out.

The little buggers are fast so it's best to work in buddy teams. When you spot a crab that looks legal signal your buddy and approach him on each side about 5 ft away. The crab move side to side in a half moon pattern so once you have him bracketed he's trapped. Pin him to the ground and grab him from the back side. The little bassturds can reach about half way down their body so watch your fingers! The red rocks are really strong and a bit more agile than the dungies. Last year I had one bite through my dry glove and flood my drysuit.

As mentioned, bring a gage with you underwater to measure.

Once you're done swim to shore and recheck your crab (before you get to the t-dock). It's difficult to to tell if they have a soft shell underwater so we generally take a few more crabs than the limit and sort it out on shore.

We'll be out at the Muk after work opening day. Look for the 26ft Century boat dropping divers and say hi.

[Joshua Smith]

I went and got me a few crabs at Muk a few years ago. They were tasty little guys. But the dive scared the hell out of me- there were boats and crab pots all over the place, not to mention lots of divers in the water who probably hadn't been in the water since the year before....Let's just say that I won't be doing any crab dives at spots like Muk ever again- maybe if I was going to hit the water by 5AM, but otherwise.....I'll pass.

[BillZ]

I went and got me a few crabs at Muk a few years ago. They were tasty little guys. But the dive scared the hell out of me- there were boats and crab pots all over the place, not to mention lots of divers in the water who probably hadn't been in the water since the year before....Let's just say that I won't be doing any crab dives at spots like Muk ever again- maybe if I was going to hit the water by 5AM, but otherwise.....I'll pass.

Appologies for the previous post. Please stay away from this dive site. It will kill you, your buddy and all the crab you could ever collect.


Also, from what I hear there are huge concrete slabs falling on divers!

Edit: BTW...
The Muk oil dock is a shark haven. We've had to fight them off with our can lights on many occasions.

[Mattleycrue76]

This is an occasion I have a Cetecea Retractor for. When weeding through dozens of crab to find the big ones I like to keep a gauge on it. Grab the crab - pull gauge - measure - release gauge - drop/stow crab - repeat.

In my somewhat limited experience Mukilteo is a great hunting ground for the first few days of the season. After that it quickly becomes picked over and you have to go deep or a long way out towards the oil dock.

[dwashbur]

This brings up a question I've been wondering about for a while: all the crabbing seems to be for Red Rock and Dungeness. What's the story on the Cancer gracilis? There seem to be plenty of those around but I have never heard anything about harvesting them.

[Mattleycrue76]

This brings up a question I've been wondering about for a while: all the crabbing seems to be for Red Rock and Dungeness. What's the story on the Cancer gracilis? There seem to be plenty of those around but I have never heard anything about harvesting them.

1.) I believe they fall in the unclassified marine species category and are therefore verboten.

2.) Even if they were legal, since they only get to be about 3.5 inches across max. eating them would be akin to having sunflower seeds for dinner - Not exactly worth the effort.

[dwashbur]

This brings up a question I've been wondering about for a while: all the crabbing seems to be for Red Rock and Dungeness. What's the story on the Cancer gracilis? There seem to be plenty of those around but I have never heard anything about harvesting them.

1.) I believe they fall in the unclassified marine species category and are therefore verboten.

2.) Even if they were legal, since they only get to be about 3.5 inches across max. eating them would be akin to having sunflower seeds for dinner - Not exactly worth the effort.

I wondered if their size had something to do with it, though I've seen people eating smaller. Last time we were in Monterey at Bubba Gump's I had something called slipper lobsters that were about the size of the average leopard nudibranch.

What's "unclassified marine species" mean?

[Mongodives]

Unclassified is is any species not specified on page 19 of the 2010/2011 sportfishing rules pamphlet.

[Gill Envy]

Growing up on the east coast and having a serious fancy for the Maryland Blue claw crab and old bay seasoning, I was very excited at the prospects of diving for Dungeness when I first got certified here in the NW. After blowing through 80's, nearly running out of air chasing them around, and coming up empty handed, I came to the conclusion that buying them from the seafood shop in season really was a better deal. It can be fun, but wow, can it be both hazardous and frustrating. If you can find a good place to find big red rock crab, and they do get quite large, they are much easier to bag, harder to pick but the meat is sweeter! But yes, don't be fooled, Red rock crab are slower but their claws are vice grips and can do serious damage.

As far as where to go, most folks keep that to themselves because if we share our coveted spots on the internet, there won't be any crab to be had the next time we go. Best to ask in person, try not to fish out a spot... if you keep trying various dives, you'll find some spots here and there.

g

[BASSMAN]

Sunny Side Beach in Stielicoom is a good place for Red Rock and an occasional Dungie.
I have not mastered the art of seeing Dungies under the sand w/ just their eyes poking out.
No, I just find them in the open and blow through half of my tank trying to catch one.
The Red Rocks are much easier to just pick up.

[Jaksonbrown]

Crabbing on scuba is fun and easy. I rarely go diving for crab and do not end up with my limit. I dont even bother waiting on crab pots unless I happen to be doing something in the area...ie salmon fishing or something,..and would much rather dive for them. Here are several tips you need to know.
1. Dont look for crabs out in the open. Most crabs will be buried in the sand. Look for shapes of the crab in the sand. You can usually see their little eyes and lips sticking up out of the sand if you look carefully. Once you get the idea of what they look like, they tend to materialize everywhere! Grab the little buggers in the sand before they get up and start running. If they do get away from you and start running... let em go. They can run faster than you can swim.
2. If they look big enough to keep, and are males... Just stuff em in your bag and go on. One you surface you can accurately check the crab and let go any non-keeper crab. There is no harm done to the crab in doing this, and you dont waste valuble air checking sizes underwater.
3. If you have a boat,..look for sandy areas near a shelf that drops off pretty good. Most crab can be found in depths of only 30-60fsw. Any deeper and your just wasting air. If your shore diving... forget about local dive sites. They will be long picked clean very soon. Head for sites that typically dont have much dive activity. Kayak point, or anywhere in port susan you can get to the beach are good locations.

4. Scooters are the great equalizer. Chase them buggers down. It is high entertainment!


Have fun, be safe, and good crabbin!

Oh yea... FYI.... it is illegal to begin crabbing before 7am....

[diveduo]

We each carry a 3 ft piece if PVC pipe on crab dives. If they run, a light tap on the head makes them stop and prepare to fight. It is easy to lose your buddy but follow the silt trail. It is lots of fun.

[WASP7000]

We each carry a 3 ft piece if PVC pipe on crab dives. If they run, a light tap on the head makes them stop and prepare to fight. It is easy to lose your buddy but follow the silt trail. It is lots of fun.

Never thought of that, I might have to give it a try.