CRABBING ON PIERS (an old thread, Joe may no longer be around)
To: Pier Fishing in California message board
From: kraig 23
Subject: Crabbing on piers
Hello, I'm new to crabbing, did it once with a buddy, now I've got my own hoop trap. I'm hoping for people's opinions as to which piers in the Bay Area are the best for crab. I hear Pacifica is really good, but it's a bit far away from me. I'm interested in hearing about Port View Park Pier, Berekely Pier, or any in SF.
Also, do I need a license for pier crabbing?
Best fishing, Craig
Name: ron
Craig, Try out both Fort Mason and Fort Point piers. Both are located on either side of the Golden Gate at the foot of the bridge. Fort Point is on the SF side of the bridge and Fort Mason is on the Marin side. One thing you might want to consider purchasing, if you go on any of these piers, are strong bait cages. Both piers tend to have large local seals that will rip off your bait from your trap if not well protected. I've seen traps literally shaken violently because a seal is trying to get a freebie from a trap. And at times will break the rope and you will lose more than your bait. You can probably get some strong bait cages from any local bait shop.
No, you don't need a fishing license to crab off the piers. However, you do need to know the regulations of crabbing such as minimum size, maximum number of crabs, and what types you can keep and NOT keep. Remember, that you WILL need a license if you crab off the side off a dock or edge of a wall if it is not a public fishing pier.
Any of the fishable piers in SF will yield crabs most of which are the red and rock crabs. Berkeley Pier, although opposite of the city, will also have its fair share in numbers. I've always had the best luck when the tide is coming and going out and mostly at night. Not much during low tides. Best bait recommended is any smelly fish you can find. You can probably get a cheap fish head from Chinatown. Although many people swear on using chicken for bait, I always found that crabs tend to get attracted by the smellier baits which would be the fish versus chicken. Chicken will tend to get water logged and lose its effectiveness in the water.
Good luck with your quest.
Name: tomaurand
Went to Pacifica yesterday with Shannon after work to go after a couple of keeper dungies for dinner. We were throwing "SQUARE" type crab snare baited with squid and anchovie. managed only one keeper. We did see lots of keepers caught on snares but they were the "FLAT" snares. I have not seen these sold in stores in SF and was wondering if anybody knew where we could get 3-4 of these FLAT snares??
Please help, I am still hungary, Tom
Name: neptune1234
Here’s what my dad and I did really well with on Sunday. Pretty simple. The electricians rings work really well with that diameter wire, which, by the way was quite limper than most snares I’ve seen. I will try to find some somewhere. Heck we got probably 25 crabs up in 8 hours. Only 12 were legal. The rest just barely short. Next season. Man I love Dungeness cocktails. MMMMM MMMM MMMMMM>>>>
Name: neptune1234
He sells them for $5 normally. Pretty sweet. I prefer to make my own stuff though. So far out of the four styles of snares I have used these were definitely superior. The others were more expensive too. I even caught a few 4" babies and 2 rock crabs. They ought to work great for the stupider, more sluggish reds and rocks up here in Bodega. Plenty of room to stick a squid and a ‘chovie.
Name: danielpjr
I am also interested in buying these snares. You had said “he” sells them for $5. Who sells them, your dad? If so I'd like to buy a few...thx
Dan
Name: neptune1234
AN older gentleman that goes by the name of JOE. He has a pier cart and drives a silver/gray minivan. Rust all over the tailgate. Apparently, he is a regular at Pacifica pier. ON his pier cart he has a white burlap sack filled with snares hanging from his cart. I found him by asking a few of the other guys with blue snares. I’m sure you could do the same. I’m going to make a few of my own. Already made up the cages. I’m gonna try different dimensions though. To see if they’ll sit on the bottom better. Good luck... willie
Name: fishnwish
I'm a shore fisherman and have never seen one of these babies deployed. Where is the line attached, what type of line, how do you retireve it?
Name: fishnwish
Hit this site and learned the basics. Sounds like fun.
Fishnwish, wishin' for a seafood banquet
Name: geckomd
Ask for Joe... He a regular at the pier. Fishes/crabs at the end where the L is. Usually wears a red hat, grayish-white hair, has a cart with one big white fishing pole and one big yellow one. Really nice older gentleman and everybody there knows who he is. Gave me my first crab snare last year when I didn't have the money on me. Since then I have given away two or three snares to keep the practice. He makes them as a hobby and sells them for $5.00 each.
Crab snare
To: Pier Fishing in California message board
From: kraig 23
Subject: Crabbing on piers
Hello, I'm new to crabbing, did it once with a buddy, now I've got my own hoop trap. I'm hoping for people's opinions as to which piers in the Bay Area are the best for crab. I hear Pacifica is really good, but it's a bit far away from me. I'm interested in hearing about Port View Park Pier, Berekely Pier, or any in SF.
Also, do I need a license for pier crabbing?
Best fishing, Craig
Name: ron
Craig, Try out both Fort Mason and Fort Point piers. Both are located on either side of the Golden Gate at the foot of the bridge. Fort Point is on the SF side of the bridge and Fort Mason is on the Marin side. One thing you might want to consider purchasing, if you go on any of these piers, are strong bait cages. Both piers tend to have large local seals that will rip off your bait from your trap if not well protected. I've seen traps literally shaken violently because a seal is trying to get a freebie from a trap. And at times will break the rope and you will lose more than your bait. You can probably get some strong bait cages from any local bait shop.
No, you don't need a fishing license to crab off the piers. However, you do need to know the regulations of crabbing such as minimum size, maximum number of crabs, and what types you can keep and NOT keep. Remember, that you WILL need a license if you crab off the side off a dock or edge of a wall if it is not a public fishing pier.
Any of the fishable piers in SF will yield crabs most of which are the red and rock crabs. Berkeley Pier, although opposite of the city, will also have its fair share in numbers. I've always had the best luck when the tide is coming and going out and mostly at night. Not much during low tides. Best bait recommended is any smelly fish you can find. You can probably get a cheap fish head from Chinatown. Although many people swear on using chicken for bait, I always found that crabs tend to get attracted by the smellier baits which would be the fish versus chicken. Chicken will tend to get water logged and lose its effectiveness in the water.
Good luck with your quest.
Name: tomaurand
Went to Pacifica yesterday with Shannon after work to go after a couple of keeper dungies for dinner. We were throwing "SQUARE" type crab snare baited with squid and anchovie. managed only one keeper. We did see lots of keepers caught on snares but they were the "FLAT" snares. I have not seen these sold in stores in SF and was wondering if anybody knew where we could get 3-4 of these FLAT snares??
Please help, I am still hungary, Tom
Name: neptune1234
Here’s what my dad and I did really well with on Sunday. Pretty simple. The electricians rings work really well with that diameter wire, which, by the way was quite limper than most snares I’ve seen. I will try to find some somewhere. Heck we got probably 25 crabs up in 8 hours. Only 12 were legal. The rest just barely short. Next season. Man I love Dungeness cocktails. MMMMM MMMM MMMMMM>>>>
Name: neptune1234
He sells them for $5 normally. Pretty sweet. I prefer to make my own stuff though. So far out of the four styles of snares I have used these were definitely superior. The others were more expensive too. I even caught a few 4" babies and 2 rock crabs. They ought to work great for the stupider, more sluggish reds and rocks up here in Bodega. Plenty of room to stick a squid and a ‘chovie.
Name: danielpjr
I am also interested in buying these snares. You had said “he” sells them for $5. Who sells them, your dad? If so I'd like to buy a few...thx
Dan
Name: neptune1234
AN older gentleman that goes by the name of JOE. He has a pier cart and drives a silver/gray minivan. Rust all over the tailgate. Apparently, he is a regular at Pacifica pier. ON his pier cart he has a white burlap sack filled with snares hanging from his cart. I found him by asking a few of the other guys with blue snares. I’m sure you could do the same. I’m going to make a few of my own. Already made up the cages. I’m gonna try different dimensions though. To see if they’ll sit on the bottom better. Good luck... willie
Name: fishnwish
I'm a shore fisherman and have never seen one of these babies deployed. Where is the line attached, what type of line, how do you retireve it?
Name: fishnwish
Hit this site and learned the basics. Sounds like fun.
Fishnwish, wishin' for a seafood banquet
Name: geckomd
Ask for Joe... He a regular at the pier. Fishes/crabs at the end where the L is. Usually wears a red hat, grayish-white hair, has a cart with one big white fishing pole and one big yellow one. Really nice older gentleman and everybody there knows who he is. Gave me my first crab snare last year when I didn't have the money on me. Since then I have given away two or three snares to keep the practice. He makes them as a hobby and sells them for $5.00 each.