Crabbing report?

[spider]

Just wanted that to be clearly posted so nobody got the wrong idea. I've yet to try red rock crab, I'll have to give it a shot. I'd probably make sushi with the eggs.

Be sure to have a crab/lobster cracker on hand, I ate some with just my bare hands during my first "pier" crabbing trip and the shell was so tough/strong that I punctured it with my thumbs, but the force cause the shell to slice the web of my thumb. Very fun experience in the most hygienic place in the world. For the sushi, to get enough roe you might need a 2-3 people shellfish license limit to get enough. Report back when you do, it'll be so tasty.

 

[jbett98]

I find that the Red Rock crabs have an iodine like taste to their meat, so I just concentrate on the Dungeness crabs, which are located further away from the shore rocks.
You won't ever find them for sale since that are considered an invasive trash species, unlike the premier Dungeness crabs.

 

[spider]

I find that the Red Rock crabs have an iodine like taste to their meat, so I just concentrate on the Dungeness crabs, which are located further away from the shore rocks.
You won't ever find them for sale since that are considered an invasive trash species, unlike the premier Dungeness crabs.

True, I read that they beat up and eat up dungeness.

 

[jbett98]

True, I read that they beat up and eat up dungeness.

Just the small ones.

 

[arrowshooter]

I don't know about that. We put a small red rock in with our dunges and looked in later and he was ripping the legs off crabs twice his size. Scrappy little farts.

 

[Tarawa86]

I don't know about that. We put a small red rock in with our dunges and looked in later and he was ripping the legs off crabs twice his size. Scrappy little farts.

I do admire their sheer meanness. They are one of the reasons european green crabs can't get a decent foothold in the PNW.

 

[40Garand]

They were crabbing the heck out of Yaquina bay yesterday. Not sure how good it actually was since the dredge is in there working. Watched sea lions messing with pots just west of the bridge and saw a few baffled boats return later looking around because they couldn't find their floats. The tide was pushing out pretty hard so I won't give the sea lions all the credit but they were pretty busy working the string of pots I spotted them messing with. I use to commercial fish and crab so it's a bit entertaining to watch the delicate dance between the water dogs and the tourists.

 

[jbett98]

I use turkey drum sticks so the sea lions don't mess with my traps, like they do with cleaned fish carcasses.

 

[Tarawa86]

an invasive trash species

Interestingly, they're actually considered a native species.

Red rock crab | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

These native crab are often overlooked in favor of Dungeness crab, but they are plentiful, have very liberal bag limits, and make fine table fare.

myodfw.com

 

[jbett98]

In years past, ODFW placed no limits to the amount one could harvest Red Rock crabs. They were actively trying to reduce their numbers.
I didn't claim they were a foreign species, but were considered invasive to Dungeness crab territory and had no market value.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Personal experience??

Maybe.

 

[Tarawa86]

Returning to the dock in Garibaldi this evening.

 

[rob1516]

Any crabbing updates?

 

[Flymph]

The first king tides are set for sometime over the next few days, so expect a lot of current.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Any crabbing updates?

Are we talking sport or commercial?

 

[rob1516]

Sport

 

[jbett98]

Commercial crabbing generally starts in December after the ODFW decides their quotas for the season.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Commercial crabbing generally starts in December after the ODFW decides their quotas for the season.

The local processor is geared up. Possibly tribal fishery opener. Wa state, willapa bay?

 

[Flymph]

I hear crab from willapa are muddy and usually avoided. Let me know if this is a locals way of saying "stay away from my crab".

 

[Mikej]

The local processor is geared up. Possibly tribal fishery opener. Wa state, willapa bay?

Geeze, when's the last time they pulled their pots on the 2nd of December? I don't even remember. I don't crab for myself. I've depended on Freddy's for first of the season freash crab, at a sale price. This last year never was. And when it was I wasn't going to pay that money. And the only thing I saw had been previously frozen for big money. If those local crabbers are selling everything over seas. Or back east, and leaving locals with high priced frozen, I hope they all go out-of-business! I absolutely despise being treated like a tourist by the sellers of our local resources!