How many rods are allowed from the surf while targeting Dungeness crab

#2
http://www.ledger.news/in_the_game/...cle_f0b41608-2df7-11e8-b3fd-fb6b58c9c822.html
Quote from https://www.wildlife.ca.gov
"Any number of hooks and lines may be used to take finfish in all ocean waters and bays except in San Francisco and San Pablo bays between the Golden Gate Bridge and the west Carquinez Bridge, where you may only use one line with no more than three hooks. Species-specific gear restrictions (such as for rockfish, lingcod and salmon) do apply when fishing from the shore."

So, I guess you can use as many as you can carry.
 
#3
Any number of hooks and lines may be used to take finfish
That specifically says finfish and hook and line. I don't think that applies to this case.

The regulations use the term "loop trap" to describe a crab snare. There is no limit on the total number of traps (which I assume includes loop traps) for recreational fishermen unless they're on a charter/party boat according to this blog post.
 
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#6
From Ed Roberts, Fish and Wildlife member:
"Except inside San Francisco Bay, inside MPAs that restrict harvest of crabs, and when species with gear restrictions are in possession, any number of rods may be used to deploy crab loop snares. "

It's a couple of replies below in the thread.
 
#7
Thanks for the clarification. I ask because late last crab season, I had 3 rods out. A guy walking towards me took my pic and as he walked by, he commented "that's a lot of rods you have out" with a look that i felt was implying I had more than what's legally allowed. Could have just been me but usually when you have a read on someone, your first impression is usually correct. That made me unsure of what the regulations for crabbing in the ocean was. Thanks again
 
#8
I still can't get an answer for if you can crab and rockfish at the same time. There are mixed messages out there. Some say you can and some say you can't. I understand that you can only use one rod for rockfish, but snaring is not aimed at rockfish. The method of take for rockfish is line and hook, and snares are not hooks. Technically only one rod is used for rockfish, since only one rod has hooks.
 
#9
Thanks for the clarification. I ask because late last crab season, I had 3 rods out. A guy walking towards me took my pic and as he walked by, he commented "that's a lot of rods you have out" with a look that i felt was implying I had more than what's legally allowed. Could have just been me but usually when you have a read on someone, your first impression is usually correct. That made me unsure of what the regulations for crabbing in the ocean was. Thanks again
Some people are quite sure about the regulations even if they are wrong about it... for instance, while fishing for perch from the rocks of Santa Cruz a guy try to convince me I could not use two rods and I was going to be fined by a ranger that was always checking for that... I'm still waiting ;-).