Crabbing in Astoria, Oregon

Astoria, Oregon is quite popular for a lot of reasons but it isn’t always most well known for it’s crabbing. Generally speaking, Astoria is known for it’s world class Coho and Chinook Salmon fishing, the famous Buoy 10, and one of the greatest movies to ever come out of the 80s, The Goonies! So when the weather cools off and the salmon run has passed by make sure to check out crabbing for Dungeness Crab in Astoria.

Astoria Dungeness Crab Charters

As you have probably guessed, Dungeness Crab is the name of the game in Astoria. The Dungeness Crab is the most commonly caught type of crab along the Pacific Coast. These crabs are normally 7-8 inches across the carapace but the whoppers can reach up to 10 inches across. They are well known for their tasty, sweet white meat.

Getting help from a crabbing charter is by far the best way to bring home a cooler full of these delicious crustaceans. Here are a few reasons a charter is worth its weight in gold.

They know when to crab
Different season are going to produce different quality crabs. If you catch crab in the early fall months, they tend to be more filled out and can contain up to 30 percent more meat. While you can fish the estuaries (bays, beaches, jetties, tide pools, and piers) year round, you can’t catch Dungeness crabs in the ocean from October 16th to November 30th.

They know the honey holes
When you fish with an experienced guide like us, you are out on the water with someone that has been fishing these waters for most of their lives. This means they will know all the best spots for setting the pots.

They have all the gear
It can get a bit pricy getting into the crabbing game. The biggest investment that will help you catch a lot more crab is a boat! While it’s not an absolute necessity, it will make a huge difference. In addition to the boat, they will have all of the crab pots, buoys, a pot hoist to get them out of the water, and the crab gauge to tell which are keepers. Perhaps the most important piece of gear is the GPS on the boat. This keeps the guides secret spots in its memory.

They know the best bait
Depending on the season, different baits are going to work better. Your guide is going to know just what the crabs have a hankering for! One of the Dungeness crabs favorite food is leftover salmon, so crabbing with a guide that’s also a salmon guide is ideal because they can keep the carcasses of the salmon in the salmon pots.

They know the rules and regulations
The waters of Oregon are highly regulated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Dungeness Crab regulation are strict to male crabs with a carapace of at least 5 3/4 inches across. A tool called a crab gauge is used to measure across the carapace of the crab. In addition, you are only allowed to keep the male crabs. They can be difficult to identify but with a little training it can be done with ease. On the belly, the males have a skinny triangular abdominal flap. In contrast, the females have a shorter, rounder abdominal flap.

Why Choose Hook’em Up for Your Next Astoria Crab Fishing Charter

We have been crabbing in Astoria, Oregon for more than 20 years. We know where to set our pots and how to get the most out of your crabbing charter. We use only the best equipment and bait to ensure your group will have the best possiblity of catching the most crab! Nothing makes up happier than loading up a cooler full of crab. When you contact us, remember to ask about a combination salmon and crabbing charter. That way you can really fill up your freezer!