Feeling Crabby : All that’s needed is a net, dock and patience to claw a Dungeness

Until a few weeks ago, all of my experience with crab was in situations where the crab was at great disadvantage: on a plate, at a table, in a restaurant. Now the tables were turned.

As we pulled the trap out of the water, the biggest Dungeness crab we had seen all day was perched on the top ring. I could swear it smirked just before doing a half gainer back into the water, 20 feet below.

We hauled the dripping ring net out of the water and onto the pier, but it held only tiny, undersized crabs. We were skunked--the local term for people who go crabbing and nab nary a one large enough to meet the legal limit of 5 3/4 inches across.

Folks around us were having better luck, though. At 10 a.m., no one had yet collected their daily limit of a dozen Dungeness or two dozen Red Rock crabs, but it was apparent that there would be some nice catches heading for dinner tables that day.

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It was the perfect time of year for it. September through April are said to be the best months--the time when crabs are plentiful and easy to catch from boats, docks and piers along the Oregon Coast. From the town of Brighton south to Charleston, Dungeness are found in all of the state’s saltwater bays and Red Rock crabs in some. Off the northern coast, from Brighton south to Waldport, boats are often the preferred method for crabbing. But in the south, near Winchester and Charleston, it’s more common to crab from docks and piers.

It’s an easy experience to orchestrate. No license is required, and marinas, sporting goods stores and even some markets rent all the necessary equipment for catching crabs. Many have their own cookers and if not, will refer you to nearby places that will boil your catch (it only takes 15 or 20 minutes) for $3 or $4.

Pick up a nutcracker, some salad and bread at a local bakery (in Garibaldi try Bayfront Bakery or the Century Food Basket market) for one of the best meals you’ve ever tasted--whether you dine at an outdoor picnic table or back in your motel or condo.

A day of crabbing from a pier or dock, including bread and nutcracker, will cost less than $25. But even if you splurge by renting a boat, it won’t cost much more than $35--not a bad price, considering the entertainment and excellent dinner possibilities.

We were in the tiny northern Oregon town of Garibaldi (population 1,060), which lies about a two-hour drive west of Portland, between the beautiful waters of Tillamook Bay and the forested foothills of the Coast Ranges. Running through Garibaldi is U.S. 101 (Garibaldi Avenue in town), which is lined with small businesses, numerous casual restaurants, a B&B; and a motel. In addition to an active crabbing and clamming business, Garibaldi is home to a busy commercial fishing industry. Because it is the deep-sea port nearest Portland, some of northwest Oregon’s best ocean fishing charters leave from its docks.

My friends and I were here because Garibaldi has both a pier and boat rental facilities. It was our plan to rent a boat for our first try at crabbing, but there weren’t any available when we arrived at Garibaldi Marina, the area where boats are docked and rented. (Reserving a boat with one of the marinas at least 24 hours in advance is advised, especially during the busiest fall

Don’t let your fingers go past the midpoint. We heard even a veteran crabber let out a yelp when he got pinched showing off his catch.

and spring seasons.) Val Folkema, who runs Garibaldi Marina with her husband, Jeff, suggested we opt for crabbing from the nearby pier. Their 10-year-old son, Casey, who clearly spoke from experience, told us that for beginners, crabbing from a pier was easier anyway. His mother concurred but added that with a boat you can cover a larger area and have a better chance of nabbing a good catch. We decided to reserve that as an option for our next crabbing expedition.

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We headed the few blocks north to Pier’s End, an old Coast Guard pier and boathouse that stretches 750 feet out into Tillamook Bay.

As we walked out on the narrow pier, we could barely see the boathouse through the morning fog. We glimpsed seven fishing/crabbing platforms, 6-foot by 10-foot outcroppings from the pier. Ropes tied to the railings alerted us to the presence of attached crab traps below the water’s surface, and we could see that a couple of buckets held real beauties that had already been captured.

All sorts of rings and traps are used to catch crabs. Those most commonly rented are made up of two metal rings (the top one, larger) connected by fish netting on the sides and bottom with a rope attached to the top ring to pull them up. These usually rent for $3 a day.

But Dan McIntyre, who runs Pier’s End with his wife, Terri, rents a trap variation called a slip ring. He demonstrated how a third ring brings up a collapsible side when you pull up on the rope. This extends the height of the trap, slowing down the escape route for the crabs--a real help for not-so-quick beginners and those who are tired and slow after a full day of lifting the traps, which can weigh up to 20 pounds when being hoisted from the water.

We opted for the slip ring at $3.50 a day, knowing it would be easier to handle. The law allows each fisherman to rent up to three rings, but we stuck with just one, hoping constant vigilance would be an able substitute for experience.

Like most places, Pier’s End sells fish for bait ($1.25 buys enough for one trap). We wired it to the bottom netting of our basket. Some folks along the pier brought their own favorite crab lures, including chicken gizzards, chicken and turkey legs, and various cuts of beef. Everyone seemed to have his or her bait of choice.

We discovered there are also a variety of ways to launch crab rings into the water. Some people simply lower them, while others with more muscle hurl the rings like giant Frisbees. But there were those who swung the partially lowered rings back and forth for momentum before letting them drop.

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The traps end up parked on the bay bottom--the bait enticing the crabs to dine. Meanwhile crabbers can enjoy a cup of coffee and get to know each other while allowing newcomers to pick up some hints from crabbing veterans.

Depending on patience and energy, as well as on how plentiful the crabs are, traps are checked between five and 20 minutes after being dropped. Hauling them up as quickly as possible creates water pressure that helps keep the crabs, who have a vested interest in making a speedy departure, from escaping.

The two final pieces of equipment we needed were a five-gallon bucket to hold our catch--assuming there would be any--and a gauge for measuring the size of the crab to determine if it is within the limit.

Measuring them is easier said than done.

The best method is to quickly grasp both back legs or the rear central portion of the shell. Don’t let your fingers go past the midpoint of the underside. We heard even a veteran crabber let out a yelp when he got pinched showing off his catch.

The upper shells of Dungeness are reddish tan to gray-purple. Red Rock crabs are dark red on top. There are no size or sex restrictions on Red Rock crab, but only male Dungeness crabs can be kept.

It’s possible to tell the difference between males and females by looking at the crab’s underside. Males have a narrow abdomen, while the same area on females is broader.

The measuring gauge should be held in a straight line across the crab’s back, immediately in front of, but not including, the protruding points on either side of the shell. Female and undersized crabs should be returned to the water as quickly as possible.

Some locals told us that rather than take along a gauge, they use a dollar bill for measuring. Although a dollar bill is close in size, Brent Mulford, spokesman for the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Department, said people tend to bend the dollar around the crab’s body and don’t get an accurate measure. He said his department and the Oregon State Police cite crabbers regularly for harvesting illegal crabs. The penalty can be as high as $450.

It is perhaps a better idea to spend that $1 for a gauge and keep it as a souvenir.

One final crabbing nuance is timing the trip with the tides. Optimum time of day is generally at or just before slack tide--either low or high. The best days are those when a minimal difference exists between high and low tidal stages.

Tidal times change daily by as much as six hours. Tables are available where you rent equipment, but if all of this sounds too confusing, just ask for help at any marina. People are delighted to answer questions.

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As the fog began to lift and the air temperature warmed, we shed first our jackets, then our sweatshirts. By noon, the sun had broken through and we were pushing up the sleeves of our shirts. We sipped our hot chocolate and snacked on doughnuts while we waited for the crabs to emerge. But to no avail. Our patience and our time was expended.

Although our luck that day was poor, my story doesn’t end here. The crabs and I will meet again--first in a boat and then on a table.

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GUIDEBOOK: Net Profits

Getting there: United, Alaska and Delta fly nonstop between LAX and Portland, Ore. Advance-purchase, round-trip fares start at about $130.

From Portland, take U.S. 26 west to Oregon 6. Continue west to U.S. 101. Go north on 101 to Garibaldi.

Crabbing equipment: Rental prices vary ,but boating packages typically run between $30 and $35 and include two or three crab rings, bait and sometimes crab cooking.

At piers and docks, fees for crab rings are usually $3 to $3.50 a day; bait, $1.25 to $1.50. The minimum cooking charge is $3 to $4.

Basin Tackle, 4565 Kingfisher Road, Charleston. Offers equipment to use at local docks. Cooking available nearby; telephone (541) 888-3811.

Bayfront Bakery, 302 Garibaldi Ave., Garibaldi; sourdough, wheat, white and cheese breads plus deli items such as soups and salads; tel. (503) 322-3787.

Bay Shore RV Park & Marina, P.O. Box 218, Netarts. Offers boat rentals and crabbing from a nearby pier, cooking, tables; tel. (503) 842-7774.

Brighton Resort Inc., 29200 N. Highway 101, Rockaway. Offers boat rentals and crabbing from an outer dock, cooking, tables; tel. (503) 368-5745.

Dock of the Bay Marina, 1245 NE Mill, Waldport. Offers boat rental and crabbing from a dock, cooking, benches; tel. (541) 563-2003.

Embarcadero Dock Ltd., 1000 SE Bay Blvd., Newport. Offers boat rentals and crabbing from a dock, cooking, tables; tel. (541) 265-5435.

Food Basket, 706 Garibaldi Ave., Garibaldi; tel. (503) 322-3270.

Garibaldi Marina, 302 Mooring Basin Road, Garibaldi. Offers boat rentals, cooking; tel. (503) 322-3312.

Pier’s End, 12th Street, Garibaldi. Offers crabbing from a 750-foot pier. Cooking available nearby; tel. (503) 322-0383.

Winchester Bay Market, 8th Street and Highway 101, Winchester Bay. Offers equipment to use at local docks. Cooking available nearby; tel. (541) 271-2632.

For more information: Oregon Tourism Division, 775 Summer St. N.E., Salem, OR 97310, (800) 547-7842.

--J.D.