![]() Then again, we could drop them early in the morning at 5am for a quick soak through the low tide change, the currents will slack out and could be good! But I think we will sleep in, get to the boat in the late morning, and set our pots at around noon. As much as I love the productiveness of overnight soaks, it is not ideal with the tides, and chances are they probably will get swept out to sea if not heavily weighted. If we set our pots the night before, they will be fishing through a nearly 12′ tidal exchange before we can get to them in the morning. In this make-believe scenario this day is confirmed open for crabbing where we plan on going. I think I want to go crabbing that day but need to plan on when to soak my pots. These are the Seattle tides from Monday, August 16, 2021. I always research the tides before planning my next crabbing adventure. ![]() This is not optimal! If the tidal movement is light, say 3′ – 6′, crabbing will be more pleasurable and productive. Here’s an example: If you drop your pots in an area that is directly impacted heavily by any tide, and the tide is say, a 12′ exchange (the water height is going to move 12′ in the 6 hour window between high- and low-tide), then your chances of catching a pot full of crab are low, but the chances that the strong currents will sweep your pots away are high. Puget Sound Dungeness Crab are easy to catch! Use good bait, don’t get set your expectations too high but don’t be surprised if you catch your limit and need to throw the extras back!Ĭheck out the 2022 Puget Sound Crabbing Seasons Post Being super-prepared is always the best strategy. Other years can be challenging to catch a couple keepers for the day. This means that some years in some areas your pots will be loaded. Although, the meal that follows is even better.ĭungeness Crab populations in Puget Sound are cyclical. The anticipation of pulling up a crab pot and seeing it loaded with Dungeness Crab is quite a rewarding experience. It is as simple as picking a spot, dropping a crab pot or two, letting it soak for a few hours or overnight if you wish. You can head out in a protected area in a kayak or stand up paddle board if you want! Use whatever vessel you have. Crabbing doesn’t require expensive equipment or a large boat. Puget Sound CrabbingĬatching Dungeness Crab is a fairly straight-forward endeavor. We went out one winter day and hauled in quite the bounty! 13 Dungeness Crab kept for a 3 hour soak. One of my earliest memories was pulling up crab pots with my dad and brother, and have been creating great memories on Puget Sound ever since! If you already have a pile of crab and need help preparing them, please check out my other post How to Cook Dungeness Crab like a professional chef. ![]() I wrote this post for everyone that is eager to join in the fun of Puget Sound crabbing. They prefer a habitat of eelgrass beds, sandy or gravel sea floor, and typically live in waters less than 150 feet in depth. They can reach 8 inches and weigh a hefty two pounds. They are so delicious that about a quarter million crabbing licenses are sold in Puget Sound every year.ĭungeness Crab have deliciously sweet meat and are found throughout Puget Sound. Dungeness Crab are one of the tastiest shellfish that we find in Puget Sound. Small boats work the nearshore waters, the baiting and setting and pulling of pots all for a payout of big hard shell crab. Puget Sound is a summer paradise and Dungeness Crab are arguably the most sought after bounty. Summer wouldn’t be the same in Puget Sound without going crabbing for Dungeness!
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