Re: wye river crabbing

[crabman1969]

Hello im new on here, my name is kevin.  I crab on the wye river religously where i keep my boat all summer.  Just trying to get some feedback on those who crab there or those interested.  This year wasnt as good as last but still loved the challenge.  Last trip was 3 weeks ago where it was slow but still end up with a bushel.  Water was very clear, not many jellyfish which has something 2 do with the slower year.  Hope 2 hear back from u folks.

have several hot spots!  I stayed away from most of them this year looking 4 new spots.  Wanted 2 keep it simple this year and stay away from commercial crabbers.  I crabbed towards the mouth on the benett point side.

[crabbywaters]

I am interested...got any hot spots ?

Leave the new guy alone.. Welcome to the site.

[crabman1969]

yeah leave the new guy alone. You might learn something!!  Thanks!!

[tattoo]

WELCOME

[Ronster]

Welcome!  

I am interested...got any hot spots ?

He marks them with a big red X for you.    Didn't you see any big red X's out on the water?   

[crabman1969]

In 2010 on the wye river you could throw a lil piece of chicken in the water and immediately see a crab come up and grab it.  It was that good there!  Cant say the same 4 this year but it was ok.  I have been crabbing there for 30 years.  Topless traps are the best wat to go.  Yeah you can run trotlines but you still r only allowed two bushels per boat and can get that with the traps with a better better quality of crab.

[Ronster]

What's the difference in crab quality between topless traps and trotline?

[Whaler1965]

What's the difference in crab quality between topless traps and trotline?

The same as regular trot line vs. snoods... 

[Jocko]

What's the difference in crab quality between topless traps and trotline?

Imagine the quality with "ring" traps

[crabman1969]

Well very big crabs did not get big from hanging on trotlines!  Plus when the sun is out and bright they tend to drop off trotlines.  Once you shut them doors on them its over.  Ive been crabbing in some areas that you can not put lines.  Back in lil coves, in between piers and hilly areas.  The thing about topless traps are they take up very little space on the boat and when you need to move from spot too spot its a quick process.  I still use traps with the tops on them also!  But the majority of them are topless. These guys that wanna go out with these big trotlines cannot get in those nooks and crannys area where the big boys are hiding.  Bigger is not always better.

[crabman1969]

Snoods trotlines are better thats what I have whenI use it.  The reason why is its alot easier to dip the crab off the hanging bait rather then dipping it off the trotline itself.  Baiting and unbaiting is a quicker and easier process.

[CrabDog]

In 2010 on the wye river you could throw a lil piece of chicken in the water and immediately see a crab come up and grab it.  It was that good there!  Cant say the same 4 this year but it was ok.  I have been crabbing there for 30 years.  Topless traps are the best wat to go.  Yeah you can run trotlines but you still r only allowed two bushels per boat and can get that with the traps with a better better quality of crab.

Crabbing pressure gets worse every year there and 20 inches of rain may have had something to do with the crabbing in MD in general....... there was enough fresh water released into the Bay during the Hurricane and TS to actually fill the bay up entirely with freshwater......hence no Jellyfish and the rockfish has been way off this year also..... My brother even caught a channel catfish two weeks ago off of Tolley's bar on his charter boat... that is how fresh the water still is......... 
I to have crabbed that river for 25 years and have seen the size and quality of crab decline .......  still good crabbing but not like it was 10 or 15 years ago......
and then all the hot dry weather in July and August created red tide only to be followed by the Huricane and TS in early September it was a year of extreme's for sure.
we may see the effects of all the rain for years to come with all the sediment coming down the bay covering up grassbeds and clouding up the water etc... it may takes years for the bay to straighten herself out....Most Northern Rivers like the Gunpowder etc..... hads most of the grasses wiped out and water quality was on the rebound now has taken steps back..... we will have to see as time will tell how much damage to the Bay and it's tributauries was done by these storms...

[Summertop]

   OVERHARVESTING


I guess I need to find the big boys club and find out where they all hang out together.  

[CrabDog]

   OVERHARVESTING


I guess I need to find the big boys club and find out where they all hang out together.  

when you do let me know to ST   

[crabman1969]

Yes the quality of the crab has declined in the wye river!  2010 was a banner year down there.  They were kinda small but plentiful.  Thats why I thought 2011 was gonna be very good but it was not for me.  It was fair at best and dealing with alot of commercial crabbers there season was not good either.  Alot of them packed it up and called it a year early or moved elsewhere. The females were very plentiful last season with some very big ones. But this year was the opposite.  Cant keep them anyhow!

[CrabDog]

Yes the quality of the crab has declined in the wye river!  2010 was a banner year down there.  They were kinda small but plentiful.  Thats why I thought 2011 was gonna be very good but it was not for me.  It was fair at best and dealing with alot of commercial crabbers there season was not good either.  Alot of them packed it up and called it a year early or moved elsewhere. The females were very plentiful last season with some very big ones. But this year was the opposite.  Cant keep them anyhow!

I actually caught more sooks this year than last on the wye... I agree though it was OK there this year.... but other places wer not much better and I do go to other rivers and none were on fire.......... but mostly steady at best.

[crabbywaters]

Crabman. What makes the wye crabs taste so good? I also use topless traps in the wye. You are right about getting in the coves and holes, they are great for moving around as well.

[crabman1969]

The guy looking for the big boy club.  If your talking about the wye river, when you go under the wooden bridge go up about a mile where you can only go right or left make a right go down a half a mile and thats where you will find the big boy club. Probally the best crabbing on the river but thats where the commercial boys are at.  I crabbed there for 20 years but the pressure there got too much for me. So I headed towards the mouth about 1 mile short of the mouth.

[crabman1969]

Yes you cant beat the taste of a wye river crab.  You can go to the next river over and they wont taste the same.  The river is high in a certain nutrient cant remember that nutrient right now having a senior moment. I will look into that though!

[Summertop]

The guy looking for the big boy club.  If your talking about the wye river, when you go under the wooden bridge go up about a mile where you can only go right or left make a right go down a half a mile and thats where you will find the big boy club. Probally the best crabbing on the river but thats where the commercial boys are at.  I crabbed there for 20 years but the pressure there got too much for me. So I headed towards the mouth about 1 mile short of the mouth.

No offense but I quit going there 3 years ago because of too much pressure and a decline in quality.  Second there isn't a spot on that river that doesn't recieve constant pressure or is secret.  As for a single spot being the best spot all year, I totally disagree.  As the summer moves on, the crabs will migrate toward the head of any river to normally find the fresher water.  Drought years even further into the fresh. Wet summers not as far of a push. JMO. 

[CrabDog]

No offense but I quit going there 3 years ago because of too much pressure and a decline in quality.  Second there isn't a spot on that river that doesn't recieve constant pressure or is secret.  As for a single spot being the best spot all year, I totally disagree.  As the summer moves on, the crabs will migrate toward the head of any river to normally find the fresher water.  Drought years even further into the fresh. Wet summers not as far of a push. JMO. 

I agree ST, and I think he may have given directions to my secret spot to boot....   

[Summertop]

I agree ST, and I think he may have given directions to my secret spot to boot....   

I was going to put you in there but didn't..  I didn't want to squash your Red X or paint over SuzyQ's red x.

[crabman1969]

Sorry I gave direction 2 your spot.  If you crab there then you have seen me there.  There is a commercial boat there called Dony Boy. Thats where I have done my best crabbing over the years. His name is Jimmy and he catches more crabs then the other commercial guys. Theres a kent narrows boat a little further down his name is Tony anbd he catched alot also and runs his line up to 20 foot of water.

[crabbywaters]

I was going to put you in there but didn't..  I didn't want to squash your Red X or paint over SuzyQ's red x.

I can't ever find them when i crab the wye . One thing i know for sure, those wye crabs are some GOOD EATEN CRABS. Great..my crab shakes are coming back. Thanks guys!!

[CrabDog]

Sorry I gave direction 2 your spot.  If you crab there then you have seen me there.  There is a commercial boat there called Dony Boy. Thats where I have done my best crabbing over the years. His name is Jimmy and he catches more crabs then the other commercial guys. Theres a kent narrows boat a little further down his name is Tony anbd he catched alot also and runs his line up to 20 foot of water.

Just messin with ya.. I don't think such a thing exists on the Wye... secret spot that is.....  alot of times you can see red X's floating on the surface.. those are left usually by Joe Crabs.........   

BTW, don't take anything personal on here we all have fun and like to bust chops once in a while....  so welcome aboard....