Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

Wildlife Officials: Now is Best Season for Crabbing on Oregon Coast

Published 09/15/21 at 5:56 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

Wildlife Officials: Now is Best Season for Crabbing on Oregon Coast

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in summer
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for summer
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for summer
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for summer
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for summer
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for summer
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for summer
Southern Oregon Coast Hotels / Lodgings
Reedsport to Brookings, places to stay; summer deals

(Oregon Coast) – Wildlife officials on the Oregon coast say starting in September, this is the best time to go crabbing in bays and estuaries.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) sent out that declaration Tuesday. It's a combination of the Dungeness crabs' life cycle and what weather does these days: the coast generally gets what's called the “Second Summer” in September and October.

“Fall is typically the best time of year to crab,” ODFW said. “Beginning in September, crabs will have filled out with more meat, and you'll find more crabs in bays and estuaries thanks to drier weather.”

This time of year, crabs tend to be more “filled out,” ODFW said, which means they'll generally have a higher percentage of quality meat. This can be guaged by the condition of the crab shell: when the shell is hard it can contain 20 to 30 percent meat by weight, while soft-shelled crabs can as far down as 12 percent.

Crabs go through their molting in summer and then grow new shells, so it takes a couple to a few months for them to really fill out. This is why crab meat can remain at its best through the early winter.

Crabbing is open year-round in Oregon coast bays and estuaries, and ODFW said Coos Bay, Tillamook Bay and Newport's Yaquina Bay tend to have the most. The jetties at these places are extremely popular as well.

Other hotspots include the Coquille River at Bandon and the 12th Ave. bridge at Seaside.

“After heavy rainfall and resulting freshets, crab tend to be less abundant in the bays,” ODFW said.

The agency said to look for “slack tides” as the best time of day to catch them, meaning at the peaks of high tide or low tide. During the periods where tides are moving from high or to low they tend to hide in the sands or muds. At those low or high tide periods they're out and about grabbing food.

Crabbing in the ocean is a different matter: that is closed from October 16 to November 30, but otherwise open the rest of the year unless there are toxin restrictions.

To go crabbing along the Oregon coast you'll need a shellfish license, crab measuring device, pots or rings, cooler, bait holders and bait.

ODFW said Dungeness crab isn’t the only crustacean goody you’ll find in these waters. Red rock crab and European green crab are also found.

Oregon Coast Hotels for this - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours


MORE PHOTOS BELOW





Baby Dungeness crab: courtesy Seaside Aquarium

Tillamook Bay


Necanicum River, Seaside


Coos Bay, courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....


Coastal Spotlight


LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Oregon / Washington Coast Alerts: Flood Watch, First Big Waves of Season
Floods, lots of rain, high winds and some rather good storm watching, beach safety
Sea Lions Sick with Leptospirosis on Oregon Coast: Keep Pets, Yourselves Away
Stay clear of sick or dead sea lions. Marine sciences, beach safety
Yachats Oktoberfest Takes German Culture on Oregon Coast to New Levels with L...
A kind of accordian-palooza, there's beer, brats, wine and waves, Sept 29 - Oct 1. Yachats events
At Seal Rock's NW Curtis St.: Funky Little Oregon Coast Access with No Name
NW Curtis St., not far from Newport, Yachats or Waldport
Seaside Event Digs Into Mysterious Bayocean, the Oregon Coast Ghost Town
September 28 at 6 p.m. at Seaside Brewing. History, Seasode events, Tillamook
Central Oregon Coast Artist Shows at Florence Visitor Center
Regina 'Reggie' Oflock of Sea Gypsy Cottage Gallery. Florence events
Small Vessel Strands on Central Oregon Coast's South Beach, Cause Unknown
Fishing vessel Judy stuck on a Newport beach. Florence events, Newport events, Lincoln City events, Yachats
SOLVE Cleanup Finds on Oregon Coast Include a Whale
This carcass had been in the news before, victim of orcas. At Otter Rock near Newport. Marine sciences

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted