Where to crab on chincoteague

[the oats]

We have a permanent site on the island and go every weekend, my question is WHERE ARE THE CRABS??? We have a boat but can't seem to find a productive spot. I would like to be able to get a bushel full. It seems like the big potters have taken over. We have put a big pot out but had it stolen 3 times  Any suggestions?

[Annandale]

I don't have a boat but I always catch a bushel at Chincoteague using handlines and traps when I go out there.  I park at McDonalds on the way to Assateague National Park and walk towards the bridge and crab there.  When the tide is strong, the left side of the bridge is good while during normal conditions the right side works well too.  We've been going every weekend and have had no problems filling a bushel with 3-4 people, crabbing 4-5 hours.

[jack1747]

We have a permanent site on the island and go every weekend, my question is WHERE ARE THE CRABS??? We have a boat but can't seem to find a productive spot. I would like to be able to get a bushel full. It seems like the big potters have taken over. We have put a big pot out but had it stolen 3 times  Any suggestions?

Do you have rebar on them?  Large mesh pots need 1/2 inch frames over that side to keep from rolling up on themselves..  Also, the VMRC is quick to take a Rec pot that doesn't have the right culling rings/equipment.  You can pretty much bet that the crabs are where the comm. pots are. 

[the oats]

We've been at that bridge area you're talking about and got some with hand lines and we also have crabbed off the boat in the general vicinity using hand lines. 3 weeks ago we did really good but the last two weeks have stunk. Yes we do have the right kind of pots and everything. We talked to the marine police on day and they said that the guys with the line of pots do cut them and steal them but they are hard to catch. We've also crabbed at the ditch on the way to the beach and done well but the ditch crabs seem a little different then the bay crabs. Do you crab anywhere on Chincoteague bay? I guess I'm expecting them to be plentiful at this time of year. I heard 3 mouths is supposed to be good.

[the oats]

Are you a commercial crabber Jack? My nephew works the waters in N.C. Do you know how you go about getting jobs on the boats around there, my son would love that. I know the money isn't the best though.

[jack1747]

Are you a commercial crabber Jack? My nephew works the waters in N.C. Do you know how you go about getting jobs on the boats around there, my son would love that. I know the money isn't the best though.

No.  I have no desire to work that hard for the little money they make.  Been there, tried it.  Not for me.....  As far as jobs go, just ask the Captains they are always looking for help. 300 pots on a 80 degree+ morning, no breeze... Starting at 0500...   Most kids today wouldn't make it a day....... Even the kids grown up down here won't do it...  L, I can't even find kids that will pack boxes in airconditioning.....

[the oats]

That's a shame, I guess a lot of kids today aren't used to hard work or work in general. I've told my kids since they've been little, "that's why they call it work and not play".  We'll see what happens with the crabbing when we try 2 weeks from now (we have other commitments this weekend ), I'm learning some new tricks on here to try. One of these days we'll get to live on the island permanently and maybe find the good spots. Thanks

[flounderpounder]

I remember getting a bushel off daiseys dockside's pier when i was a kid..maybe try a pier on the bayside.

[the oats]

You don't live far from us, we live in Etters, but hope to move to the island permanently as soon as my husband can find a job. We have a place in Tom's Cove. In response, we want to crab from our boat though. One question I have is: growing up we always crabbed along the edges in shallow water, now I'm reading that people think it's better to crab in deeper water. Is that the case? People have pots in the areas where we try. Areas where our 3 pots were taken. Did you ever hear of 3 mouths? it's hard to take a boat in there, gets pretty shallow.