# Crabbing on North Beach Pier?



## calverttroutman (Apr 22, 2011)

I plan to go crabbing on North Beach pier tomorrow. I think it may be a good day for it, judging by all the 4" crabs I saw today in nearby Fishing Creek. Since the water at the NB pier is deeper, I'm thinking there may be bigger and legal crabs in there, especially if I get there while the tide is coming in. Has anyone had any luck there crabbing off the pier? I know it's necessary to use traps or rings since there is much distance between the pier and the water.


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## shelties1 (Aug 5, 2004)

i've tried a few times, but haven't had much luck. Then again, i could have not done it at the right tide, etc. I've seen crabs farther down the pier near the pilings, but you can't crab there, only at the end of the pier on the 'T'. Good luck, I may be stopping by there to wet a line myself.


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## shelties1 (Aug 5, 2004)

did crab at Breezy pt last year once, and got around a dozen. it was fun.


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## shelties1 (Aug 5, 2004)

whoops, i just noticed you posted this last night, which means you went today. Any luck?


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## calverttroutman (Apr 22, 2011)

shelties1 said:


> whoops, i just noticed you posted this last night, which means you went today. Any luck?


Not a single crab. However, I went along Fishing Creek and found a few spots here and there along the road and caught 3 keepers on chicken necks just by messing around. This was in addition to 4 or 5 other crabs that I threw back because they were just under the 5" minimum. All of the crabs I caught were males, even the ones I threw back. I didn't stay in any one place very long because I wasn't sure if I was allowed to crab there, although I'm pretty sure it was public property and there were no signs. I don't know what it is with that North Beach pier, but it is not good for crabs (too open and water too warm?) although places close by are good. I am going to try Breezy Point next, or perhaps even go down to Solomons under the bridge on those piers. Maybe North Beach would be good for crabs at night when the tide is coming in, but I've been crabbing there 3 times and have not caught a single crab.


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## shelties1 (Aug 5, 2004)

i've seen them at NB down near the beach edge, but you can't crab there. And have seen them swimming around near the lower deck where you can't crab or fish, which sucks. Not sure what the rules are for around fishing creek either.


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## Fish Snatcha (Sep 13, 2009)

I have seen people catch crabs at solomons pier pretty good last year, and the pier is not far up from the water


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## CrabbingKing (Jun 25, 2020)

calverttroutman said:


> Maybe North Beach would be good for crabs at night when the tide is coming in, but I've been crabbing there 3 times and have not caught a single crab.


You want to start crabbing during periods of slack water, not while the tide is in transition. Aside from the current potentially sweeping away your bait or trot line (or pot, if you choose to go crabbing with one), crabs tend to forage for food during slack water as it's safer for them and the food they typically like to grub on can be easily retrieved.

There are alot of reasons for subpar crabbing - chief among them being timing, the bait you choose and the trap you use. Chicken works well but you may want to try using something other than a trot line as it's much more effective. Crabsman has an excellent write up on the best pots on the market: 🦀 The Best Crab Traps for Dungeness & Blue Crabs - Crabsman 🥇


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