Massachusetts Crab Season Opens May 1st.

[masspi]

Maps sent

[unclebuttsy]

Remember, Masspi sends out those maps to keep people from discovering his honey holes!

Just kidding... just look at any estuaries in SE MA, you'll find a crab or two.

[masspi]

I think of them as a start for someone who is just getting into crabbing.  You still need to experiment and try different things.  If someone took my maps and just stood where the arrow points, they would never get a full bucket.  They are very general and will do one thing, get you started.

Now for my Honey Hole of the week.........................


!#@$$%^#%^@$%&^%^*#$#$%^&*!@$!#$@#%@%^*#%*&%#$$&&()($%$^#!$%@$!$#$^$&$.  #%^&%&($^&*@^!~~......good luck

Just kidding.............the whole Southcoast is a honey hole...........Ya just got to know where to look.  Thats why I always tell the Newbies, you have to read the old posts on the forum and do a little research, get a chart of the Rivers, gain some local knowledge, talk to everyone, introduce yourself, talk about the Blue Crab Forum, make new friends, and lastly, swap some lies about how many you caught.

[wwasser]

masspi, can you please send me (wwasser@gmail.com) a copy of the map too? I just moved to Shrewsbury MA. My 7-year-old son is super-excited (someone took him crabbing last year when we visited RI).

Also, is right now a good time to catch crabs? I've never done it before (I lived in Illinois).

thanks for your help.

[masspi]

I have tried to send you the maps, but your e-mail keeps kicking them back

[lhan]

Hi Dave,

could you send me the map for crabbing in Mass? i just want to take kids out for a fun summer day! Thanks in advance!

hanlingxuan@yahoo.com

[s8727060]

hi masspi, could you send a copy of the map ? and do I need a license for crabbing in Mass???
Thanks for your help.
s8727060@gmail.com

[darrowj]

masspi,

Can you please sent maps?  My son is excited to try crabing.  I used to do it with my grandfather when I was a kid in CT.  We used the string, chicken neck and a net.  It was always something I enjoyed doing with the old man and will always remember.  I'd like to see how it goes on the cape.   jason_darrow@hotmail.com

Jason

[masspi]

Maps have been e-mailed

If I missed anyone during my vacation, let me know with a b-mail

Dave

[s8727060]

hi masspi, I didn't get the maps. Could you send that again ? s8727060@gmail.com
btw, can anyone tell me what b-mail is

[browser]

Hi,Masspi
Can you please send a map to mao18.mitbbs@gmail.com?
I went crabbing last year in some place near Hull,but only get several small rock crab.
I want to try my luck this year~~

[zrbite]

Would like a map as well. I am new to crabbing. pinglee80@gmail.com
Thanks

[town_water]

Hi,Masspi, can you send me a copy of map? We enjoy a lot with crabbing. email is town_water@yahoo.com, thanks a lot.

[Cayman Spirit]

Thanks to Masspi for the maps. I am more used to MD and south crabbing so a few questions:
1. what areas can a 22' boat get into? the rivers seem a little to narrow and shallow. I did try Marion Harbor at about 8' with no luck then just outside in 10' and only got the spider crabs. Like others I found large claws on the shore of West Island [Fairhaven] which was encouraging but where were they from?
2. Ideal depth? water temp? tide?
3. How long do you have to leave bait in? I am used to dropping bait in and waiting only a few minutes unless I am running a line then maybe 20 minutes.

[Cayman Spirit]

Sorry this was a duplicate

[masspi]

You will find crabbing a little more difficult in Massachusetts than Maryland.  We are at the Northern Range of the Blue Crab and though there are lot's of rivers that support large numbers of crab, they are hard to crab from a larger boat.  For example the Weweantic is a boulder strewn river that from the mouth looks wide and inviting, but is a bottom ripper and very shallow in much of it's length.  Fixed bridges pose a problem in getting to the crab.  The Marion Harbor area is almost a desert for crabs because the rivers that flow into the harbor are small and the salinity is pretty high for crab.  To get those Jimmies, you have to get north of Route 6.  The I 195 boat ramp is a free ramp, but your boat can only use it at high tide.  

The crabs you saw near West Island are from the Acushnet River or one of the many small feeder streams in that area.  I am surprised you saw any in that area as again that is pretty salty water, but anything can happen.

Ideal depth and temperature North of Route 6 is between 4 and 8 foot.  The water is usually so shallow that they will try to get deeper so they don't get cooked in the water.  Finding those little honey holes is the secret.  As far as water temperatures, you are likely to find crab anytime the water is above 65 degrees in this area.

Because I only fish with traps/pots, I don't handline or use a trot line.  I really have no idea how long to let your bait soak.  Now with a trap, I usually soak for 24 hours.  Remember that you need a Recreational Lobster permit to use traps.  I believe that the only time I have ever seen a trot line used in MA was for Cod.  There is no commercial fishery and you are limited to only 50 crab a day by any means. There is some proposed change in regulations that will bring the minimum size to 5" and 25 crab a day.  There are posts on the forum that discuss this.

Hope your season is OK

[nn00]

hi, masspi
I am new in the forum, cannot view your profile yet. would you please email a map to my email nnoo2007@gmail.com? Many thanks! My dad is visiting me in Belmont MA. He loves fishing but never tried crab hunting. We are planning to go this Sunday.