Weweantic River 05/01/2012

[WarehamDan]

I went to the Weweantic boat ramp yesterday (4-30-12) to see if there was any sign of crabs.  Sure enough I saw one next to the ramp, and it looked like a keeper.  I also checked out the Agawam, no big crabs but I saw a couple dozen 1"-2" crabs on the edge of the river.  That was all I needed, I headed home and got ready to go crabbing today.

Today's weather was awful, 48 degrees, rain and wind, but I had to try.  I launched my kayak from the Weweantic boat ramp on I-195.  I only brought 4 traps because I have never crabbed from a kayak before and I wasn't sure how to load all the gear, or maneuver while on the water.  After paddling down stream, into the wind, I dropped two ring traps and two collapsible "snap" traps, the snap traps only have two doors.  I was thinking about pulling the traps and going home even before I pulled them once, the weather was nasty.  I pulled the first ring trap, and to my great surprise there was a crab in it.  It was so dark and muddy on the underside that I thought I had caught a green crab, but then I saw the backfins.  I was so happy I almost rolled the kayak.  I kept crabbing for two hours, until I was soaked and cold.  The only other crab I caught was from the same trap on the second run, but it was 4" so I threw them both back and headed for home.  I didn't bring dinner home today, but as soon as the weather turns nice again I will be back out there.

[tattoo]

Nice try , better luck next time out.

[fingerless]

great report.   i went out last week for a test run   i got 3 just 5"  ( threw them back) and about 12 shorts       in 3 hours   water stil too cold   it will be good soon enough       crab on...

[masspi]

Way to go guys.................reminds me of my younger days

First one on the water and last one to leave.  The water is warming and soon there will be plenty

Go get your share !!!

[Fairhaven Crabber]

love this post!  thanks for the update wareham dan!  I think they're going to be running early and often this year, considering that the right whales have been spotted in the bay, and the humpbacks are making their way up here early this year.  Signs of warmth already!

[masspi]

Guys.................Here is a link to the water temperature site I use for off shore fishing.  It will give you an idea of how we are warming up.  With the past week being cloudy and raining, we lost a little ground, but next week is looking up.  Once we start seeing higher air temperatures and Sun, things should warm up quickly.  My guess is that we are about two weeks ahead of schedule.  One sign I see this week is that the Lilacs are starting to bloom.  They usually show their stuff around the twentieth.

http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=0&product=sst

[masspi]

Drove around a little today and actually saw a handliner on the causeway on Rt. 6 at the Weweantic.......doubt he caught much, water temperatures have dropped this week with all the rain and cloudy sky's.  I saw about 50 Mute Swans on the Agawam on Sandwich Road in Wareham but no crabbers on the Wareham or Agawam Rivers.  I watched two schools of Bluefish chasing bait fish near the causeway on the Wareham side....they are early this year.  Over the week I have seen at least a dozen guys fishing the area.

I noticed that there was a legal ad in one of the local weekly papers and there are plans to dredge Eel Pond in Mattapoisett.  That will kill all crabbing in the spillway for a while, but may improve crabbing in the long run.  Still say they are the most aggressive crabs I have ever encountered.

If you have a Yak or boat and can get down the Weweantic from the Boat Ramp, place some traps on the mooring line in front of the houses on River Road.  I took hundreds of pounds over the years.  Don't waste time going beyond the Yak Ramp (Seashell paving, white)  The water is ultra shallow out of the channel and at low tide like this week your traps would be exposed.  I mentioned last year that I am pretty much done and would be giving up some of my spots..........Send me a b-mail and I will give you the details why the mooring line is so good..............Go get your share

Dave

[Fairhaven Crabber]

Man, dredging out Eel pond!  I've been skipping out on Eel pond for the past 2 years because I found a much better spot in Wareham, but I'd love to see Eel pond get deeper so it can create a better habitat for crabs to stay, rather than go out with the tide every change..  Wonder what the motivation is to dredge it out?