FYI - 2009 - 2010 Puget Sound Winter Crabbing Season

[G-Man]

I really would have liked to see areas 8-1 and 8-2 open as well, but this beats no crabbing at all during the Winter months.

Two areas of Puget Sound reopen
for late-season crabbing; Hood Canal to close

OLYMPIA – Two marine areas in 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 Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), and most of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) will reopen for sport crabbing seven days a week through Jan. 2, 2010. The portion of Marine Area 9 south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point will remain closed for the season.

Crab fishing also will 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 summer.

Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal), currently open Wednesdays through Saturdays, will close for the season at 6 p.m. Oct. 31.

Sport crabbing will not reopen this year in marine areas 6 (Strait of Juan de Fuca), 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1, 8-2 (east of Whidbey Island) and 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), where the summer catch reached the annual recreational quota, said Rich Childers, WDFW shellfish policy lead.

“We want to give crabbers as much opportunity to fish as possible, but with great weather this summer, we had a lot of people out crabbing and catch rates were high,” Childers said.

Of the more than 236,000 people that were issued Puget Sound crab licenses, 104,634 complied with the Sept. 21 reporting deadline. That includes 70,172 who filed their summer catch reports online.

“The data we receive is important for managing the Puget Sound crab fishery, which is why people are required to submit catch reports,” Childers said.

To increase compliance, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in 2008 approved a $10 fine for failure to file a catch report. Crabbers failing to submit their winter reports, due by Jan.15, will receive the fine when they apply for a 2010 Puget Sound crab endorsement.

State fishing rules require that all sport crabbers submit catch reports whether or not they went fishing or were successful in catching crab. Childers suggested that people who have winter catch cards, but do not intend to go crabbing, send in their catch cards now.

Catch record cards may be mailed to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091. The online reporting system will be available Jan. 3-15 at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/puget_ ... catch.html.

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. Fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across. For more information about recreational crabbing in Puget Sound, see WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab.

[The Quadfather]

7 days a week! Thanks for posting this.

[Toni]

Are there any crabs in area 13? Any docks to fish off of?

[G-Man]

Many moons ago I crabbed off the launch next to the bridge to Hartstene Island. Not overly productive but it produced a few. It's been quite a while though so I can't say what the current condition of the dock or catch rate would be. However, you run right by Spencer lake to get to the launch so if you don't want to fish the Sound while your pots soak you can hit the lake for a few hours!

[Jake Dogfish]

I have crabbed area 13 alot and its mostly a rock crab show. There are a few pockets of Dungees but not many. We went out last week and only got a few rock crab and graceful crab and they were small.

Its too bad they didn't reopen area 11 what a short season.

[Dave]

I can't recall ever seeing a winter crab season in 8-1 or 8-2. It gets fished so hard over the summer that harvest numbers are reached with little effort. I will also say that while out fishing just last Monday for kings in area 8-2, I saw a crab boat pulling gear at the south tip of Camano Island. Amazing!

[potato180]

Hello Gman THanks for the info on winter crabbing. I would like to try crabbing outside of the boat launch near Golden Gardens would that be legal? Is that area open for crabbing? Hope to get some feed back so I can try this winter season thanks!

[G-Man]

potato180 - Just be sure that you are crabbing in water 20+ feet deep and you should be good to go. I say this because the Golden Gardens Marine Preserve covers all waters from high tide to a -4.5 foot low tide inside the boundry listed on page 114 of the regs. I see pots being dropped along the breakwater at Shilshole, so you could give that a try as well.

[The Quadfather]

Is nobobdy crabbing the winter season this year? I am not hearing any chatter. I expect to go out to the North portion of area 10 next week. Somebody tell me something good.
What a time of year though to be on the open water. My boat is totally open.

[Dave]

Is nobobdy crabbing the winter season this year? I am not hearing any chatter. I expect to go out to the North portion of area 10 next week. Somebody tell me something good.
What a time of year though to be on the open water. My boat is totally open.

Hey Chris,

I have been wondering the exact same thing about crab and winter blackmouth. Although I haven't had as many opportunities lately to get out there as I had a few months back, I am a bit surprised to not see any reports for either species. I do understand if this recent cold weather or all the wind we have had the last several weeks is responsible but usually some brave the elements. I have recently seen trucks towing boats towards the launch where I live when I am on my way to work in the early morning but obviously those who are fishing are not posting reports. These crisp clear mornings we have had here lately, including this morning make me want to get out there except it's so darn cold that I'm not sure I want to freeze my butt off in hopes of catching a few crab or maybe a hatchery king. I am buying a propane heater attachment (I already have the propane tank) so I will have heat on board very soon. I also fixed the snaps around the window frame of my Hewescraft so the top/sides are back on and will hold the heat in once I get the heater. Anyway, I'm glad you brought this up. I was curious as well. Hope you are well.

Dave

[goodtimesfishing]

I sure wish 8-2 was open too...I can crab right in front of my house and watch the floats from my living room window(crabbed just about every day of reg season)

[datsun]

heh, I just moved to an apt for a cheaper place to live, But if I ever move again Im really considering something like that, get a nice view/river access or something would be a real bonus!

I'm way Jealous goodtimesfishing!

[Dave]

Same here GTF. I'm almost as close, about 4 minutes to the salt. Crabbing is open in 8-2, just not to the public. The tribes and commercial crabbers get what seems like about 90% of the crab, not the sportsman. Thank you Washington State! Great choice..............%*&()^)%^#(%*&)^*)*&%&#$ !!!!!

[Jake Dogfish]

Illegal sportfisherman get there share too. I always see crabbers down at the Des moines Pier, there were some down there the other night...

[Dave]

Good point JD.

[racfish]

IM with Dave. I want 8.1 and 8.2 to open in winter months.Its open to commercial and tribal only.

[saltyseadog]

we went for a boat ride the other day to laconner for lunch and there must of been 200 pots:-& from the north end of camano to jetty at laconner with boats going to and from deception you had to slow way down made navigation a nightmare:-({|= plus it was choppy#-o

[Dave]

SSD,

How long did it take you to get to Laconner from North Camano? We were thinking about taking that same trip when it warms back up. Is there a public dock to tie up to while you have lunch and can you see your boat from the restaurant? Thanks SSD.

Dave

[The Quadfather]

Area 10 today, VERY COLD. Report left in report section.

[saltyseadog]

sup dave:cheers: . yeah from maple grove boat launch it takes about twenty mins to get to the no wake zone. theres a public docks in front of 2 or 3 restaurants (we always go to the same one) its free to dock too if your eatin there. you can sit out side and watch your rig too good grub:chef: and awesome bloody marys nice little day trip when you feel like burnin fuel