How To Crab

By Tanis Boganis

Rod fishing for Dungeness crabs is my solution to solving the age old mystery of the most common crabbing debates (i.e. times, tides and baits). Find your hotspot and fish for crab with a rod, it’s so much fun, rewarding and a hands on approach to crab fishing. None of this set a crab trap and wait a couple of hours business.

Over the course of any given summer I pretty much try every possible crabbing technique to get a Dungeness crab on my dinner plate. I’m out on the water a lot and have plenty of time on my hands to experiment.

These summers have taught me a thing or two about catching crabs but the main thing that sticks out is to never veer off a hot crabbing spot once you find it. So many factors come into play when you’re crab fishing and people offering advice on their tried and true techniques that it’s hard for anyone to find their own perfect strategy.

So find yourself a hot spot and go rod crab fishing. It takes all the guess work out of catching crabs because the results (if your method is working) are instantaneous.

Here’s what you need to get started:

1. A fishing rod with at least 10 lb. test line.
2. An assortment of bait to experiment with.

That’s all that’s required!

Here’s the method:

1. Tie your bait on tightly to the end of the line.
2. Cast your line out.
3. When you have a bite, slowly reel in the crab.
4. When you get the crab close to the boat have a net ready to scoop up the crab.
5. Measure and keep (if it’s legal) or release.
6. Throw your line in again.

Experiment:

Once you have mastered the method experiment to get a feel for what the crabs really like.

• Try different baits.
• Keep a tide book handy and notice a difference in the changing of the tides.
• Cast your line into shallow water or vice/versa.

Do you have some tried and true methods to catching crabs? Let’s here them! Use the comment section below.

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