Another Crab Alley report

[Crabaholic]

Hello everyone! Just thought Iwould post a little something about my last outing at Crab Alley on Saturday-7/5/03. I ran 30 box traps in about 6ft. of water. Things were going slow, so I picked up and moved three times. Things stayed slow, but after spending from 6AM to 12:30Pm...I ended up with a solid half bushel. I guess I can't complain. One guy told me he caught one crab all morning. Another guy told me his friend was out the day before and caught just one crab off of 1000ft. of trot line. Anybody else doing any good?? I'm just wondering if things are starting to pick up or not?? It just felt like a long time out on the water for a half a bushel. Last time I was out, I caught more crabs in less time. Happy Crabbing!

                                Crabaholic

[Crabbyboy]

    well i thinks its really up in the air right now couse sme people are catchin 1 bushel and some people are catchin 2,  but it does seem like the trolines arn't workin that great in most areas... why? i have no idea...just an observation.

[Crabaholic]

Yea...I'm starting to think it's really hit or miss right now. But thanks for the input ! Hopefully it will keep getting better.  

[cblu]

Here's my first report of the year. I went out to the crab alley area (probably considered more Eastern Bay) on Saturday the 5th. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, which wasn't my normal spots but from reading this forum, it sounded like they were running shallow so I switched up a bit. I got out to the exact spot and darn if there wasn't a comm'l trotliner set up with 3 or 4 lines! (I never did see if he got anything, but it might have been a decent spot if he was spending his time there) There wasn't even room to set any traps out, lines were going in 3 different directions, and it was still a little dark, so I headed elsewhere. So, now I'm too far from my usual spots, it's starting to get a little later, and I'm not real happy. So, I checked the map for some good depths and laid the traps. I started in 6-7 feet, but soon was dropping them in about 15 feet so I veered into land and got back to about 5 ft at the end of 30 traps. First run 10 crabs, second run 8, third 9. Also, I ended up getting a fair amount of small guys, I mean small; 2-3 inchers. Also caught 5 horseshoe crabs, twice 2 at a time, and since this is a family forum, we'll just say they were having fun! When you start pulling them up, you know you have something. And just like that it seemed they were gone. I really think the tide had more or less stopped. It was about 9:30 when we pulled the traps, and checked out another area. Laid about 20 in about 12 feet, because I was actually doing better in the deeper water, but it was hit or miss.  We only got 1 in this spot and called it quits, back to the ramp @ 11:00. All told, About a doz shy of a good bushel (most in the 6-7 inch range, some 5 1/2, none really big), 1 doubler, 2 good size females - thrown back, and one 10 inch terrapin. All in All, I was happy. I ended up steaming them @ 6:00 that night, and didn't lose a single one to the heat. Only a few were light, I'll be out there again next week.
     It wasn't really that crowded, I talked to another guy who said he had a solid bushel (6-8' box traps) and had gotten another on the 4th. He said the 4th was a zoo!      

[Crabbeer]

Just went out today for about 7 hours.  Only came home with 20 crabs.  Enough for a decent meal.  Crabbed the outgoing tide and a little of the incoming.  One guy got a bushel by 11am.  Another had 4 dozen in about 4 hours.  I really think it is hit or miss.  When you find the crabs stick with them because when they leave, you aren't going to see much.  

[cblu]

My sister went out yesterday with 500' of trotline and only got 15, although she said some were very large. The water was "wierd" in her terms. She said the top two feet were real clear. She saw crabs coming up, but they were dropping off before she could dip thewm. She talked to a few commercial guys nearby and they weren't knocking them out either, but they were doing better than her.

[3D]

What state is crab alley in?

[cblu]

MD, I'm sure there's probably a section in here somewhere that gives more detail. It's a couple miles east of the Bay Bridge, off Prospect/ Eastern Bay.

[Crabpop]

Guys and gals, crabbing seems to be picking up in the Chesapeake Bay and neighboring rivers and creeks.  However, it ain't close to what it should be at this time of year -- early July.  Right now there is a sure fire way to get yourself anywhere from a few dozen crabs to a bushel of the beasts.  The secret?  Being at the right place at the right time.  Now, where is the right place and when is the right time?  This you gotta go figure out yourself.  It certainly helps to have a boat, which will allow you to move around and try different areas.  The areas right now seem to be the shallows;  anywhere from 4-6' of water where it's warm.  The crabs should start moving to deeper areas -- 6-10' -- as these areas warm up.  Now, when to go?  Incoming/outgoing tides seem to be the key.  However, I know that I have found the "right place" after much searching and tide state didn't seem to make much difference.  The crabs were hungry. I've been to Curtis Bay, south of Baltimore, twice so far this year. The crabs are certainly in there.  Next time I go there it will be with a trotline and good possibility of at least a bushel.  Now, why are they in Curtis Bay and not making much of an appearance in the Wye River?  Well, I believe that salinity has a lot to do with it.  We've had a lot of rain this year and a lot of it is runoff.  Curtis Bay flushes itself well with each tide, whereas the upper reaches of the Wye seem to retain much of the fresh water.  Things are gonna get better, but it's gonna take time.  Right now some places are good; Crab Alley, East Bay, south of Kent Island.  But, even here, it's hit or miss, unless you are able to move around and find the right place.  Now, my wife who is a gardener would get very upset with me for saying this, but what we need now is a drought, to allow salinity levels to build and move into the estuaries. The crabs will soon follow. Yup, then we'd have crab omlettes for breakfast, crab soup for lunch, and steamed crabs for dinner.  

Crabpop

[Crabaholic]

Thats alot of good input and advice from everybody. I told my wife that I was not the only crabaholic out there. Thanks, and happy crabbing! I'm gonna continue to post my results where ever and when ever I get out.  

[pink-nailed-sally]

Crab Pop, don't go out on a limb with your secret, any idiot knows our hobby is all about being in the right place at the right time.  I was already for you to drop a bomb and you come up with that nonsense.  Come on Pops !

[Crabpop]

LOL, Sally, when you're dealin' with fickle crabs and the weather (especially this year) what is a hot spot today may not be tomorrow.  Crabbin' success is on the increase and soon will be as good as it's gonna get for this year.  I'm up against the same thing everyone else is; finding 'em.  I hit my favorite places -- Crab Alley, the Wye River, Curtis Bay, the Chester River -- and if the crabs cooperate it's usually a good day.  Now, I have favorite places at each of these locations and sometimes they produce well. Other times, a big disappointment.  Ran a trot line in Curtis Creek yesterday and got a bushel of nice #1 Jimmies.  Mother Nature even washed out my boat in the driveway later in the day.  What more can I ask for?  Persevere, Sally, you'll find 'em. There's not as many as there once was, but what's there are just fine.  Heck, I've always looked at crabs the same way I do wimmen.  If you can understand one, you ain't gonna have any problem understandin' the other...  Good crabbin' to ya!

Crabpop  

[Crabbeer]

Went out to Crab Alley today and crabbed starting at low tide and crabbed the beginning of high tide.  Total of six hours and got 18 crabs.  Most people out there were doing equally as well.  

I moved around alot and didn't get much luck.  It is really hit or miss right now.  Crabs are out there, plenty big, but you have to find them.  Today, I think I found them and then they moved on me.  Can't figure it out.  

Still having a blast. My wife is cracking a claw as I type.  I'll go join her.  Friday is the next excursion to Crab Allley, I'll post results.

[cblu]

Here's my second trip post. I went out on Saturday and hit high tide at around 5:30. I ran 30 traps in differing depths of anywhere from 15' to 5". My first three runs, were 5, 10,10. I had 1/2 bushel of nice 6 - 7 1/2 inchers by 6:30. At 7:00 I was up to 3/4 of Bu. and figured this was going to be a very good day. Then nothing. I moved my traps to different depths in different areas but was only picking up 0 or 1 crabs a run. Pulling up 30 traps, rebaiting them, driving, sorting, etc. by yourself, and getting only 1 crab a run is no fun to me. SO, I pulled everything debaited and had my boat on the trailer by 9:15.
     I talked to one guy on the way out and he said the crabs had turned off for him also, after a fairly good start. They were running a trotline and traps. He said the week before he did pretty good and had got half of his crabs in traps the other half on the trotline. This week he said he was getting them on the line, nothing in the traps. Go figure.
     Cooked the crabs @ around 8:00 that night, again I didn't lose any to the heat (I do store them in a cooler as soon as I get off the boat). Mostly full, a few light ones (full moon). I think I'll probably take a week off, then back at 'em. Good luck.

[Jo_Crabber]

I went out to crab Alley today and had 30 traps and 1000ft line. I must say for my first time out this year on such a beautiful day the crabs were not there. I cought 6 crabs in 5 hours. I asked a few others and they were like me.. one here and there. I'll waite 3 weeks before going out agian

[Howard]

Crabpop:

That was a great analysis on Curtis Bay.  That flushing with the tides makes sense!  

The Wye is starting to come around and like you said, a few more of these opressive high heat days with no rain, makes the situation just right, particularly for those elongated rivers such as the Wye!

I only go every two weeks and am just about frothing at the mouth until my next trip out to the Wye,  :especially after netting some real monsters this past Tuesday.

Take care and be safe out there!

R/Howard

[Crabpop]

Howard, I gotta agree, there is absolutely nuthin' like nettin' a Wye River jumbo, either from a trotline or a handline!  Talk about an adrenalin rush!!  I expect to start hitting the Wye in a week or two.  Hey, the wife just bought a collapsible bike for me to use at the Wye! Gonna put it in the bed of the pickup and use it to ride back to the ramp after parking the trailer.  Chain it to a tree near the ramp while crabbin' and then ride it back to the truck to fetch the trailer at the end of the day.  Life is sweet!!  Continued good luck with the Wye crabs, Howard.

Crabpop

[Crabbeer]

Went to crab alley yesterday with 30 traps.  Got about a half bushel in 4.5 hours.  Crabbed outgoing tide from about 10:30 to 3:00.  Had to move around quite a bit to find the crabs.  Talked to some others and it sounded like it was a very slow day.  One group was out for 6 hours and brought home 6 crabs.  I was very happy with my catch.  

[Crabbeer]

Tried Crab Alley again yesterday.  Went out expecting to get a bunch.  Perfect day with tide coming in mid-morning.  

Got on the water at 5:30 and crabbed till 1pm.  Ended up with 2 dozen.  Not what I was expecting, but still happy.  

Talked to some others and some were doing better.  One group got almost a bushel in about 4 hours.  They were up in Crab Alley creek, just up from the marina in the cove on the left.  I couldn't find the crabs in their regular shallow locations.  Maybe they are moving into deeper water?  Most I caught were in 6-8' of water.  

May try again on Thursday.  Got to watch the weather, looks like it is going to be a rainy week.  Not good for the crabs....