Everything You Need to Know About Newport Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishing

Oregon crabbing is a fun and exciting activity to do with family and friends all year long. You can go Newport Oregon Dungeness crab fishing and almost always yield success! Another excellent benefit of crabbing in the area is that you only need minimal gear, which you can easily rent nearby. You can also go with guides or join fishing charters to go boat crabbing, though you can also stay by the docks for accessibility.

But of course, there is more to learn about Newport Oregon Dungeness crab fishing so you can catch a few to bring home and enjoy. Read on as we share what you must know about Dungeness crabs.

Newport Oregon Dungeness Crab Fishing

Newport, Oregon is the best area to go catching Dungeness crabs because the city trademarked the name “Dungeness Capital of the World” back in 2007. They mean serious business when it comes to these kinds of meaty, delicious crabs, and they deserve the title.

Commercial crabbers in the area have harvested record numbers of Dungeness crabs for numerous years in a row. Locals and visitors can even start searching and harvesting Dungeness crabs themselves as well. If you’re one of the people who dream of catching a few Dungeness crabs in Newport, here are important things you must know about crabbing.

What are Dungeness Crabs?

For those who aren’t too familiar with this species, Dungeness crabs would forage on various fish and invertebrate species. These are relatively short-lived crustaceans who can live for up to ten years. Most commercially-caught crabs are about four years old, measuring 6 ¼ to 7 inches wide across the carapace.

During the spring season, female Dungeness will molt, attracting male crabs for mating and protection while the shells are soft. Male crabs would molt during late summer, burying themselves in the sand for protection since they have soft shells at that time. That makes crabs more difficult to attract to pots at that time.

You can easily identify a Dungeness crab from its reddish-brown to purple color and white-tipped claws. They also have ten carapace spines, with the tenth one being the wides.

When to Go Crabbing

You can find Dungeness crabs throughout sandy and muddy areas of the shallow parts in lower estuaries, though they are also found in the oceans up to 2,000 feet deep!

Some of the best locations to go crabbing in Newport are:

• Yaquina Bay
• Port of Newport (public fishing pier near the Newport Bay Bridge)
• Bay Street
• Abbey Street Piers
• The Idaho Flats
• Sally’s Bend
• Upper Bay
• The Bridge Bed

While you can go crabbing in any Oregon estuary, there are better opportunities in specific areas (like the ones we mentioned above). Yaquina, in particular, provides one of the best year-round Dungeness crabbing opportunities in Newport.

The next question is: When should you go to Newport Oregon Dungeness crab fishing? It depends on three major factors.

• Time of year: Smaller estuaries and areas with more fresh water influence might be excellent from the later summer to early winter seasons. Fall is usually the best time to crab because come September, crabs are more filled out, so they have a higher percentage of quality meat.
• Time of day: The best times of the day to go crabbing are during slack water times, during peak high or low tide. During swift tidal exchanges, crabs would bury themselves. Come slack water, crabs are usually walking around and foraging as they are less affected by the tidal currents.
• Weather: You should never go crabbing after heavy rains because crabs are swirled around so they can’t feed easily.
• Legal season: Crabbing is open on beaches, estuaries, piers, jetties, and tide pools all year round. However, Dungeness crab fishing in the ocean is closed from October 16 to November 30.

What to Bring

Make sure that you dress warmly and according to the weather. Moreover, you must bring the following:

• Your shellfish license (Oregon fishing license)
• Crab measuring device
• Pots or rings
• Bait (chicken, turkey, other meats, and small fish works, as long as they are fresh)
• Bait holders
• A cooler to store your caught crabs

Basic Rules and Regulations

Always remember the rules and regulations for catching Dungeness crabs in Oregon to avoid hefty penalties and other consequences.

In Oregon, a crabber cannot keep more than 12 male Dungeness crabs. Moreover, they need to measure at least 5 and ¾ inches. You may keep up to 24 Red Rock crabs of any sex and size, which you may catch from time to time as you target Dungeness crabs.

You must have and carry a valid Oregon fishing license. If you join a fishing charter, they most likely already carry a license so there may not be a need to avail of one. However, communicate with the captain and ask if a license is needed.

Basic Crabbing Tips

If you’re hesitant to go crabbing because of how much it takes, there’s nothing to worry about! You won’t have to prepare a lot of money or overly prepare, which is why anyone can enjoy a day of catching Dungeness crabs.

Here are the basic steps to follow when crabbing:

1. Bait your gear
2. Set your gear and soak time
3. Retrieve your gear
4. Sort through the crabs and be careful to avoid breaking crab legs or getting pinched
5. Measure the crabs you catch and let go of those that don’t meet the minimum requirements
6. Store your freshly-caught crabs in your cooler with ice or bucket with cold water to cook later!

Wrapping It Up

Hopefully, this article on Newport Oregon Dungeness crab fishing gave you more of an idea of what to expect when crabbing. If you’re looking for more fun when fishing in Newport, why not contact us now and join a fishing charter? Not only can you get crabs, but spend an entire day catching fish and learning new techniques, too!