![]() ![]() The trap also must have a degradable panel, a 3-by-6-inch or larger door attached by twine or wire that will deteriorate quickly, which allows crabs to escape if the trap isn’t emptied in a timely manner. Each trap must have two escape vents measuring at least 2 3/8 inches in diameter in each crab-retaining chamber. The trap, which may not exceed 18 cubic feet, has inverted funnels on its sides that allow crabs to enter but makes it difficult to escape. The most common set gear is the crab trap, which is a rectangular device typically made of chicken wire or other thin metal that can be baited and left to sit. The restriction on these nets is they may not have within the frame any area that exceeds 16 square feet, according to TPWD. This allows crabs to find your bait and when you feel them or see the line move you simply lift on the pull line and scoop up your quarry. It features two rings attached by mesh with the larger top hoop attached to a pull line, and when baited and dropped to the bottom, the device folds flat. When a hungry crab latches on, slowly retrieve the line until you see it and then use a net to scoop it up and place it in a bucket.Īnother common way to fish for crabs by hand is to use a crab net, which is termed an umbrella net by TPWD. You can tie whatever smelly lure you prefer onto a piece of strong twine that’s long enough to reach the bottom and drop it from a pier or the bank. The simplest legal device is a throw line - a baited line without a hook - which has no restrictions. Female crabs with aprons removed also are illegal to be possessed.Ĭrabbing devices are varied and feature some restrictions. When carrying eggs, females are termed “sponge” or “berry” crabs and are illegal to be retained. Spawning season runs from December to October and peaks during spring and summer. The sex of a blue crab can be determined by the abdominal flap or “apron,” which in males is shaped like an inverted T and in females is broader. The crab’s claw will regenerate, typically within a year, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The larger claw is the only portion that may be retained and you must return the body of the crab to where it was caught. Texas summer outdoor activities should top your to-do listĪ legal stone crab is defined as one with at least a 2½-inch claw, measured from the tip of the claw to the first joint behind the immovable claw. The legal size at which a blue crab may be harvested is when it measures 5 inches across the widest point of its body, from tip to tip of its spines. There is no daily bag or possession limit for blue crabs and stone crabs, but they each must meet a minimum criteria to be taken. That program, which celebrated its 20th year in 2020, closed bays to crabbing for a week in February, and traps in the water during that period were fair game to be legally removed. There are no public waters, seasons or times closed to crab harvesting other than during abandoned crab trap removal program dates. ![]() Other places to seek out include brackish areas and estuaries that harbor a number of different food sources.Ĭrabs may be harvested for food or bait with a valid fishing license and a saltwater fishing stamp endorsement, but those taken for personal use may not be sold. Some of the best crab habitat is nestled close to manmade structure near shore, including around boat docks, marinas, bulkheads, piers and especially bait stands or fish-cleaning tables, where scraps always get scooped up quickly. Crabs also will eat each other and the stone crab’s powerful larger claw can be used to crush the shells of crabs, oysters and other mollusks. A blue crab’s diet differs from freshly dead to freshly caught food, including small bait fish. Stone crabs, which are brownish-red and have a larger right claw, typically prefer rocky structure such as jetties that protrude into the Gulf. They have blue claws, dark backs and white underbellies. Their meat is sweet and mild.īlue crabstypically lurk near sandy bottoms lined with sea grass and usually are found in bay systems. Blue crabs are the most sought crab species on the Texas Gulf coast. There also is little investment in gear you must tote along to have an enjoyable outing, and in that regard it’s an everyman’s recreational opportunity. The pursuit is geared toward simplicity and many of the most productive crabbing locales are accessible from shore. Crabbing is a summertime staple up and down the Texas coast. ![]()
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