Well now, let me tell ya ’bout crabbing over in Astoria, Oregon. It’s a mighty fine place, if ya ask me. Now, ya got that big Columbia River meetin’ up with the Pacific Ocean right there, and that makes for some real good crabbing spots. I ain’t no expert, but I’ve seen plenty o’ folks go out there and come back with a good mess o’ crabs, especially them big ol’ Dungeness crabs. Them are the best ones, no doubt ’bout it. They’ll get nice and big, y’know, perfect for a good ol’ crab boil.
Now, when folks talk ’bout crabbing in Astoria, there’s a few places they like to go. Most folks, they head down to the public piers. Ain’t no fancy spot, but you get your line in the water and you might just be pullin’ up crabs in no time. They’re marked with a blue dot, so it ain’t hard to find ’em. If ya ain’t got yer own boat, there’s also some charters and guide services that’ll take ya out on the water. They know where to find the best spots, and they’ll make sure yer gear’s all set up right.
Best Time for Crabbing
Now, the best time for crabbing in Astoria is when the weather cools down a bit, like from October to December. That’s when them crabs are plump and ready. During them months, the crabs are just more plentiful, and ya can catch ‘em easy as pie. But if ya ask me, the crabbing season ain’t always the same, it changes depending on the year and the weather. Sometimes it gets a bit slow between March and August, but don’t let that stop ya. Folks still catch crabs, just not as many. It’s more of a low season, as they say.
Where to Go Crabbing
- Public Piers: These are your go-to spots for a casual crabbing day. No need to worry ’bout a boat, just drop your line and wait.
- Charter Services: If ya ain’t got the patience for fishing from the shore, you can hire a guide. They know all the secret spots, and they got the boats for it.
- Seaside Beach: A little farther out, but a good spot for some crabbin’ if you feel like takin’ a drive.
And if you want to make sure ya got the freshest crabs, there’s some companies around that will sell ya crabs right off the boat. Places like Bornstein Seafoods or Northwest Wild Products got crabs all year round, and they sure do taste better than the ones you find in the store.
How to Do the Crabbing
If you’re new to this crabbing thing, don’t worry. It’s real simple. You take yourself a crab pot or some crab traps, and you drop ‘em in the water. Now, you ain’t gotta be fancy, just make sure you got your bait in there. Folks use chicken, fish, or even stinky old fish heads. It don’t matter much, as long as it smells real bad to them crabs. Once ya got yer traps in the water, you just wait a little bit. After about 20 minutes or so, pull ‘em up, and see what you got.
Don’t forget, you gotta make sure them crabs are big enough to keep. You ain’t allowed to take any little ones home with ya. It’s for the future of crabbing, ya see. So check the size before you toss ‘em in your basket. A good Dungeness crab will have a shell about 6 inches wide, and it’ll be nice and heavy too.
Crabbing Tips
- Make sure your traps are weighted down good, so they don’t float away.
- Check the tide times. Crabs like to come out during high tide, so you’ll have better luck then.
- Bring some good snacks, ‘cause crabbing can take time.
- Don’t forget your gear! A net, gloves, and a cooler for yer crabs is all you need.
Folks love to go crabbing in Astoria because it’s one of them spots where you can just get away from it all. Whether you’re going out on a charter or sittin’ on the pier, there’s something peaceful ‘bout the whole thing. And when you finally catch your crabs, well, that’s the best part, ain’t it? You take ’em home, throw ‘em in a big ol’ pot with some corn and potatoes, and you got yourself a meal fit for a king. Or a queen, if you like.
So if you’re ever in the area, and you got a little time on your hands, give crabbing a try. You won’t regret it, I promise ya that. And if you get lucky, you might just catch yourself a feast!
Tags：[Crabbing, Astoria Oregon, Dungeness Crab, Columbia River, Crabbing Tips, Astoria Fishing, Public Piers, Crabbing Charter, Astoria Crabbing Season]
