Crab Pots

**BustOfPallas** · 07-14-2021, 08:41 PM

Can someone recommend a good trap for me? I'm going down to Dewey in less than a month for 2 weeks and want to set some traps in Rehoboth Bay while I'm down.

**usmccharles** · 07-14-2021, 08:50 PM

While your at it, can you please send some my way?

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**camdenyard** · 07-14-2021, 09:04 PM

I have always used hoops, or squares. Much prefer over collapsable wire traps.

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**Greg** · 07-14-2021, 09:28 PM

I assume you are familiar with the laws and requirements of DE regarding crabbing.

**BustOfPallas** · 07-14-2021, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Greg

I assume you are familiar with the laws and requirements of DE regarding crabbing.

Delaware laws are pretty simple/straightforward. You need a license which is cheap. You can use traps from spring through fall. 5 inch limit. Peelers can be 3.5 inches. Females can be kept if they are not bearing eggs. Traps are legal but you can only keep 1 bushel. I am not going to catch one bushel, no where near that.

I have crabbed my whole life growing up and liked doing it for fun/sport by using hand lines and wading into the water with a peach basket wedged in an innertube. I just wanted to try a trap as I've never used one and wanted to see how well it worked.

**camdenyard** · 07-14-2021, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

I have crabbed my whole life growing up and liked doing it for fun/sport by using hand lines and wading into the water with a peach basket wedged in an innertube.

Same. Prior to Hurricane Agnes in 1972, it was easy to fill an inner tube bushel basket "walking" in a couple hours,,,depending where you were. My family frequented Eastern Bay (Romancoke/Parsons Is./Crab Alley Bay) and Wittman on Tilghman Island. The grass flats went our waist deep for 100+ yards and the water was clear as a bell. In late summer, we'd get 150 peelers and a couple dozen soft crabs too. I remember days when the family ran out of baskets and had to find duffel bags and shit to put crabs in. 4-6 bushel in a day was not unheard of - just walking the shoreline. Hell, I would get a couple dozen in an hour netting them off pilings in the marina. The crab feasts were fucking legendary.

Then, Agnes hit and I swear the bay water clarity never recovered. It was the end of the heydey. Now you gotta work for crabs.

Anyway, good luck

**CarrollCoRaven** · 07-14-2021, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by camdenyard

Same. Prior to Hurricane Agnes in 1972, it was easy to fill an inner tube bushel basket "walking" in a couple hours,,,depending where you were. My family frequented Eastern Bay (Romancoke/Parsons Is./Crab Alley Bay) and Wittman on Tilghman Island. The grass flats went our waist deep for 100+ yards and the water was clear as a bell. In late summer, we'd get 150 peelers and a couple dozen soft crabs too. I remember days when the family ran out of baskets and had to find duffel bags and shit to put crabs in. 4-6 bushel in a day was not unheard of - just walking the shoreline. Hell, I would get a couple dozen in an hour netting them off pilings in the marina. The crab feasts were fucking legendary.

Then, Agnes hit and I swear the bay water clarity never recovered. It was the end of the heydey. Now you gotta work for crabs.

Anyway, good luck

Ahh, Crab Alley, brings back memories. Used to rent an old wooden boat to go crabbing there. Chicken necking. I've got the square collapsible traps. Never have had great luck using them. Prefer running a trot line but DE does not let you run those. Can't really say what the best type trap is.

**BustOfPallas** · 07-15-2021, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by camdenyard

Same. Prior to Hurricane Agnes in 1972, it was easy to fill an inner tube bushel basket "walking" in a couple hours,,,depending where you were. My family frequented Eastern Bay (Romancoke/Parsons Is./Crab Alley Bay) and Wittman on Tilghman Island. The grass flats went our waist deep for 100+ yards and the water was clear as a bell. In late summer, we'd get 150 peelers and a couple dozen soft crabs too. I remember days when the family ran out of baskets and had to find duffel bags and shit to put crabs in. 4-6 bushel in a day was not unheard of - just walking the shoreline. Hell, I would get a couple dozen in an hour netting them off pilings in the marina. The crab feasts were fucking legendary.

Then, Agnes hit and I swear the bay water clarity never recovered. It was the end of the heydey. Now you gotta work for crabs.

Anyway, good luck

We used to crab right in Dewey down the street from the Bottle and Cork. There was an old dock there and people would put small sailboats in etc. We used to use our old Sunflower sailboat, would carry it over our heads across route 1 and head down there with our crab lines, nets and oars somehow all in tow. Then we discovered Savages Ditch just north of the Indian River Inlet. There is a nice hole there where we had good luck. Yes seems there were more back in the late 70 and early 80's. I went in the late 90's and got some scary chigger bites. Last time I went a couple years ago when I was down alone I put some much bug spray on there was no way the chiggers were going to get me. That last time I discovered what I thought was a fully functional steaming pot did not have the grate portion so I had to go to giant and bought a big tin lasagna pan and punched a bunch of holes in it. I steamed them up with some Magic Hat #9 and had ate the 1 dozen I caught. They were great. By older brother and I just had fun being out there. When I was 18-19 I'd drive down with my friends and we'd drink beer and do handlines and then drive all the way home and steam them. Good times.

**The Fanatic** · 07-15-2021, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by CarrollCoRaven

Ahh, Crab Alley, brings back memories. Used to rent an old wooden boat to go crabbing there. Chicken necking. I've got the square collapsible traps. Never have had great luck using them. Prefer running a trot line but DE does not let you run those. Can't really say what the best type trap is.

Not allowed to use trot line in Delaware? Damn!!
I use to have a commercial license and ran close to 2000' in the Wye river. Back in the 80s I'd clean up with nothing but "Big Boys" out of that place. It finally got to the point where the catch was not worth the effort so I stopped going and sold my license back to the state.
As far as the original question I prefer the square collapsible traps that are 6" height. They close quickly once the rope is pulled eliminating majority of escapes because they close tight as long as there's tension on the rope.
Crab Traps

I use to throw out 20 or so of those while I ran my trot lines and always had success with them.
The 12" tall (box type) I've never liked.

**usmccharles** · 07-15-2021, 08:59 PM

Can you guys recommend a place that ships? I've used Jimmy's but if there's a better one I'm all for it.

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**Laxdad24** · 07-16-2021, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by usmccharles

Can you guys recommend a place that ships? I've used Jimmy's but if there's a better one I'm all for it.

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Jimmy’s is pretty good. You can try Bo Brooks if you’d like a change. Never had bad crabs from there. And they ship to all states. Crab dip is worthy also.

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**usmccharles** · 07-16-2021, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Laxdad24

Jimmy’s is pretty good. You can try Bo Brooks if you’d like a change. Never had bad crabs from there. And they ship to all states. Crab dip is worthy also.

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Thanks pops

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