Whole Zine

TRAVEL
SPOTLIGHT
© Angela Ivy
© Angela Ivy
CRABBING
ON HOOD CANAL
Skip the expensive restaurants,
and take a day out on Hood
Canal for some fun catching
your own fresh seafood.
by Margo Greenman
1
2
3
But before you get your hands messy in the kitchen, load
up your gear and get your hands wet by catching your own
Dungeness crab in the Hood Canal. Hood Canal crabbing
is a great way to enjoy a sunny, summer day on the water
before creating a summertime spread in your backyard.
Crabbing, which the Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife explains is “one of the Puget Sound's most popular
recreational fisheries,” is a favorite pastime for many and
an exciting new adventure for others. If you’re just getting
ready to set your pots for the first time — or if it’s been a
while and you need a quick refresher — there are a few things
you should remember before dropping your crab pots.
GETTING READY
Before you hit the water, there are a few items you will need
for a fun, successful day of crabbing around the Hood Canal.
First and foremost, you must have a fishing license. Fishing
licenses vary in price depending on whether you purchase a
one-day or annual pass. For fishing license types and prices,
visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife online.
In addition to a fishing license, you'll also need a gauge
for measuring your crab. It is illegal to collect Dungeness
crabs that are smaller than six-and-one-quarter-inches across.
Using a gauge like this one will ensure that your crabs meet
the required measurement. You'll also want to educate
yourself on the difference between what male and female
crabs look like, as collecting female crabs is prohibited.
Finally, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
requires that crabbers record their haul on a Catch Record
Card before reporting their catch (even if it’s zero) online.
GEAR UP
In addition to items required by the Washington State
Department of Fish and Wildlife, you'll also want to make sure
you have the proper equipment for catching Dungeness crab.
While there are several ways to catch crab, crab pots are the
most common. You can find crab pots and the equipment that
goes with them — red and white crab buoys (so you can find
your pots after you drop them), line (so you can pull your pots
back up) and biodegradable escapement devices (e.g. a pot
lid hook) — at most sporting goods stores.
Make sure to bring along some good bait and a cooler with
ice to store your haul in. Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife says fish carcasses, clams and squid work best for baiting
crabs, but chicken and turkey work, too. While packing these
things, don’t forget other essentials that you’ll need while out in
the boat. Food, water and sunscreen are all a must if you want to
make the most of your day.
WHERE TO GO
A day crabbing on the Hood Canal is a fun-filled activity for the
whole family. You’re all packed up and ready to go, but where do
you go? The Hood Canal can be accessed from several different
launch sites around the area. These launch sites, which include the
Skokomish Park at Potlatch, Quilcene Marina and Twanoh State
Park among others, are all listed on the overview page for Marine
Area 12 on the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website. Once
you’re in the water, the Department of Fish and Wildlife recommends
following a few easy steps that will make dropping (and
retrieving) your crab pots easy and fun.
First, be sure to set your crab pots in areas free of strong
currents and heavy boat traffic. Pots that are set in these areas
are more likely to get lost. To ensure retrieval of your pots, the
Department and Fish and Wildlife recommends: knowing your
water depth, using the correct length of line, using extra buoys
where strong currents are present, and using a GPS system to
mark your buoys.
Once you pull up your pots, remember that you can only
collect male crabs that are at least six-and-one-quarter-inches
across. Each licensed crabber on board your watercraft can keep
up to five male crabs.
Once the pot has sat for several hours, pull them up and see what is in them!
Gear up — Pot, Flag, Rope
Check the length with a gauge
© Angela Ivy
© Angela Ivy
58 | cascadiamag.com
August/September 2017 | 59