The Easiest Ways to Catch Yourself Some Crabs

Hey there! If you’re reading this you’re probably interested in learning how to catch some tasty crabs. Well you’ve come to the right place, because I’m going to walk you through some of the easiest ways to catch crabs so you can have a fun day out on the water and enjoy a delicious crab feast after.

The Best Places to Look for Crabs

The first thing you need to know is where crabs like to hang out. You’re going to have the best luck finding them in shallow ocean waters saltwater bays and estuaries. Anywhere that has a sandy or muddy bottom is prime real estate for crabs. They like to bury themselves in the sediment so just their eyes and claws are poking out to snatch up food.

Some specific places I’d recommend are

• Along ocean beaches, especially near rock jetties.
• In seagrass beds. The long grasses provide protection.
• Near pier pilings. Crabs congregate where fish scraps fall in the water.
• Along tidal creeks. Just look for muddy banks.
• In saltwater marshes. The muddy bottoms are ideal habitat.

The Best Times to Catch Crabs

Timing is everything when it comes to crab fishing. You want to aim for peak activity periods when crabs are out searching for food.

The best times are:

• An hour or two before and after high tide. Crabs get active when the tide comes in.
• At night. Crabs are more active under cover of darkness.
• During molting season. Crabs hide to shed their shell and are easier to catch right after.

I’d avoid slack tides when water isn’t moving much. Crabs tend to hunker down and will be harder to find.

Catching Crabs with Bait

The classic way to catch crabs is by using bait and waiting for them to come to you. This is an easy, family-friendly method. Here’s the basic process:

Gear Up

• Crab net (the round ones work best)
• Bait (chicken, fish, or squid)
• Fishing line
• Weights
• Bucket

Bait Your Traps

• Cut bait into small pieces and thread onto the fishing line, alternating with weights.
• Tie the end when your line is filled. This is your bait string.
• Tie the bait string to the center bottom of the crab net.

Set Your Traps

• Find a good spot in shallow water.
• Gently lower the baited crab net so it rests on the seafloor. The bait should sit 1-2 inches above the bottom.
• Let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Crabs will smell the bait and crawl in for a snack.

Check and Retrieve

• Slowly pull up the net keeping it horizontal. This prevents crabs from falling out.
• Shake the net over a bucket to empty the crabs inside.
• Re-bait the net and drop it back down to catch more.

It takes patience, but it’s fun to feel the crabs tugging on the line and see them crawling into your trap.

Catch Crabs by Hand

For a more hands-on experience, you can catch crabs by hand using just a few basic supplies. Here’s how to do it:

Gear Up

• Fishing gloves
• Dip net
• Bucket or cooler

Find Your Crabs

• Wade along shallow shores or flats and look for movement or claws sticking out of the mud.
• Also check near submerged vegetation. Crabs love to hide among seagrasses and reeds.

Catch Your Prey

• Move slowly and quietly to sneak up on them.
• In one quick motion, plunge your net over the top of the crab and scoop it up before it can run away.
• You can also gently grab crabs from behind their claws if you’re wearing gloves.

Retrieve and Reset

• Carefully transfer crabs from your net to a bucket of water.
• Sort through and throw back undersized crabs or protected egg-bearing females.
• Keep large males for eating.
• Rinse any mud off in the water before heading home.

Hand catching is cheap, eco-friendly, and super satisfying!

Create Your Own Crab Traps

You can easily make crab traps at home with some simple, inexpensive materials. Here’s how:

Choose Your Container

• Medium sized plastic jugs or bottles work great. Squared shapes hold more.
• Make sure there’s a screw top lid to easily add bait.
• Clean thoroughly and remove all labels.

Add Entryways

• Use scissors to cut 3-5 holes around the sides of the container near the bottom.
• Make them just big enough for crabs to crawl through. 2 inches is ideal.

Create Your Trap

• Place bait like fish heads inside the jug. Squid and chicken work too.
• Replace the lid tightly.
• Tie a rope through the handle and attach weights on the other end.

Set Your Traps

• Head to your favorite crabbing spot and look for good areas to place the traps.
• Lower them slowly to the bottom and space them at least 5 feet apart.
• Let them soak for 30-60 minutes then pull up slowly.

It’s super gratifying to pull up a trap filled with feisty crabs! And reusable traps let you catch and release undersized crabs.

Use a Crab Pot for Large Catches

For the best chance at grabbing a large quantity of crabs, I’d recommend using a traditional crab pot. Here’s how to rig one up:

Get Your Gear

• Circular crab pot with funnel-shaped openings
• Bait bag – fill with fish carcasses or chicken parts
• Cotton rope for lowering and lifting the pot
• Floats to mark your pots
• Bait binder to keep the pot from opening

Ready Your Pot

• Place the bait bag in the middle and tie the rope to the center chimney.
• Make sure all door flaps can open and close freely.

Set Your Pots

• Position crab pots in places crabs frequent – drop offs, creek mouths, structure.
• Use a float on the surface attached to the rope so you can find them.
• Space pots 35-50 feet apart.

Retrieve and Re-Bait

• Pull up pots slowly to keep crabs inside.
• Measure crabs – throw back undersized ones and females with eggs.
• Keep the keeper males then re-bait and drop pots back down.

With the right locations and techniques, you’ll be pulling up pots full of feisty crabs in no time!

Cook Your Catch into a Delicious Crab Feast

Now the best part – eating your catch! Crabs are deliciously sweet when fresh. Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare them:

• Crab Boil – Boil whole crabs in seasoned water with vegetables like corn, onions, and potatoes. Crack and pick the meat from the shells.

• Soft Shell Crabs – Batter and fry just-molted soft shell crabs for a crispy treat. They’re fully edible!

• Crab Cakes – Mix lump crab meat with bread crumbs, egg, and spices. Pan fry into hearty crab cakes.

• Crab Dip – Blend together crab, cream cheese, mayo, and spices. Bake and serve with crackers, veggies or bread.

People can catch crabs using various methods, including traps, lines with bait, and nets. Crab traps, often baited with fish or chicken, are submerged and left for a period, then retrieved with crabs inside.