Anticipation was high as our boat approached the string of makeshift buoys bobbing on the surface of Lake Pontchartrain. We’d been soaking this set of drop nets in about 6 feet of water for a good 20 minutes.
As everyone on board gazed down into the water, our designated net retriever quickly hauled into the buoy, rope and net assembly, and subsequently two beautiful blue crabs. Continuing down the line of nets we’d set, we pulled in another five crabs, with all but one of suitable eating size.
We added these half dozen crabs to our haul for the day, which we’d boil later that evening.
Sure, we could have bought the crabs from a local seafood vendor, but when the weather is right and the crabs are in, chasing them yourself can be a lot of fun. In fact, crabbing can be a very rewarding family activity - there’s a minimal investment in gear and bait but a delicious payoff. Plus, you can catch loads of these tasty crustaceans without having to use a boat, considering the plethora of roadside waterways and public piers throughout the state.
The simplest method for catching crabs is to tie a fish head or chicken neck to a string and lower it into the water. It usually doesn’t take long for crabs to find the bait. When you feel a crab latch on, carefully pull in the line and capture it with a dip net. You could also expand upon this method, using a set of strings attached to one base string, similar to a trotline setup. These string methods can be very productive, as crabs are reluctant to release their meal and are especially popular among land-locked crabbers, as they are easy to deploy along the side of a coastal road or in the surf of beaches like Holly Beach, Grand Isle and Fourchon.
If you’re fishing from a pier, try using a hoop net (legal only in freshwater areas). Simply attach bait in the middle of the hoop with a metal clip or piece of string, and lower the net into the water. Wait five to ten minutes, then pull the net to the surface as quickly as you can to prevent crabs from escaping the net en route. Avoid giving any slack in the line or pausing while you’re retrieving the net. You could also attach floats to these nets and set them out in the open water.
The most expensive, but potentially most effective way to catch crabs is a crab trap (just like commercial fishermen use).
You can purchase crab traps from local sporting goods or marine supply stores.
Simply bait the trap and set it out in a roadside canal, off a pier, or in the middle of a large body of water. If you set a trap in open water, make sure you rig the trap with a non-floating rope and buoy large enough for boaters to see, in accordance with state regulations. Leave the trap open for a few hours or overnight, and return periodically to check your catch. One trap can capture a surprising amount of crabs - investing in a large collection of them is typically not necessary, plus state regulations limit recreational fishermen to ten traps. Also, avoid losing your traps and never abandon them as they an continue to trap and kill crabs when unattended. Numerous lost and abandoned traps litter Louisiana’s coastal waters, despite tremendous efforts to remove them.
When it comes to crab bait, fishermen’s preferences vary drastically from one end of the state to the other. Many commercial crabbers swear by whole bait fish such as mullet or porgies. Local anglers will often freeze speckled trout heads from their fishing trips to use later as bait for crabbing. Many folks use chicken, turkey or even beef parts - crabs aren’t typically picky so these make a great, inexpensive bait option. Regardless of their go-to bait, fishermen like to give it a chance to develop a significant stench to best attract the crabs from far and wide.
Louisiana is flush with waterways of suitable salinity to host blue crabs, but the key to catching crabs is find the particular areas where crabs like to congregate. Try crabbing in areas with moving water - much like fish, crabs tend to use tidal movement when feeding. Moving water will also help broadcast the scent of your bait and attract crabs. For example, the mouth of a bayou is often an ideal location for setting nets or traps, especially on a falling tide. Canals and bayous that connect larger water bodies are also perfect places to set out your gear during any tidal movement.
Always remember to follow LDWF’s regulations when crabbing. If you’re using a net or line in most waters, you don’t need a fishing or gear license. However, you must have a basic fishing license or a Wild Louisiana Stamp to crab with any legal gear on LDWF-managed Wildlife Management Areas or refuges. You may not use crab traps in these areas. If you’re using crab traps (in other areas), you must have a basic fishing license as well as a crab trap gear license, which allows you to deploy up to ten crab traps. You must tag each trap you own with your license number. Recreational crabbers may only harvest 12 dozen crabs per person per day. There is no minimum size limit, but you may not harvest any female crabs bearing eggs and must immediately return them to the water.
