1. What kind of Crab do you want to catch?
2. Do you want to Crab from a boat, dock, or shore?
3. Type of Crab Traps to Rent?
What kind of Crab do you want to catch?
Dungeness Crab -- Claw meat and leg meat is considered better than body meat due to appearance (whole lumps) and texture (less stringy). Dungeness crabs are a West Coast favorite known for their tasty, very sweetmeat. The Dungeness crab is a crab species that inhabits eelgrass beds and sandy bottoms on the west coast of North America. It typically grows 7 inches to 8 inches across the shell and is a popular seafood
Rock Crab
The Rock Crab has tender flesh with good crab flavor. It’s best “eat from the shell” Crab because the flakey flesh is a bit difficult to remove. Yield is meager, with a 1-pound crab yielding 2.6 ounces of crab meat (16%). Rock Crab like rocky marine environments, jetties, and tide pools, under and around rocks. Rock crabs possess a hard exoskeleton, enabling them to live successfully in the harsh rocky tidal environment.
Any CRAB IS good, Crab -- But Dungeness is the best. At its freshest, Dungeness crab tastes only as oceanic as the wind off the water, more delicate and closer to sweet than anything from the bottom of the sea should imaginably be.
The Sustainable Living Center in Lincoln City is running a series of tests to determine which Crab trap will catch the most "Keepers." A Keeper measures at least five (5) ¾ inches across the shell.
There are three (3) places to Carb along the 25 miles between Lincoln City and Newport, Oregon.
1. Newport
2. Depoe Bay
3. Lincoln City
Newport is situated on Yaquina Bay. Yaquina Bay is a massive 25 square mile of a semi-enclosed water body with a free connection to the Pacific Ocean. It has both rocky and sandy bottom with eelgrass beds. There are two (2) free Crab docks available -- One by the Rogue Brewery-- One by the Cannery on Bay Street. There are boat rentals in Newport.
Depoe Bay and the bay have the same name. The bay is a 6-acre harbor that the city promotes as the world’s smallest navigable harbor. It has a rocky bottom. There is one (1) free Crab dock available -- It is next to Coast Guard Station. It is only available during daylight hours. There are no boat rentals in Depoe Bay. No boat rentals for the bay, but boat rentals are available to Crab the ocean. Mainly Rocky Crab are caught here. There is no limit on the size on Rock Crab, and the limit is 24/day.
Lincoln City is situated north of Siletz Bay. Siletz Bay is located on the Oregon coast at Lincoln City. The bay is approximately 1461 acres in area and has a watershed of approximately 373 square miles. It is nearly all sandy bottom with eelgrass beds making it perfect for Dinginess Cab. There is a dock, but due to deposited silt, it cannot be used for crabbing. There are boat rentals in Siletz Bay, but most crabbing in Siletz Bay is from the beach between MO’s restaurant at 860 Southwest 51st Street, Lincoln City, OR, and the ocean.
Type of Crab Traps to Rent?
Three (3) different styles of Crab Traps are available to rent
Danielson Crab Trap….. is a "SOAKER" type of Crab Trap. Meaning you pull the trap after it has soaked for an hour or so. It is 2 ft by 2 ft by 1 ft. Danielson works by using the Crab's instincts to trap itself. It lures the Crab with bait bag into the large cage through strategically placed openings that they can enter, but cannot escape.
Ring Crab Trap .... The concept is straightforward: bait the crabs into the ring and "pull" the trap up when you think the crabs are inside of it. The absolute most straightforward crab ring is a two-ring crab net. You should pull the Crab Ring up quickly as the outer ring forms a wall so the Crab cannot escape. You will pull a Crab Ring up every 5 -10 minutes depending on the crab activity.
Two (2) different Quick Pull Crab Traps Quick Pull are available
1. Crab Trapper
2. Crab Rings
These Traps means you have to continually pull the trap every 5 – 10 minutes to snare the crabs. There is no advantage in leaving your ring or pot overnight. This type of crabbing is usually done from a dock or boat.
Ring Crab Trap .... The concept is straightforward: bait the crabs into the ring and "pull" the trap up when you think the crabs are inside of it. The absolute most straightforward crab ring is a two-ring crab net. You should pull the Crab Ring up quickly as the outer ring forms a wall so the Crab cannot escape. You will pull a Crab Ring up every 5 -10 minutes depending on the crab activity.
The trap forms a clamshell with the sides coming up and trapping the Crab. Since they are the smallest of the traps,
Crab Max Trap ... Crab Max consists of two metal netted 18? triangular sides. When lying flat, it takes the shape of a square 18? X 18?. It is the only Crab trap that can be used from the shore as well from a dock, pier or boat. It is the smallest of the three traps. It is excellent for women and children to use. It can be used from a kayak, Crab-Cat, or boat with limited space.
Bait & Bait Bags
Any bait will works. Phase one will use fresh chicken. Things that are natural to crabs seem to do better, such as fish carcasses, squid, clams, and the like. Natural baits also have a downside in that seals seem to love them as much as the Crab. Phase one uses a bait bag to keep the seals at bay. It will also help to keep the Crab on your bait longer.
Bait not furnished
Any bait will work. A lot of people use chicken. Fish guts are a good one. Things that are natural to crabs seem to do better. This includes using fish carcasses, squid, clams, and the like. Using these natural baits also has a downside in that seals seem to love them as much as the Crab does. A bait bag will often keep the seals at bay. It will also help to keep the Crab on your bait longer. Raw chicken is recommended. Crab will consume two (2) chicken drumstick/trap per hour
Gloves, Boats, Crab License, and the Best time to Crab
Gloves prevent jellyfish stings from tentacles wrapped around your rope, along with alleviating some of the pain that comes with handling crabs.
Boots -- Since you on the shore of the Siletz Bay, it is easy to step into the water Rubber Boots are nice to have.
“Slack water,” also called “Slack Tide” (the times of peak high or low tide), are the best times to Crab. During swift tidal exchanges Crab often bury themselves, but at slack water, more crabs are walking around foraging, since they are less affected by tidal currents.
Crab License -- must-have
Can be purchased online CLICK HERE @ www crablicense.com or Lincoln City @ Bi-Mart or Newport @ Fred Meyers
1. Oregon State Resident = $10
2. Three (3) Day out of State = $19
YOU ONLY NEED ONE license PER THREE (3) CRAB TRAPS …
www.SiletzRental.com is the only company to rent all three types of Crab Traps. They are available at the Pick-Up location at 82 Siletz Highway. The Pick-Up location is under the north end of the Siletz River bridge at 82 Siletz Hwy. That is 2 miles south of Lincoln City, where Hwy 101 & RT 229 intersect.
Purchase
Crab Trap & line Only =$40/each
Crab Trapper Set = Three (3) Crab Trapper Traps with lines + (3) Bait Bag + (1) Bucket + (1) Crab Gauge = $100
Rent for 24 hours mix or match Traps types
Crab Trapper Set = Three (3) Crab Trapper Traps + (1) Bait Bag + (1) Bucket + (1) Crab Gauge = $40 If you want to rent, please complete the Trap Reservation form below.
After you complete the reservation form, you will receive an email from the Reservation Manager with the price and the best time to Crab.