Easy Way To Catch Tons Of Blue Crabs Without A Trap

[lukedh94]

Hey Everyone,

During our trip to the beach we were able to do a little crabbing to get some tasty blue crabs. We crab pretty much everytime we go to the beach and make some killer crab recipes with our catch (dip, soup, etc.).

Realized not a ton of people know that you can hand line for crabs so put together a little tutorial about how to catch blue crabs without a trap just using a inexpensive hand line.

We probably caught a couple dozen and made some great crab soup.

Tight lines yall!

 

[woodmoose]

Realized not a ton of people know that you can hand line for crabs

really? heck I thought that was the first method rec folks used to catch a few,,,,,never knew it was not known,,,,

 

[pattersonj11]

I’ve never caught “tons” like that. I’ve caught a half dozen or so. Maybe if I was out there all day they would add up. It’s a slow process.

 

[shaggy]

I’ve never caught “tons” like that. I’ve caught a half dozen or so. Maybe if I was out there all day they would add up. It’s a slow process.

When we stay at the river we tie fishing line to the dock with a hook and we put a small dead pinfish on it and its nonstop one line to the next. We usually get a bunch of keepers throughout the day. The kids love it.

 

[stiab]

Did it for years when the kids were small, best and easiest places ever were the saltwater ponds at Cape Point when they were newly formed. That was before NPS stopped access to them. Doormat flounder in there too.

 

[Helium]

The fun way is with hand lines... easy way is with a pot trap

 

[Wv67]

That’s how we did it in Maryland

 

[YanceyGreenhorn]

Trot lining the Wye River in Maryland was always a favorite method for us

 

[bigdrumnc]

Any one been to mattumuskeet lately to try?

 

[longbow]

Hand lining crabs with chicken necks was really fun ......we also caught a lot at night where we would hang a lantern off the dock edge and net em' as they swam to the light ! Crabbing from 9 pm until 12 midnight and then we'd head back to the house for an all night crab boil and pitchers of beer!
Good times for sure.

 

[Part-time hunter]

That's the way I learned when I was a kid. I don't know if traps had even been invented yet but we could afford a net and some string. And the seafood guy would give us the flounder leavings after he filleted them. Great fun and good eating.

 

[Big Medicine]

That was fun to watch. I hand lined crabs when I was a kid. Relatives had a place on Chesapeake Bay. We would set out a bunch of crab pots but us kids were not allowed to take the boat out to check them so we amused ourselves hand lining off the dock.

 

[Big Medicine]

I was told that you don't need a license for handlines. Is that so?

 

[23mako]

I was told that you don't need a license for handlines. Is that so?

I would bet you still need a recreational fishing license. But you probably do not need a commercial fishing license or a recreational commercial gear license.

 

[Clark]

Interesting question... the NC DMF website specifically describes their license as relating to FINfish. Their description of commercial gear does not include crab handlines. It does say that unlicensed persons can assist with fishing as long as there is one RCGL holder aboard.
Anybody know the real answer??

 

[Wanchese]

You don't have to have a license to handline or use the fold up type traps.

http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=1169848&folderId=4426632&name=DLFE-142900.pdf