Well, let me tell ya ’bout this crabbin’ thing down in Waldport, Oregon. Folks say you ain’t really seen the Oregon Coast lessen you gone crabbin’. Sounds ’bout right to me! I ain’t no fancy expert or nothin’, but I done heard tell, and I seen it myself, you can go crabbin’ all year ’round.
Any ol’ time you wanna go, you can throw yer pots in the bays, off the beaches, even in them little tide pools, if you’re feelin’ lucky. Piers and jetties too, they work just fine. But now, the smart folks, they say September to November, that’s the sweet spot. That’s when them crabs is big and juicy, and you don’t gotta throw back so many little fellers. Late summer and early winter, they ain’t bad neither, but you might be pullin’ up a whole lotta small ones. And trust me, ain’t nothin’ more frustratin’ than haulin’ up a pot full of crabs that ain’t big enough to keep. Waste of good bait, that’s what it is.
- Time of year matters: September to November is best
- Where to crab: Bays, beaches, tide pools, piers, and jetties
- Size matters: You gotta throw back the little ones.
Now, crabbin’ and clammin’, they go hand in hand ’round here. All year long, you can dig for clams when the tide goes out. Just gotta watch them tides, don’t wanna get stuck out there. And speakin’ of watchin’, you gotta keep an eye out for them crab sizes. Oregon, they got rules, ya know? Can’t just keep any ol’ crab. Gotta be a certain size, or back in the water they go. It’s a whole thing, but it’s for the best, keeps them crabs comin’ back year after year. And that’s good for everybody.
I heard tell there’s other fishin’ too, not just crabs and clams. That Alsea River, they say it’s got them big ol’ salmon swimmin’ around. Chinook and Coho, they call ’em. Fancy names for fish, if you ask me. But folks seem to like catchin’ ’em, so they must be good eatin’. Me? I stick to the crabs. Less fuss, less mess, and you don’t need no fancy rods and reels. Just a pot, some bait, and a little bit of patience.
And here’s a little somethin’ I learned. Right after Thanksgiving, them two days, Friday and Saturday, they call ’em “Free Fishin’ Days”. Don’t need no license or nothin’. Just go on out there and fish to your heart’s content. Now, that’s what I call a good deal. Don’t know why they do it, but I ain’t complainin’. More fish for everybody, that’s how I see it. But remember, free fishin’ or not, them crab size rules still apply. Don’t go gettin’ yourself in trouble with the game warden. They don’t take too kindly to folks breakin’ the rules.
I heard ’bout some fella and his dad, they went out crabbin’ in Waldport. Got there early, put their pots in the water ’bout 11 in the mornin’. By 1:30, they had their limit! Said they caught maybe 35 crabs altogether. That’s a good day crabbin’, that is. Makes you wanna go out there and try yer luck, don’t it? Just gotta remember, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t. That’s just the way it is. But even if you don’t catch a whole mess of crabs, it’s still a nice day out on the water. Fresh air, sunshine, and the sound of the waves. Can’t beat it.
Now, them commercial fellers, they got their own rules too. They can’t always crab in the bays. They gotta wait for the ocean season to open up. Down south, near California, they open it up in December. I guess it’s all about keepin’ them crabs healthy and plentiful. Makes sense to me. If you take too many, there ain’t gonna be none left for next year. And that wouldn’t be good for nobody. So, we all gotta do our part, follow the rules, and be respectful of the ocean and all its critters.
So, if you’re headin’ down to Waldport, Oregon, and you’re lookin’ for somethin’ to do, give crabbin’ a try. It’s a fun way to spend a day, and you might even come home with a tasty dinner. Just remember what I told ya, and you’ll be just fine. Happy crabbin’!
Tags: [Waldport Oregon, Crabbing, Oregon Coast, Fishing, Clamming, Alsea River, Free Fishing Days, Seafood, Pacific Northwest, Outdoor Activities]
