Best Blue Crab Spots
I am driving in from San Antonio tomorrow and was looking for a good place to catch some blue crab. I've heard RWR...Pecan Island...Holly Beach...to name a few. The closer to the Texas/Louisiana border the better for my drive, but I don't mind going further into the state. Just don't want to drive all that way for nothing. Anybody have some good spots? I heard at Holly Beach you don't need a license...is this true? And also...for a place like Holly Beach, can I go as early as I want? Do I have to wait for a certain time? Any tips would be helpful...just going for fun...but would love to find the best spot so we don't drive all that way and not catch anything.
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Exit in sulphur on hwy 27 go down about 5 miles and stop at cajun fastmart and pick up crab bait and supplies. then go to hog island gulley which is about 20 or so miles south of cajun fastmart.
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Do I need a fishing license at this spot? What's the earliest I can get out there?
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technically yes a fishing license and i think 30 min prior to sunrise not positive someone else might can answer for sure. Odds of getting checked for fishing license while crabbing i would say is very slim but possible.
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According to http://www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/SWLAcomplex_Fish.pdf;
[SIZE=2][SIZE=2]Crabbing [/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2] No license is required to recreationally opportunities.crab with a crab net and/or hand line. See refuge specific regulations for crabbing Now if you plan on fishing at any time it will require a non-resident Saltwater license which they offer as a one day license. I think when you purchase the one day Saltwater license for $17.50 you are not required to purchase the one day Basic for $5 like you do when purchasing Non Resident Saltwater and Basic licenses for the entire season. You can purchase these at Cajun Fast Mart, and don't forget the breakfast sandwiches while you are there. Here is what is says in regards to hours. [SIZE=2][SIZE=2] Hours: [/SIZE] [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][SIZE=2]Boat admittance into the refuge is permitted from one hour before legal sunrise until one hour after legal sunset; however, recreational fishing, crabbing, and cast netting activities are prohibited until legal sunrise and after legal sunset. Don't forget that there is no castnetting from the docks while in the Sabine NWR which is where Hog Island Gully is located. Also there is a 5 dozen limit on crabs per vehicle. Exit 20 is the I-10 exit for HWY 27. Oh and pay attention to the no parking signs while crabbing. Last but not least enjoy Sportsman's Paradise. [/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE] |
I've been checked by Green Jeans twice crabbing (no fishing pole in the boat) and both time they asked for my fishing licence.
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Couple of questions...first off, I thought the limit was 12 dozen per person. There are going to be three of us...I doubt we will catch THAT much, but we might catch over 60. Also...A couple people on Facebook told me they were catching at Holly Beach. From what I see online, this is not on refuge or anything...so do I even need a license for this? We will be fishing from the shore...not bringing a boat and don't have traps and nets and what not. Is the Hog Island spot good for fishing off the shore?
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If you have over 60 crabs in your possession in the reserve (Hog Island Gulley, etc.) and you get checked, your azz is grass.
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The limit on the Point Aux Chene Reserve is 12 dozen per boat.
If you on a public beach there is no limit. Just go to Holley beach and fish them off a palon. get 2 poles about 8-10' long, string a piece of rope between the 2 of them and of that rope tie some string every 10-15 or so with piece of leg quarter on the end. Pull it in slow andand scoop the crabs off with a net. This time of year is killer for crabs on the beach in Grand Isle, I'm not familiar with Holley Beach but it's prbably close to the same. |
yea theres plenty of them on the beach in holly.
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So two final questions...I think we are going to go to Holly Beach just because it's about as close as possible for us. So my questions...do I need a fishing license? I'm finding varying answers online. From what I can tell, I only need a license if I am on a refuge...otherwise I don't need anything. But then I read that I need a one-day $17.50 license no matter where I go...so I don't really know. And finally...can I go as early as I want at Holly Beach, or do I have to wait until sunrise?
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By the way...THANK YOU all for the information so far...
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if on holly beach can crab 24 hours a day no time slot. crabbing times is just for refuge
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How do you y'all crab in the surf at Holly Beach? |
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• There is no minimum recreational size limit for blue crabs. The limit is 12 dozen per person, daily and in possession.
• There is no minimum recreational size limit for stone crabs or stone crab claws. Certain WMAs and state and federal refuges may have different possession limits. Consult a local LDWF or Enforcement Office for specifics (see WMA and Refuge Regulations on page 49). • Any person using crab nets or crab lines for the purpose of taking crabs for recre- ational purposes shall not be required to purchase or possess a basic recreational fishing license or be required to purchase a gear license. However, persons using crab nets or crab lines on LDWF WMAs or refuges must possess a basic and saltwater recreational fishing license or a Wild Louisiana Stamp. |
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See swamp snorkelers post about beach crabbing |
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Put the poles 100' to 150' apart.
String a main line between the two of them' Off the main tie a 10-12' string with a piece of leg quarter on it you may want to attach an old nut to help weigh it down. Walk the main line, when you get to one of your bait lines pull it in slow, have the net in the water and scoop the crabs. I may make a trip to grand isle in a few weeks to get some. When the giving good you can load the truck and there is no limit that I know of. I dont keep more than my family can eat so once I fill an ice chest I stop. One thing not mentioned is female crab with the eggs showing...... throw them back you can NOT posses them. |
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This is awesome information. Thanks for all your help, everyone. I think we've decided on Holly Beach...saves us the expense of fishing licenses and allows us to catch more. I'm gonna run over to Academy (best I can do in San Antonio) and buy some gear to set up a trot line. |
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I know the grass was really bad on the beach this year. It would be tough crabbing if thats still the case. Maybe somone can chime in on the current grass conditions. |
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Crabs will often cut the string if it is tied directly to the bait. Bring a 5 gallon bucket or something to put the crabs in while catching them. Also having something like a clothes basket to put the crabs in is good and having long "tongs" to grab the crabs makes handling them much easier. It is going to be hot........get lots of ice and keep the ice chest in the shade. After you catch a dozen or so, quickly put them in an empty ice chest.......all crabs should be up-right. If they are upside down......they can die sometimes. After you put the crabs in the ice chest, cover them with a wet towel and put some ice on top of the towel. As you add more crabs, move the towel first and put it back on top of the crabs. Add ice as needed to keep the crabs cold. The crabs will die if not kept cold...... and will be mushy after cooking them. Drain water from the ice chest as needed to remove the water. |
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any restricted areas or zones to avoid going into? anything besides a lifetime fishing license needed? like a gear license or anything (I don't think a trotline is considered having gear is it?) thanks for the info, I plan to go try crabbing there this week. im not using poles but I have anchors and floats on each end of the line so I idle along the line lifting and dipping as I go like they do up north for crab trotlines |
If Holly doesn't work out try the canal on the north side of hwy27 between Holly and the ship channel. I have never crabbed there but have talked to several people crabbing there and doing good. I don't think it will be full of seaweed even if the beaches are. Good luck man
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This is new to me. So your piece of wood with string, do you just hold the wood and wait or what? I've never been crabbing before. How long do you usually have to leave you line in the water before checking it? How deep of water? |
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after a scent trail is in the water its like chum and any crab passing it will follow the scent to your baits |
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I unwind the string, tie off the end, put bait on the shower hook and toss it out. String is long enough to have the bait 5' to 10' away from my boat. The water is usually 4' to 8' deep. Like last poster said....... how long you leave it down, depends on how long it takes for the crabs to find the bait. One time, I put out one line and started getting a second line ready. I checked the first line after about a minute and caught a couple crabs. I put out the second line and then caught more crabs on the first line. After about 30 minutes, I had been going back and forth between the 2 lines so fast, I did not have time to put out a 3 rd line. I usually put out 4 or 5 line when crabbing from my boat. |
crabbing in the surf only works when the surf is flat because the water will be dirty and you wont be able to see the crabs untill right on top of the water and more than likely a wave will ruin everything. Also most of the crabs you catch on the beach right now will be egg-ladden.Go to the refuge and get there early (very crowded).If the tide is running you will need weights.
Get you a clothes basket to put crabs in, keep 'em cool by placing a wet toe-sack,towel, etc on top of them when youre though and you will be good! Keep your eye on them and whenever one dies throw 'em on ice and they will be good. When you leave hackberry there are no more stores! There are 3 people that sale ice at holly beach, but may not be open. Respect the people at the refuge that are crabbing 'cuz most arent there for fun, thyre there for food! It takes awhile to learn the ropes of the area, but once you do its a blast! |
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Well Greg, how did you do? Update report? |
How's the beach lookin for crabbing? Starting today I got two weeks of leave so I need to hit the coast on a day when I can try and scoop out some trout as well :)
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back on this, is there a good area I can use this method in the BL area and use my boat to set and access the lines. I really do not know where to fish for crabs. I found a site called bluecrab.info but didn't really have much luck getting INFO as to BL |
Also, in doing my research, I see "Rockefeller" and "Hog Island" mentioned a lot
Where is this "Rockefeller" and "Hog Island" |
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Hog Island "GULLY"..... is one of the cannels in the Sabine NWR. It runs from Hwy 27 [south of Hackberry] and connects to the ship channel just a little [maybe a mile] north of the northern cut going into West Cove. There is a boat launch by Hwy 27. |
Ok call me when u leave jennings
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Kmsl how did this happen when I was reading the form and my buddy text me and my text ended up on here lmbo
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