Lower eastern shore status?

[Derwood]

Hi! I am thinking of taking my 3-year-old son crabbing one last time this year. We went a total of 34 times this year, at a variety of public docks, ramps and a couple times on a boat.

The second week of October we crabbed in Dorchester for a few hours and only found smalls and females. Then we went further south to Somerset and caught a few jumbos alongside many many females.

This is our first season crabbing so I’m not sure if it’s worth going down there again this weekend. Will crabs still be in 4-8 feet of water down there? Or is it already too cold? We never tried the Bill Burton pier across the choptank...I wonder if that might be our best bet to get a line in deep water.

Thanks in advance for any reports or wild guesses. It’s a 2-3 hour drive one way so I’d just like to know if there is any chance of some handling / trap success. Thanks!!

[bgfishhook1]

    Hello Derwood .
   You ask a very interesting question and I can't blame you one bit for asking .
   A 3 hour ride to new crabbing grounds is a far piece from home. It is really
   hard to know where them crabs will be this time of the year because they
   are on the move further south where the water is warmer .They do tend to
   seek deeper water but it is anyone's guess where they are.  I do admire you
   in that you are taking your son crabbing , this is something he will remember
   for the rest of his life. This season is almost over but there is always next year
   to continue your adventures with him and I encourage it . Here is some great
   info for you to read. Do you see that little BLUE CRAB at the bottom of all of
   the pages here? Go ahead and click on him. When you start next year please
   give us a report and some pictures of your adventures, we would like to hear
   from you , and good luck to you and your son .

           BGFISHHOOK1

[indoe]

Choptank pier is pretty high so for using handlines could be difficult. Not sure if you will do good anywhere shallow that will be good this time of year. I would take a rod with you incase its slow. Maybe you will catch a few perch or rock.

[lastdrift62]

Hello if you can make it to Janes Island state park nice place for you and you son to spread out and dip . Always lots of action on crabs there Crisfield maryland .

[Derwood]

Thanks for the feedback! Here are a few photos of us crabbing this year. It’s been a lot of fun for us and next year my younger son will be two and ready to get involved a little more.

Good call on fishing rods. We always bring those and some frozen shrimp or fish bites. We crabbed James island a few weeks ago. That’s where we caught a mix of females and big guys. I was thinking of going again.

It’s a long drive but that’s part of the fun since it’s “our time” to listen to music and talk about crabbing, construction vehicles, hunting and whatever else during the ride. Crabbing has been the one thing we can do together regardless of lockdowns etc.

If anyone has crabbed recently on the lower shore (or anywhere else) and had luck I’m interested. Crabbon.

[mark fix]

The bridge on golden hill rd over the blackwater refuge has deeper water I believe. May be worth a shot.Take some rods along.

[Jap1987]

The bridge on golden hill rd over the blackwater refuge has deeper water I believe. May be worth a shot.Take some rods along.

Is it to legal to fish off that bridge? I thought only key wallace dr was permitted?

[mark fix]

I thought so i may be wrong though.There is always someone there when i go launch my boat. cartop only. You can call blackwater and ask.

[Derwood]

Report: it seems to be over.

We tried Cambridge, Crisfield, and Blackwater over the weekend and only caught a few crabs at each place. It was a really fun first season! We caught over 300 crabs across 35 outings. I just picked up some nice traps for next season.

I’ll be looking around for used gear people are offloading for one reason or another. Thugs like nets, quality collapsible traps, etc. I’ve now got 20 nice traps and would like to get to 35 total.

PM me if you want to get rid of anything for a fair price.

[jmjral]

How are able to post from an hour in the future?

[jmjral]

Hey!!!  I can too.