New to Blue Crabs and Virginia but not new to crabbing. Where to go?

[Articulady]

Hi!  As y'all can see, I am new to this board.  I'm from Washington State where I used to go for Dungeness (and inadvertantly Red Rock) whenever possible.  I'd like to teach my 5 year-old all about crabbing, but have yet to actually go and do it, mostly due to lack of knowledge of the area and a reluctant DH.  I've done a lot of research online, but frankly all the place names etc are meaningless without checking the map at the mention of each name, checking the regulations, estimating how long it'll take me to get everyone there and home again blah blah blah

We live about an hour west of Richmond and would love to find the closest place possible (for starters) where we can crab and maybe even make it back home that night, thus inspiring a desire in DH to crab often, then allowing us to range further afield for overnights, etc.

I have a big 3-ring-net/pot that I used to use for Dungies, but I'm afraid the net openings might be too big for blues; we've also bought a little metal pot/basket here in Virginia that I presume is meant for blues lol.

Any advice about where relatively nearby I can take my somewhat reluctant family where success is likely to occur?  Do Blue crabs like turkey legs, too? Any help or advice you experienced folk can give me will be greatly appreciated.  I'm not asking for your secret spots although I wouldn't mind a bit - just a general area where public recreational crabbing is allowed not too far away...

Thanks!
Elizabeth

[jack1747]

Welcome to the board.  I am not to familiar with the western side of the bay.  My guess is there are lots of places within a 2 or 3 hour drive from where you are.  There are some members on the board that crab that side.  I am sure they we login with some ideas for you.

[horsefly]

Welcome to the site!!!!  You may want to ask the webmaster(Steve) about crabbing that side of the bay. There is plenty of places for you to go, by boat, as I am not sure about piers except for the one on James River(north of Hampton Rds on HWY 17 N). BTW....who/what is DH??? GOOD LUCK

[Articulady]

DH = generally refers to Dear Husband.. but you can use your imagination using the tone of the post as your guide 

Thanks for the welcome!

[horsefly]

DH = generally refers to Dear Husband.. but you can use your imagination using the tone of the post as your guide 

Thanks for the welcome!

We'll just leave it at that Welcome once again BTW, there is tons of folks on here that really are very knowledgable for Va crabbing, I think they must be all Nascar fans and not logged in now

[tattoo]

welcome aboard . don't know much about that artea , but someone will be able to help you out. Good luck , hane a GREAT season. 

[CRABGUY]

WELCOME TO OUR LITTLE CORNER OT THE WEB!!

THERE ARE TONS OF PLACES WITHIN 2-3 -4 HOURS DRIVE OF RICHMOND, TO CRAB WITH TRAPS OR HANDLINES FROM SHORE OR PIERS
THE WYE RIVER, (AKA WYE MILLS) MARYLAND, VERY POPULAR ON THIS SITE BIG CRABS , AND BOAT RENTALS
THERES THE TIDEWATER VIRGINIA AREA, VIRGINIA BEACH,, LYNNHAVEN FISHING PIER, RUDEE INLET.
CHESAPEAKE,DEEP CREEK AND GREAT BRIDGE LOCKS PARK, 
THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA

HOPE THIS HELPS GOOD CRABBIN TO YA
CG

[dredgecrab]

coming from Richmond take rte 360(mechanicville trnpke) all the way to Reedsville. They have good crabbing on the  bay and potomac. crabs should  be catching good there by first of may.

[Seanile]

Welcome to the forum.  From where in WA are ya from?  Glad to see you capitalized Dungeness. They deserve it.   

[Articulady]

Thanks, everyone!  I'm from the Seattle area, where no other crab but Dungies exist in the minds of the locals except King.  I worked on a fishing boat in Alaska for a year and got eat more than my share of fresh King crab, salmon and a whole slew of oddities that come out of the Bearing Sea. 

Growing up in Washington, I had years to drive around aimlessly near the water, pouring over the regulations, studying the currents, throwing in my pot wherever I wanted, dining on oysters and digging clams.  After years of such freedom you learn all the good spots and only have to bone up on regulation changes.  Now, it's a whole new ballgame for me, starting over completely.  I no longer have the freedom to take off for a long weekend and learn where to go WHILE I go - 5 year-olds only have so much tolerance for wandering aimlessly lol!

I appreciate the advice and direction you guys can give... I feel lost and frankly a bit homesick being so "far" from the water

[crabbygramps]

 Couple days on the bay, and you'll forget you left!!

[DipNSip]

Articulady,
   
Heres another possibility for you if you don't want to drive all the way to Reedsville. Look up Westmoreland State Park. It is on the Potomac about an hour west (Up River) from Reedsville. I have a friend from Tappahannock, Va. that goes there and sometimes does well with crabbing. It is still about a 2+ hour drive from where you are at.

[Articulady]

Thanks DipNSip, that looks like a great plan.  Thanks for all the advice from everyone, actually   I'm going to give it a try very soon - the kids have spring break coming up shortly, so that'll free things up quite a bit!

Chicken necks, is it?

[DipNSip]

Chicken necks are fine for either crab traps or trotlines.

[jack1747]

Bunker

[tattoo]

That  works too. 

Bunker