Oregon crabbing is a year-round activity that can almost always yield a successful trip. Crabbing trips require minimal gear, often available for rent in coastal towns, and while boat crabbing increases your likelihood for success, dockside crabbing is easy and very accessible. Before crabbing, be aware of crab regulations. Knowledge of where, when, and how to crab will increase your chances for success.
HOW TO GO CRABBING
WHERE TO GO CRABBING IN NEWPORT
Bayfront shore crabbing
Crabbing can be done along Newport’s Bayfront at the Bay St. Pier and the Abbey St. Pier. Dungeness and red rock crabs can be caught here.
Public pier crabbing
The popular pier located near the Rogue Brewery can be productive for Dungeness crab in the summer and fall months. At other times of the year, red rock crab can be caught. Crabbers seem to have the best luck towards the end of the pier.
Boat crabbing
Crabbers with boats set gear throughout Yaquina Bay, avoiding placing gear in the main navigation channel. Crabbing near the north jetty can be productive on an incoming tide, but the waters can be rough for really small boats when the summer wind picks up. Most of the crabbing in Yaquina Bay occurs upriver near the gas plant, on either side of the main navigation channel.
SCUBA ACCESS
The south jetty features a number of sand entrainment structures, often referred to as “the fingers.” They make nice shore or boat dives but should only be attempted at slack water.
Boat launches
South Beach Marina
The main boat launch for crabbers and clammers in Yaquina Bay. Small aluminum boats can be rented from the South Beach Marina and the Embarcadero.
Sawyer’s Landing
A boat lift and moorage.
WHEN TO GO CRABBING
Legal season
Crabbing is open in estuaries (i.e., bays), beaches, tide pools, piers, and jetties year-round. Crabbing in the ocean is CLOSED for crabbing from Oct. 16 through Nov. 30.
Time of year
Fall is typically the best time to crab. Beginning in September, crabs will tend to be more “filled out,” meaning there is a higher percentage of quality meat. You can tell meat quality by the condition of the shell. Hard-shelled crabs will contain 20-30 percent meat by weight, compared to soft-shelled crabs which can be as low as 12 percent meat. After heavy rainfall and resulting freshets, crabs tend to be less abundant in the bays.
Time of day
“Slack water” (the times of peak high or low tide) are the best times to crab. During swift tidal exchanges, crabs often bury themselves, but at slack water, more crab are walking around foraging, since they are being less affected by tidal currents.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Make sure it’s safe to crab
Check the shellfish hotline – When there are high levels of domoic acid or other biotoxins in ocean waters, all or part of the Oregon coast may be closed to crab harvesting for public safety.
Before leaving for a crabbing (or clamming) trip, always check the Oregon Department of Agriculture website or call the ODA hotline at 1-800-448-2474 for any current closures.
Shellfish and biotoxins – Learn more about the effect of biotoxins on crab and crab harvesting.
Check ocean conditions – If you’re taking your boat out to crab in the ocean, be sure conditions are safe for a day on the water. Check the weather forecast, current ocean conditions and bar restrictions before you go.
What to Prepare
Regardless of where and how you go crabbing, you’ll need to prepare a few items to start. These are what to pack:
A list of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, Crab gauge measuring tool, More than 40 feet of rope, Crab bait, A buoy, crabbing supplies like pots, rings, bait holders and cooler, Shellfishing license for Oregon
Don’t Forget
To check all the lines on your crab pots or rings for kinks or knots to
ensure they are durable and will allow gear to work correctly
Make sure all your buoys are well-marked per regulations so you can tell which pots are yours.
Speaking of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, here are the rules and limitations to follow when crabbing:
A crabber should use only 3 pieces of crab gear, either pots or rings
They should not harvest any more than 12 male Dungeness crabs that measure 6 inches or more
Besides this, remember to dress up for the occasion! Depending on that day’s weather, dress up in warm clothes and gloves.
Baiting your gear
Many different types of meat are used for crab baits: turkey, chicken, mink, fish carcass, shad, herring, clams, etc… But whatever you use, fresh bait is best.
There are many ways to secure your crab bait. As long as the bait stays in the gear when crabbing, and the crabs can get to it, most methods will work.
Keep in mind that seals and sea lions will eat any attractive bait that they can get — including bait laying out on a crab ring. You can avoid this problem by using a bait bag, using bait that they don’t eat (e.g., turkey legs) and avoiding areas where they are prevalent.
WAYS TO CRAB
From a boat:
- Remember to set your crab gear outside of navigational channels.
- Set pots far enough apart so that you aren’t competing with your own gear.
- Try to allow 30-60 minutes before retrieving your gear if you are crabbing with pots and 10-15 minutes if you are crabbing with rings.
From a dock:
- Tie the end of your crab line to the dock or pier from where you are crabbing.
- Throw your crab pot or ring in the water to start crabbing.
- Try to allow 30-60 minutes before retrieving your gear if you are crabbing with crab pots and 10-15 minutes if you are crabbing with rings.
Retrieving your gear
From a boat:
- Locate your buoy and approach slowly along the side of the boat.
- Grab the crab line just below the buoy with your hand or a gaff.
- A “crab davit” makes retrieval much easier on your back.
- When using crab rings, be sure to pull quickly at first to get the ring into a basket shape so you don’t lose the crab.
From a dock:
- Grab your crab line below where you have attached it to the dock or pier and pull your crab ring or pot to the surface.
- If you’re using crab rings, remember to retrieve at a consistent speed in order to keep the sides of the ring over the crabs to avoid losing any.
YOU CAUGHT SOMETHING NOW WHAT?
Sorting crab
Quickly sort through crab, being careful to not break crab legs or get your fingers pinched.
Female and male Dungeness
- Be extra cautious when reaching into a pot or ring full of crab. Handle the crab from the rear with a thumb on the underside or by grasping the rear legs.
- Be sure to carefully and quickly release unwanted crab; do not drop them from high docks or piers, as this may crack their shell and kill them.
- Keep only male Dungeness crab (see the difference here)
- Once harvested, European green crab may not be returned to the water.
Measuring crab
- Measure all male crab with a crab gauge. Legal Dungeness crab must be male and at least 5 ¾ inches across the back (NOT including the spines) or wider.
- When measuring make sure you measure in a straight line across the back immediately in front of, but NOT including the last points.
- Measurement points
Keeping crab quality
- Store legal-size “keeper” crabs in a cooler with ice or ice packs, or in a bucket or cooler with water.
- If you keep your crabs in a bucket or cooler with water, make sure to change the water frequently to keep the water cool and ensure they don’t run out of oxygen in the water.
- Releasing “soft shell” crab is strongly recommended. Soft shelled crab are newly molted and are essentially a small crab in a big crab’s body. Meat pick out can be very low (as little as half that of a crab in good condition) and the quality of the meat is usually stringy and not as delicious.
COMMONLY CAUGHT CRAB SPECIES
Commonly caught crab species
Dungeness crab
Dungeness crab
About: Adult Dungeness crab forage on a number of fish and invertebrate species. They are relatively short lived crustaceans with a maximum life expectancy of about 10 years. Every spring, female Dungeness molt, which attracts male crabs to both mate with and protect them while their shells are soft. Males molt in the late summer. Since the males do not have a protector while their shells are soft, they generally bury themselves in the sand, making them more difficult to attract to crab pots.
Habitat: They can be found throughout the sandy and muddy areas in the shallowest parts of lower estuaries all the way to ocean depths of 2,000 feet.
Best identification characters:
- White tipped claws
- Ten carapace spines (widest at 10th)
- Color reddish-brown to purple
Red rock crab
Red rock crab
About: People often mistakenly think that red rock crabs are non-native but red rock crabs are in fact a native species found in the fossil record, as well as in Native American middens. They are an important component of Oregon estuaries and nearshore areas, and even help estuary ecosystems by eating invasive species such as green crab.
Habitat: As the name implies, red rock crab prefer the harder substrate habitats such as rocks, pilings and other structure. Red rock crab prefer higher salinities than Dungeness crab and therefore are usually found in larger estuaries, close to the ocean. They are most common in Tillamook, Yaquina and Coos bays where there is plentiful rocky substrates.
Best identification characters:
- Black tipped claws
- Wide “fan” shaped carapace
- Color typically a deep brick red
A similar relative: The Pacific rock crab inhabits similar habitats as the red rock crab, however is more often found in the nearshore ocean. Occasionally, these crab are caught in the bay. They are easily discerned from red rock crab by their spotted undersides, brown/ purple color, and hairier legs. Its species name “antennarius” is Latin meaning “antennae,” referring to the noticeable longer antennae when compared to other cancer crabs.
European Green Crab (Invasive Species)
This European native is not a welcome addition to our waters. It’s invasive and often outcompetes our native crab species. You’re encouraged to keep up to 35 of these small crabs. Though too small to crack for meat, they can make a yummy stock packed with umami flavors.
Best identification characters:
To identify a green (aka five spine) crab, count the spines outside of each eye. There should be five.
DUNGENESS CRAB
RED ROCK CRAB
EUROPEAN GREEN CRAB
QUICK TIPS FROM EXPERTS
If you crabbing from docks or piers, you’ll find that it’s actually easier and more affordable compared to crabbing from boats. However, take note that the availability of crabs is limited to one area where you drop traps.
When in Newport, head to the Port of Newport public fishing pier by South Beach, or the piers of Abbey Street and Bay Street from Historic Bayfront. These are the best crabbing spots.
As you prepare for crabbing, tie off the ends of the crab line to the chosen pier, positioning your pots and rings to prevent interfering with any boat traffic.
If you will use pots, allow them to sit undisturbed for about an hour or so before you pull it in to check the catch. If you use rings, allow them to sit for 10 minutes (or more) before you check them. Pull them consistently, allowing your basket shape to catch all crabs in your trap.
Crab rings and pots are affordable and can be bought anywhere in the Newport Area. You can also rent them, which is more affordable especially for those who are crabbing for the first time.
Extra Tips to Follow
Besides what was mentioned above, what else should you know about crabbing?
One helpful tip for successful catches is to ask crabbers from the docks and piers. They can help you find the best location for crabbing, the baits that work, the crabs being caught, among more information.
When you now have crabs to bring home, what’s next? Obviously, it’s to cook them well! There are so many dishes you can make to feast on your catch. However, before you cook and eat, make sure that you clean them and wash out all their guts.
ABOUT OUR COMMERCIAL FLEET
Trapping Crab
Dungeness crabbing is seasonal, usually from December 1 to August 15. The majority of the catch occurs during the first two months of the season. Most vessels participate in a combination of other fisheries during various times of the year.
Crabbers are rigged with a large hydraulic block (crab block or gurdy). Mounted just behind the pilot house, it is used to haul in pots. Because the catch is delivered to the market live, the vessels have a circulating seawater system in their holds. Most pots are circular, measure three to four feet across, and weigh from 75 to 120 pounds. The 3⁄4-inch welded steel frames are wrapped with strips of used inner tube to protect the steel from corrosion. Stainless steel wire is used to weave a three- to four-inch-diameter mesh over the wrapped frame. Tunnels on opposite sides allow crabs to enter the trap. The traps are baited with herring, squid, or razor clams. A ring on the top side gives undersized crabs an escape route. A single line with usually two cylindrical plastic buoys is attached to the trap. Buoys are marked or colored to distinguish one vessel’s pots from another. Each fisherman has an ODFW-registered number on the bouys.
Crab boats typically have a two- to four-person crew. The crew pushes the pots over one at a time as the vessel follows a particular depth line, usually between 3 and 80 fathoms (a fathom equals six feet). Pots are retrieved one at a time by snagging the buoy line with a hooked pole. The line is placed in the block, which hauls the pot into the vessel. Each vessel is allowed to fish a certain maximum number of pots (check current regulations). When the traps come up, they are emptied, the catch is sorted, and the pot is rebaited and put back out. A two-person crew can average 30 to 40 pots an hour. Traps can hold up to 60 crabs. Crab pots are checked every one to seven days, depending on fishing conditions.
Managing the Crab Fishery
The fishery is managed with limited entry permits (fishermen need a permit to fish for crabs, and only 450 permits are issued for this fishery). Furthermore, the fishery is managed by size and sex restrictions, ensuring a healthy population. Only male crabs are harvested, and the shell on the crab has to be at least 6 1⁄4 inches. This size is reached at four years of age and allows the crab to reproduce for one to two years before being harvested. The crabs can live to be 9 to 10 years old. Landings of Dungeness crab range from 3 million to 18 million pounds, with the average catch at 10 million. Dungeness crab populations fluctuate a great deal from year to year, depending on oceanographic conditions. Dungeness crab rivals Maine lobster as a gourmet item, and in recent years a live crab market has developed.