Rec crabbing as game warden explained to me

[talltail]

Found out that if you want to crab in OBX you need to call fish and game first and tell them what kind of gear you have and they will tell you how you can use it. The rules were explained to me by a very nice officer;0

1-If you use traps they need to be tied off to either the boat or land, do not use floats. You do not need a lic and you have no limit on #'s of traps

2-If you want to use floats they have to be pink and you need to purchase a crabbing lic. $250 for out of state. Ouch!

If you are going on vacation I suggest that you leave your gear at home and  buy crabs from a waterman. I found the blue crabs at the buffets to be very disappointing but the crab legs were great. Trying to understand the rules in this region are difficult and you should call fish and wildlife prior to going to see if anything has changed and to make sure that my version of the rules is correct.

[bluecrab]

Ru you sure that person was referencing pots only??

I was under the impression traps with pink floats can be used.

[jarosh]

Here is the info I received when I sent them an e-mail

----- Original Message -----
From: "Randy Gregory" <Randy.Gregory@ncmail.net>
To: "Paul Jarosh" <jarosh96@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: Rec Crabbing Regulations


> You may fish as many of the folding crab traps as you like.   One crab
> pot per person with properly marked buoys may be attached to the shore
> on privately owned land or to a privately owned pier with out any
> license.  You may purchase a Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGL)
> that will allow you to set five pots in the water away from the shore.  
> The RCGL costs $35 for residents and $250 for nonresidents and there are
> rules concerning buoys, lines and placement.  Here are several links
> that should help you and I have attached our crab rules.
> RCGL - ncfisheries.net/license/RCGL.htm
> Pots - ncfisheries.net/license/recGEAR.htm
> Size and Bag limits - ncfisheries.net/recreational/recguide.htm
> Good Fishing, Randy Gregory
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Paul Jarosh wrote:
>> I'll be visiting the OBX for vacation the first week in Sept.  While
>> down there I was hoping to do some crabbing and was wondering if you
>> can help me with some questions concerning what type of legal gear I
>> can use.  Mainly my questions are about crab pots and crab traps.