saturday in seattle: crabbing.

Shorts: JCrew Factory. Shirt: Boden. Boots: Hunter. (kids.) Jacket: Loft. (similar.) Scarf: Old Navy. (similar.)

On Saturday afternoon, we took the kids and went just North of Seattle for some crabbing.  This is just another reason I’m thanking my lucky stars that we moved back to the Pacific Northwest.  Crabbing is a long time family favorite, and is such a great thing to do with kids, especially in Seattle where there are plenty of great locations up and down the Sound.   And raw meat aside, anything that involves Sound views, lots of  fun, and a gourmet meal at the end is fine by me.  The great thing about crabbing is that it’s a relatively easy and inexpensive activity, and if you’re lucky enough to catch something (and you don’t have to be that lucky), you’ve got the added bonus of a crab dinner at the end.  Honestly, I  would go crabbing even if we threw everything back, it’s  just a really fun way to “go fishing.”

We use the open pyramid cages, which I prefer over pots, because it’s more active and I feel like we catch more.  You don’t have to be a skilled fisherman or even own a boat to be successful at crabbing (we are walking proof of that), you just need some raw chicken or turkey legs, the right cage, a long rope and a little patience.  The process is simple: tie the turkey leg to the cage, drop it in the water, wait 15 or so minutes and pull it up.  The pull up is really the only tricky part, as you have to pull it up fast enough to snap the cage shut on the crabs who’ve walked in for an easy meal before they can scamper out again.  With crab pots you set the cage with more meat and wait a few hours.  I think crab pots are  probably a great option if you own a boat and can set them in the water with a buoy for a few hours.

The state of Washington has limits as wells as rules and regulations on the size/gender of crabs you can keep, but once you get them down, and know what to look for it’s very simple.  You can find regulations here.  Dungeness and red rock crab are both native to the Sound and both are seriously delicious.  Out of towers can buy a one-day pass, at any sporting goods store.  Awesome locations for pier fishing through up and down the sound can be found here.

Final tip: bring a cooler with ice for storing your crabs.