I was upset when i heard about the Hood Canal Crab fishery being closed until 1 June, so i sent an email wanting an explanation to the closure. If anyone would like the states reasoning behind the closure please email me at meveleth2@aol.com and i will forward you a copy of the states response to my concerns.

http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/do/jan01/jan1801a.htm

Tribes have to get their 50%. Funny how it doesn't work the other way around in the sportsmen favor.

Would be nice if they would close them down while we get our share. (sportsman) Everyone please be sure to return your punch cards so we can prove that they are getting more than we are. The total they estmated for the sportsman I think is way over what we actually took.

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Sockeye

Since Hood Canal, 8-1, and 8-2 are closed, I was going to try something in Area 9 this weekend. Can you recommend anything? I tried Useless Bay once and it lived up to it's name ;-)

Thanks, and regards.

Mike
Seattle

Mike,
The only other areas i have crabbed and had success have been Westport and S. Puget Sound. S. Puget Sound will yield more rock crab vs. dungeness. In fact, i have never caught a legal dungeness in S. Puget Sound.
Matt

As I've referenced in my post under "Denial of Info ..." thread ... why doesn't this seem to work both ways. Sporties sure haven't seen 50% of the harvest (although I'm not in favor of it) on the coastal rivers, 320 total out of the entire Quillayute system this WHOLE YEAR. Tribes have seen that in just a few decently-timed days. Seems like an avenue to pursue to me!

Tried the northern end of Useless Bay. My buddy and I dropped four pots (baited with coho heads) at 4:00 Saturday afternoon and picked them up at 9:00 the next morning -- 8 undersized, 1 keeper :-(

Not much point trying until Areas 7 and 8 open back up.

Mike
Seattle

The indians claim that the sportys and the comercials got 100,000 #s over there alotment

that is why puget is closed-----------**** i dont believe sportys even come close to that on a good yr --go figure------

yes send in your cards---that way it is in hard numbers--gives em somethin to go by

what i cant figure is how in the hell they figure we are 100,000#s over our allotment when the cards havent been sent in yet ???

there are 6 active crabbers on this side by port gambel that i know of and they can average 300#s to 600#s per day---25 pots-----now i crab the area also and last yr i got about 15 keepers----and that boat launch isnt full 24-7--so how in the hell did the sportys get wammed

the comercials *****ed and they got theres opened back up----but I never even heard of a ***** sesion

well am gettin steamed up again

good luck all

I just went to the Discovery Bay crab/shrimp meeting this evening in Gardiner, put on by WDFW, Pt. Whitney staff. They said there are 5 Hood Canal crab public meetings coming up, starting March 28. Watch the "shellfish" section at the WDFW web site for details, then attend the meetings!

This year will be the first year for the punch cards, that is why its so important to return them. In past years they just went around counting bouys. Maybe they figured everybody always got there limit. I know my punch card is no where near full!