Siuslaw crabbers

[kwikfisher]

Couple a questions for you, a few actually. Should I wait for water level to drop? Is down at the coast guard station a good start? I got some cheap chicken thighs/drumsticks, good enough bait? I saved coho carcasses with heads, seals to big a problem with salmon as bait? Worth the headache? Crabbing with pots from my boat. Thanks in advance!

 

[rogerdodger]

We have not crabbed this late in the year but our results earlier in the fall (mid-October) and in late spring (mid-May) would indicate that the high water flows push the crabs out of the Slaw pretty good. I would be waiting for a drop in the water flow and then, based on conditions being safe, I would drop a pot or 2 in the deep water near shore just W of the CG, another out mid-channel by CG, and then I would get some pots all the way down by A6 buoy and perhaps A4.

As for seals, we have never had much of an issue with them getting into box traps or better pots in the Slaw, we use salmon heads often, tuna scraps, kokanee heads, and sometimes chicken soaked in Pautzkees Crab/Shrimp Fuel.

Good luck if you get out, hope you find some... cheers, roger

 

[kwikfisher]

Thanks Roger. Nice to be able to put the Coho parts to good use. Also have a steelhead carci.
I heard December was still good crabbing in Siuslaw, not true? Or just your choice not to? I will wait it out for a drop in the level/rain, makes sense for a number of reasons.

 

[Reel_Deal]

Seen a couple big crab boats out by the 101 bridge last week and it looked like it was setting on the dunes side

 

[rogerdodger]

In our 4 years here we have found July through Sept. to be the best with results dropping off in Oct. as the rains increase. And we have not tried past that since previous years we would head for AZ in early Nov.

The Slaw being fairly narrow right down to the mouth it has been my feeling that once the big rains hit, the crabs would ease back into the ocean. We have found a few keepers in May, and more in June, as the rain eases and water flow drops...

I tend to think the Alsea might be better in the winter as it spreads out into more of a bay as it approaches the bridge...

Cheers,roger

 

[kwikfisher]

I live in Springfield and have a question regarding transporting any crabs I catch. I have experience with spiny lobsters down in California, but I'm new to Dungeness trapping. Like lobsters, I know the crabs flesh breaks down very quickly after dying. So with that said, keeping them alive or cooking them is critical. Question: Do I need to cook them on site if I'm at the Alsea, or Siuslaw? Or can I ice them down, and head back to Springfield and boil them up here?

 

[mikeredding]

I ice and cook at home. Just make sure they do not die otherwise they are not edible.