New Crabber with Questions! lol

[theprynce]

Hey folks!  I'm new to the site and new to crabbing and I have a few questions that I hope you guys can help me with.

I'm in South Carolina and my understanding is that you do not need any sort of license if you're using no more than 2 traps or pots per person.  Is this correct?  If so, is this in all areas?  Bridges, intercoastal waterway?

Also, I intend to crab (to begin with, at least) from ocean piers.  I have one in mind that I heard through the grapevine was sometimes decent for crabbing.
My question is; what is best for a beginner to use?  Net traps?  Something else?

I've been pier fishing for spots for as long as I can remember and I know that traditionally, luck is best on the left side of the pier (if you're facing the ocean, back to the shore).  Is one side of the pier preferred over the other for crabbing?  What about the end?

That's about all I've got for now.  Any advice you guys could offer would be very much appreciated!

-=The Prynce

[CRABBINDAVE]

Hello and welcome!!! If your crabbing from a pier you don't need a license,if your crabbing from bridges you have to have a salt water fishing license regardless of how your crabbing.Your best bet would be to pay the $10 at any tackle shop here and go from the bridge on atlantic ave in garden city or the public park in murrells inlet of the dock.There are many places to go around here if you don't have a boat.Good luck!!!

[CRABBINDAVE]

Also,,you can only set two pots with your license!! Your best bet from the pier or a bridge would be a pyramid trap.Watch the tides and check out the bridge on atlantic ave in garden city at falling tide,i'm sure you will do very good there.Its where I started out before i bought a boat.Let me know how you do 

[tattoo]

Welcome. hope you have a fantistic season. happy crabbing. 

[theprynce]

I went on my first crabbing adventure yesterday and just wanted to let you all know how it went.

My friend and I with one trap each went to the Cherry Grove pier around 10AM or so which was sort of in between tides but was much lower than it would be the rest of the day.  We chose a spot at random, not knowing if one place was better than another.  After about 20 minutes or so, my friend pulled up a sook with no claws.  Within a few minutes, I pulled one with one claw.  And about 20 minutes later, he pulled one with both claws.  All sooks.  All keepers.  One was nearly 7 1/2 inches.

It got slow until about 1PM at which point I caught two calico crabs and he caught one.  By chance, does anyone know if these are good for anything?  They were about 4 inches or so.

We were using crab tongs to handle the crabs...  Are they preferable over gloves or does it matter?

Anywho, just wanted to thank everyone for the info and well wishes.  We'll be trying one of CrabbinDave's spots he mentioned here on Monday morning!

-=The Prynce

[jeff l]

crab tongs is what I use

[CRABBINDAVE]

GOOD LUCK LET US KNOW HOW YOU DO

[theprynce]

GOOD LUCK LET US KNOW HOW YOU DO

No luck on Atlantic Ave.  We were there Monday morning for a few hours and came out with nothin'.

The public park in Murrells Inet-- Where is it?  lol.  We rode around there for a long time trying to find it or any sort of public landing and the best we came up with were a landing near a memorial but the tide was too low and the marshwalk but the tide was too low when we got there also.

CRABBINDAVE, have you ever been off the bridge on 48th Ave South in North Myrtle Beach?  My roommate's friend said it was a great spot and I was wondering if you'd tried it.  If not, I'll give it a go in a few days and let you know.

-=The Prynce

[CRABBINDAVE]

Oh yeah,,turn across from house of blues next to the mcdonalds.The tide usualluy flows really hard there.Best to go at dead tide.The park in murrells inlet is next door to the hot fish club.If your up on the north end of the beach you can also go to lakearrowhead rd in restaurant row.Take it to the end and it curves really hard to the right (Road turns into shore dr) take it to the end and you will have all the marsh you need to set some traps.Really good scenery there too,,if you know what i mean Let me know how you do

[theprynce]

Oh yeah,,turn across from house of blues next to the mcdonalds.The tide usualluy flows really hard there.Best to go at dead tide.The park in murrells inlet is next door to the hot fish club.If your up on the north end of the beach you can also go to lakearrowhead rd in restaurant row.Take it to the end and it curves really hard to the right (Road turns into shore dr) take it to the end and you will have all the marsh you need to set some traps.Really good scenery there too,,if you know what i mean Let me know how you do

We tried the bridge by HOB with no luck.  We saw a few of 'em in the shallow areas but even dropping there got us nothing.  We met a guy with his kids down by the water using a hand line and he got just one until another guy came along and showed him that by wading on the edge, he could go out about 30 yards and pull 'em in one behind another which the all proceeded to do, lol.
We went down to Lake Arrowhead rd. but couldn't find a good spot.  Maybe the tide was too low, I'm not sure.
We also checked out the place next to the Hot Fish Club but the tide was too low.  Turns out we had the same misfortune last time, although I guess we did have the right place, lol.

By chance, have you even tried crabbing Withers Swash down by Family Kingdom or at Withers Swash Park off of 3rd Ave. South?  We had no luck at any of the other places so we decided to try the park because it has a little pier over the swash that we figured could get results.  We were there about an hour and 15 minutes and got about 5 crab between the two of us.  Some were male and some female but all were too small to keep.  All but one were within an inch of being legal.  We're going to try it at various tides and see how it goes.
If you give it a go at any time, I should warn you that there are a few homeless folks that tend to sleep on the pier.  They're not bothersome to my knowledge and left us alone on the pier as soon as we got there.  The city has also apparently stopped cleaning around the swash as there's both a large blue barrel and what looks like a partially submerged roll of carpet right around the pier.

-=The Prynce

Just wanted to keep you updated!

[CRABBINDAVE]

Well hopefully you had a good time atleast!! All the places mentioned are all very good spots. Me and the wife ate dinner last night at the causeway grill on atlantic ave in GC. Saw a tourist walk up with a 5 gallon bucket full of crab.He had on some rubber boots,,said he was standing down on the shells beds at low tide.I definately wouldn't give up on that spot.It's one of my favorite places to go.Also the park in MI is a very good spot just check you tide chart before you head out.Also at high tide there is a pier at dicks marina that is open to the public for fishing.Even if its low tide you can jump down off the pier onto the marsh and walk around all around the pier to crab.Actually,,the creek that dicks marina is on is where i set my pots.That creek is full of crab.Good luck,,keep in touch.

ps, I would watch yourself at witherswash park!!!! There is always people getting stabbed or robbed there.It's not a very safe place.Maybe it was too hot for the homeless people to do anything,,Believe me,,when i first moved here i rented a house 2 blocks from there and the cops and ambulances where always there.Thank goodness we only had a 6 month lease. Just wanted to warn you to be careful!!

[theprynce]

So would you recommend handlining from the shell bed at Atlantic Ave. and/or casting hoop-nets or triangle traps from the walk-way?  We only tried the triangles so that honestly may be our problem.  We certainly haven't given up on it, though.  We're just trying all potential spots in what will probably be some sort of cycle.

At Captain Dick's - We were pretty sure that's where the veterans pier was but only saw the marina and parking 'for boat owners only' so we gave up on it after a quick drive-through.  We will certainly be checking on that one again, too.

We know about the potential dangers of the park.  Before moving down here, my friend and I were Geocaching there at night and quickly decided not to go there after dusk again, lol.  Now I actually have the misfortune of living just under a mile away from it.  We think its probably mostly safe in the day time, though.  Did you ever crab there, though?  Thanks for the warning, though!

My roommate and I went back to the bridge near HOB the other day and had a good deal of luck.  We used hand lines and hoop nets about 30 yards from the bridge and of the 3 hours and dozens and dozens of casts, only about 5 didn't have something in 'em.  Only two were large enough to keep, but at least we kept busy!  It was low tide and slowly coming in during our time there.   Would higher tide be likely to net larger crabs?  Or is that something that's hit-or-miss from location to location?

One last thing and I'll stop prying your brain for the day, lol.  Do you prefer turkey necks or chicken necks?  Is there a reason to choose one over the other?

Thanks so much for all your information.  With your tips and a little trial-and-error I think I'm starting to get a mind for this.

1,000,000 thanks!

-=The Prynce

[CRABBINDAVE]

On atlantic ave we always walked down on the shell beds.You can walk around there and cover a large area of the creek.We sometimes would pack a lunch and go swimming there too.Good times!!! Actually with the price of gas we may be starting to do it again. Chicken or turkey necks will work fine. Chicken necks are just a little cheaper.Lately i've been useing chicken backs.They are in more stores around here.

[theprynce]

We went down to Atlantic Ave. again a few days ago and went down to the shell beds and we had no luck again.  We're not giving up on it, though.  You seem too sure of it for us to not keep trying.  Plus, the area down there is a little large and we only kept on one spot (the little inlet around the left of the creek, heading back East).  The ones we did get, though, were tiny.  Most of them fell out of the nets.
Making a day out of it down there doesn't sound like a bad idea!  My roommate went wading on my behalf when my badly tied knot on my hoop net left it stranded without attachment.  She didn't much like the muddy bottom but I'm from inland where I used to spend my summers in swampy ponds and rivers with moccasins at every corner so I'm not so afraid of a muddy bottom.

Ah, gotcha.  I wasn't sure if one was better than the other and I was most recently using turkey necks that I found at Food Lion for like $2 for 8 of 'em and they were big enough to snap in half which was preferable.

We'll likely be headed back to Atlantic Ave. next time we head out so I'll let you know how it goes!

:2thumbsup:Thanks again, CRABBINDAVE-sensei!

-=The Prynce

[tattoo]

good luck. 

[CRABBINDAVE]

I was down at atlantic ave today! Caught about a dozen keepers when the tide was coming in.Didn't take the boat out with the bad weather.So we just crabbed when the rain let up and sat in the truck when it got bad.Going to probably try again tommorow with this crappy weather.Me and the wife packed a lunch and ate watching the lightning over the ocean.Had a great time.I almost forgot how much i love it down there.Its a really peaceful place.Good luck on your next trip!!! Look forward to your report

[tattoo]

nice catch WTG. 

[theprynce]

I was down at atlantic ave today! Caught about a dozen keepers when the tide was coming in.Didn't take the boat out with the bad weather.So we just crabbed when the rain let up and sat in the truck when it got bad.Going to probably try again tommorow with this crappy weather.Me and the wife packed a lunch and ate watching the lightning over the ocean.Had a great time.I almost forgot how much i love it down there.Its a really peaceful place.Good luck on your next trip!!! Look forward to your report

Dangit!  I'll get the conditions right some day!  lol.  I may head back down to Atlantic Ave this Sunday morning and see what we can come up with.  I'll meticulously study the tides and try to spend a long time down there.  Or we may head down towards Georgetown depending on gas and all, lol.

Just a few days ago, my roommate and I went back to the bridge near HOB and came up with nothing.  Not even a baby.  The tide was too low, I think.  I figured we should shoot for around low tide since it was pretty low the time before, but this was way too low.

We then headed down to the place at the end of Lake Arrowhead Rd. you told me about and didn't get anything either.  What method do you normally use down there?  Our handlines and hoop nets get snagged on the rocks almost every time (and this was low tide) and I feel pretty sure that all the snags played at least a small part in no luck down there.  I'm now heavily considering the metal mesh nets.  Think that'd be any better?

Have you ever used the store bought 'Bumble Bee Bait'?  It looks like just bagged chicken necks.  How's your experience with them in the past?  Of the two times I've used them, I've never even netted a single crab.  It may just be my bad luck, but have you or any other forum members reading this ever used 'em?

-=The Prynce

[got crab]

good luck catching any crabs in sc,  this is the orst year ive seen in the last 10 years.

[tattoo]

Hope you catch some soon /