The crabbing in area 8-2 got off to a great start this weekend. With a minus 3.5 tide in the middle of the day many folks were out on all the accessible beaches having fun. The crabs were plentiful and nice and hard. It was real nice to get together with friends and enjoy a day on the water...with a great crab dinner afterwards. The parking lot at the Everett boat launch was very crowded and launching was fine even on one of the lowest tides of the year. We used chicken skin from hatchery raised chickens for bait.

Wwent out Friday with three buddies around 10:30. We where back at the dock at 1:00.
Caught a total of 40 keepers and retained our 24. We ran a line of (8) rings. It was a pretty busy fishery. only went through the set (3) times. Hardly time to drink beer.

We got back to Everett, pulled the boat out. Buttoned everything up, and proceeded to clean the crabs. I like ti grab the legs, and wack the belly on the corner of the boat. A little pulling and twisting, and the halves come right out. I prefer to clean at the launch as I will not have all of those crab guts in my garbage.

We are just about done when up walks the enforcement officer. Makes our catch record cards, license, and drivers license match, and that we had our crabs recorded correctly.

Then it was a "OK who is the captain of the boat, who ones the boat." I noted that I was.
He wanted me to show him everybodies limits.

We had a big pile of top shells and guts along with a cooler full of halves, so I started counting top shells, telling him why we clean them at the launch. He said we had to take the top shells home, or he would have to write a ticket for mutilation of shelfish.

I told the officer that the regs say you have to retain the top shell as long as you are in the field. I noted that the boat was on the trailer hooked to the truck, and there was no way we could harvest any more crab, so how could we be in the field.

He said I was in the field until I get to my primary residence. What if my truck is my primary residence? Do I need to retain the shell until I crap out the crab? Or what?

We enjoyed a few crab this weekend also. Actually, I've had crab for dinner the last 3 nights! I know it won't last all summer, but it's nice to have some big ones out there right now.

I see that areas 9 and 12 are opening on June 1st.

Thanks for the info, RK. I would have thought you were out of the field, also. All those guts make for some stinky trash...

Sorry Sport, but your in the field until your catch is home. Good Fishin`

I crabbed friday out by hat island but only got one . I did not start untill very late. I lost a pot (dont ask) I got to watch a big black funnel cloud drop in over south everret. That was a nasty storm late friday. I will be back out this friday to and have a open seat. Tom

Wife and I went wading in 8-2 on Friday and got eight Dungeness. State just announced areas 9 and 12 (Hood Canal) will open June 1.

Hey Tom i know what ya mean i was out there also at that time with cd seattle, didn't see the funnel cloud, but did make a coment that one could drop down any time, heading back toward lynnwood we hit a hail storme that dumped about 2-3inches on I-5 couldn't see the lines on the freeway, crabbing was good been eating crab for the last 4 nights, tonight will be shrimp, man i love liven in the northwest

Good to hear that Area 12 opens 1 June. We were at Dosewallips this weekend and rounded up about 8 or 10 nice ones before we started to really get worried. We CnR'd shortly before WDFW showed up. OOOPs. You can't tell by reading the regulations whats open or when. I would have called the poaching hotline and asked (turned myself in, yeah right!) but there number is no where to be found on a license or punch card. I should have known before I stepped foot on the beach.

We did get a couple of nice goeyducks. They taste as good as they are Ugly! Looking forward to the next series of low tides around 1 June.

Been close to that situation myself Gutz. WDFW web site (click on "Fishing/Shellfishing") does a pretty good job of listing the crabbing regs. You're right about the 'ducs. I used to like to go out to Anna's Bay on the lowest tide of the year and do a combo geoduck/crabbing trip. Brought home lots of good eating. Incidentally, lowest tide this year is June 15 at minus 3.8 feet....

Starcraft Tom if your going to hat island from marysville your running past some of the best crabbing spots when youre crossing mission bar!

Hey Chaser,
I've heard it talked about, but can you give me an idea where Mission Bar is? Thanks.
James

Little Fish. Shot me an E-mail, and I will give you the info you are looking for.

Thanks RK43...I shot you an email.

So, since I am a Geoduck virgin I have to ask..... Where and how do you find them. Just got back from a quick 2 day trip for crabs/clams (from Boise) and was told by a guy that Geoduck is the best. I did find a bunch of Horseclams, and I will post on that later....... You may be surprised.....

Thanks!

MC