Navasink River question

[waterboy]

I've seen a few posts here about crabbing the Navasink in NJ, wondering if anyone here would be so kind as to give me a little information.  My brother owns a place and small boat on Sandy Hook on the Shrewsbury river where the Navasink runs into it.  I'd like to go out there and give it a try this year, was wondering how far up the Navasink you'd have to go to find decent crabs or if it's any good near the mouth of the river.  The other question is about gear, can you use trot line up there or is it just traps and rings.  Thanks.

[mariner]

Try here for NJ crabbing info.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/saltwater.htm

[#1 JIMMY]

Waterboy, I do a lot of crabbing in this area. I mainly crab in the Shrewsbury River. IF you have navigation maps try anywhere the buoys are in the 30's. These loctions are upriver a bit. Ihave seen all kinds of crabbing methods here. You ask about trotline, I once saw these older seasoned crabbers working one in the shallows off the main channel and they were banging them. The crabs in the river however have decreased in size and quanity in the last 5 years. I attribute that to the influx of commercials in the river. Tips, crab incoming, use bunker and chicken combined. Crabbing is best from sept 15 to nov1. My buddy crabs the Navisink and 2 years ago was bagging 2 bushel a trip nesr the Oceanic bridge. I am always looking for crabbing spots. Do you have any good ones?

[waterboy]

Thanks Jimmy,
I live in MD so any time you're looking for info down this way let me know.  I saw a few guys crabbing near Oceanic Br last year in Claypit Cr, looked very shallow.  On the other side of the Oceanic BR I saw some traps set while we were tubing but never saw anyone come to check them.  I'll let you all know how I do this year.  I'm trying to teach my nephew what I can about fishing and crabbing when I visit, figure it's his back yard so I'd like to teach him something he can use in the future.  I saw some free swimming last summer both in the Shrewsbury and Navasink so I'm sure they're around.  

[Joe Crabs]

Waterboy havn't crabbed there in 6 years, for the reasons #1 Jimmy pointed out. I crabbed the same areas but stay on the creek side of the bridge if you go there. It is shallow but the whole river is pretty shallow when the tide is out. It's around 5 to 6 ft. near the bridge before you hit the channel. It's very muddy in the creek area and if you stay center it is 3 to 5 ft depending on the tide. The traps were probably commercial. The other side of the bridge is very shelly, I havn't had much luck on that side. Good Luck if you go.

[DancinCrab]

Water boy,

 I lived there for 14 years, and crabbed the Navasink almost daily. Heres'a couple spots to try. Head upriver from the Oceanic bridge (toward red bank) and about a mile up, you'll see boats moored in the water. this is the old Rumson boat club. I've had remarkable success in and around the moored boats.

If no luck there, moter further up toward buoy 18. Just to the north/northwest of the buoy (depending on where  they placed it this spring) there is a wide hole, where it runs down almost 16 feet. I've caught crabs, weakfish, bluefish, fluke flounder, you name it in that hole.

Finally, if you are adventurous, motour up past red bank, past the train bridge and there are some fine creeks back up there, and they hold crabs too.

Good luck

[Joe Crabs]

Them creeks are tough at low tide, aren't they Dancin Crab. You wonder where all the water goes sometimes.

[DancinCrab]

yerp, them blow out tides get funny like that.

there's one other place I forgot to mention. Just off the old air force base, there's a slough that runs between highlands proper and the island.  it's hard to get into because of bars east and west, but if you get across on rising water, you can do some damage on those crabs for a couple hours.

[Joe Crabs]

Any decent size at that train bridge. You use to get some big boys there, but like everything else that was many moons ago. I think that is where I went the last time I went in Jersey. It's only 25 mins from my house.

[crabincrazy]

I grew up sailing Sandyhook bay and both the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers.  I currently live in Maryland and crab the Wye.  However, when I am up there with the folks, I bring a few traps with me and walk out right into the Shrewsbury and throw the traps out.  i wait a few minutes and walk out to check them.  I have been very successful the last couple of years.  A lot smaller than the Wye but they were all packed with meat.  On the navesink, I agree with the others, the Oceanic bridge is where I have seen people banging them out.
GOOD CRABBING!!!

[waterboy]

Wow, thanks for all the good info.  I'll make sure I put it to some good use and I'll post a report here later in the summer.  Won't be there until the 4th of July at the earliest.