Dungeness and Red Rock Crabbing in the Pacific Northwest: No Boat? No Problem!
Join me as I head out to do some crabbing on the Oregon Coast. Yes, it's almost always more productive to crab from a boat with full-size crab pots, but it can still be fun crabbing from shore with minimal gear. I was able to catch some dungeness crabs (Cancer magister) and red rock crabs (Cancer productus). I think red rock crabs are often overlooked--I know several folks who toss them back no matter how big they are--but I find they are excellent eating. I have also heard the rumor that red rock crabs are invasive, but this isn't true, at least not here in Oregon.
I also show how I cook crabs. One day I was chatting with a lady from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; she recommended steaming crabs with a sprig of rosemary instead of just boiling them. I've done it this way ever since, and I think it helps them retain more flavor.
And finally, if you do decide to head out crabbing please be sure you follow all the regulations and make sure you stay safe. Even in the bay, the tides and swell can sometimes be dangerous if you're not paying attention. Thanks for watching and as always, if you have and feedback or video suggestions I'm always happy to hear them.
My gear in this video:
Crab traps (no brand name that I'm aware of; I bought these quite a while ago for $20 each at a small bait shop on the Oregon coast)
Timex Ironman Classic 30
Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Salt (not pictured, but my go-to knife when I'm working near saltwater)
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 S110V
Пікірлер: 29
Thanks to you.
I grew up crabbing from shore. Some of my best childhood memories. I was so happy to see you save the meat from the small legs that everyone else ignores. That's the best, sweetest meat! Cheers to those gents who were so blessed and then blessed you and yours in return. Good to see you and your family are well, and eating darn well too.
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Indeed! Thanks for saying hi, and I hope all is well in New York. 🙂
I love how you have choose to make your love of nature a family hobby and keep all the family involved. It will become easier and more enjoyable as the children get older. I really appreciate you, acknowledging God as the Creator of our Universe. How neat it is to see other fellow fishermen, in their abundance, share their bounty. You might consider adding more detail to your future video clips. For example, type of bait used, actual fishing location, description and explanation of the equipment, today's tide chart, alternate fishing ideas, teach about animal species, specific recipes, and so forth. I am from Utah and all of these things are new to me. Keep up the good work.
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the kind words and the suggestions for future videos. I agree that finding activities that the whole family can do (we have two young daughters) is best. Happy Easter!
your Videos are so pleasant lol. With all that has been going on with Covid it's refreshing to see nice people out there getting on with their lives.
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy the videos. It has been a lot of fun to make them and share them with others.
👍🏼 Awesome effort! Steaming is definitely the way to go, for lobsters and corn on the cob too! Thanks for the tips! 🦀😋
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks Mike. Good to hear from you, as always! 😊
Great video! I will have to try that rosemary tip. Thanks!
nice
Awesome video I love crabbing this way. I mostly stand in the bay in waldport. Some people think I'm crazy but I fully clean them before I cook.
@WesternEclectic
2 жыл бұрын
Hey thanks for checking in! I noticed you have some videos on surf perch. I have only gone fishing for them a few times but I hope to get out to the coast to try for them again sometime soon. They're fun to catch and good eating--it's hard to beat that! Keep in touch.
@fightthefishpnw5455
2 жыл бұрын
Yes I love to surf fish. the last 2 years it's become my favorite way to fish. Perch are such good eating.
Thanks for another video! You and Deviant Ollam are the two YT channels I love most. Saw this when it dropped but I had to finish up some database updates before I had chance to comment. Are you an Oregon native? I'm a WA transplant from a place just a few miles away from the most landlocked point on the continent. I lived in OR not long ago but I didn't start clamming until I moved up here. Coming from the mid continent drylands, I'm absolutely fascinated with the ocean life.. especially the delicious kinds! I've never tried crabbing, as Dungeness have such little meat vs Alaskan crab and never thought it worth the trouble. I'll have to give it a shot now though now that I see it's possible to be successful without more large gear added to the clamming/crayfishing/squid fishing stuff already taking up so much room here! If you are where I think you are, I know there are lots of cockles and gaper clams down near the bridge. I'll have to give crabbing a try next time we are down that way clamming. It would be great to have more to do after the tides come back in and that looks more fun that sitting on a pier all day while using a big metal crab pot. Thanks again for the great videos and reading my stupidly long comments!
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Kyle, nice to hear from you and I always enjoy reading your stupidly long comments, haha! I still need to check out Deviant Ollam; I haven't made time to do that yet but will try soon. Anyhow, my wife and I moved to Oregon from Minnesota in 2012. And same here: I have always been amazed by ocean life, I think especially since I didn't grow up near it. I guess that's yet another parallel for your wife's evil twin theory! Anyhow, I'll try to send you my contact information so if you make it down here to my area in Oregon I can maybe give you some more specific advice on where to go or whatnot. Have a great weekend!
@ZiggityPow
3 жыл бұрын
@@WesternEclectic too funny! I love the ocean, but I hope to some day get back to Boundary Waters and canoe in Minnesota with my son.
Love this video! I was recommended to check out your channel and I'm very glad I did :) I'm also a no boat, no problem crabber. I use homemade snares to crab fish from shore. I've never used traps like you're using here. How do you like them?
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the kind words! Yes, I like the crab traps I use. As I recall I paid $20 each for them at a small bait store on the coast. Amazingly, I haven't lost any of them to snags or other hazards yet, although I have certainly come close (a few weeks ago a boater passed close to shore and cut my line with his prop--I inadvertently hooked that trap with another one and recovered it!). I've never used snares, but I'd love to give them a try. I see you're into squid fishing (something else I have never done but hope to try) and I'm excited to check out your videos. Cheers! -Michael
you should put some more videos out
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Yes, it has been a while since I've posted a new video and I hope to do this soon!
Where can I go crabbin and cray fishing at Washington I live in seattle
@WesternEclectic
Жыл бұрын
I'm a long ways from Seattle (I'm in Oregon) but I'm sure there are good places to go in your area. Ask around and see what you can find. Good luck!
Which bay? Looks like Nehalem or Netarts
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Theodore, thanks for checking in and nice to hear from you again! Close but I was a few bays south of there... 😉
@michaeleft
3 жыл бұрын
Yachats!
@TedSeeber
3 жыл бұрын
@@michaeleft Yaquina
@TedSeeber
3 жыл бұрын
@@WesternEclectic Yaquina? That is a long drive home for a day trip, but certainly easier to crab. Surprised you got anything with the amount of fresh water coming out of the river. Someday if I am brave enough, I want to try Depot Bay under the bridge. Need about 300 feet of line though, I think
@WesternEclectic
3 жыл бұрын
@@TedSeeber Wow... I've never tried crabbing at Depoe Bay, but if it takes 300' of line that's probably a bit beyond what I could handle. I'm more of a 30' kind of crabber, haha.