Recreational Sport
Crab Season
is here!
Hundreds, if not thousands of people have streamed into Pillar Point RV Park and the surrounding area as sport fishing dungeness crab season officially opens. And, they are hauling them in today, along with Rock Cod and other fish. It's an exciting day and we'll be updating this post to tell you more about it.
(Thanks to Tom Stine for this sunrise shot at the boat launch)
Here are some of the catch that came in on Saturday afternoon (11/3/12). Everyone appeared to have caught their limit for the day, so spirits were high...
Dungeness crab is the most abundant crab in Calfornia
The recreational fishery for
Dungeness crab is open from November 3, 2012 through June 30, 2013. Recreational crabbing for Dungeness crab is not allowed from vessels licensed for commercial Dungeness crab fishing.
The daily limit is 10 crab.
The minimum size limit is 5¾ inches measured by the shortest through the body from edge of shell to edge of shell in front of and excluding the lateral spines.
Keeping female crabs is strictly prohibited.
A) a male crab (B) a female crab
Half Moon Bay Sportfishing and Tackle
This place has every kind of crab gear you will need from deep water to from the shore equipment. They will give you the basics of catching crab and direct you to areas where you can catch crab, including off the jetty in front of Pillar Point RV Park.
27 Johnson Pier
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
650-728-3377
The New Coastside #2 Bait & Tackle1604 Francisco Blvd.Pacifica, CA 94044
650-359-9790Don't forget to get your fishing license!
There is one thing you will need regardless of how you catch crabs, and that is a fishing license. You will need a license to catch crabs, or do any other types of fishing.
Crabbing qualifies as sport fishing. The kind of license you need to purchase is a tidal water fishing license. Be sure you don't mistakenly buy the fresh water one. You can't use that to legally catch the two species of crab that you want. Get an idea of all the different methods used to catch crab. At this website:
http://crabbing.tonyjiang.com/wyn.htmGame wardens are stationed daily at Pillar Point Harbor, the launch site and along the jetty, so be sure you follow the rules or they will give you a ticket.
SIMPLE GUIDE TO CRABBING
http://crabbing.tonyjiang.com/crabmethod.htm