When is Crab Season in Texas? A Guide to Blue Crab Harvesting Times

The Texas Gulf Coast—a haven for so many things we hold dear, especially in the summer months. One resident of our Gulf waters that’s always a topic of conversation is the blue crab. Lots of people catch, cook, and eat them, and we’re here to tell you all about them. In this month’s article, we’ll talk about everything from blue crabs’ habitats to the laws and rules you need to know. So, let’s dive in!.

Texans love their fresh seafood and blue crab is one of the most popular catches along the Gulf coast. If you’re new to crabbing in Texas you may be wondering—when is crab season here? Read on for a guide to Texas blue crab seasons, rules, and tips for a successful harvest.

Overview of Blue Crab Seasons in Texas

The good news for Texas crab lovers is that there is no closed season for harvesting blue crabs in state waters You can legally catch blue crabs all 12 months of the year on the Texas coast

However, while crabbing is allowed year-round there arecertain times of year that are better than others in terms of crab availability size, and quality.

Here’s a quick overview of the Texas blue crab seasons:

Spring (March-May) – Crab season picks up as the water warms. Best time for catching large “jimmy” male crabs.
Summer (June-August) – Peak crab season. High catch rates, but smaller crabs on average. More females and juveniles appear.
Fall (September-November) – Good season for large crabs again before they burrow for winter. Watch weather as fall storms can impact catch.
Winter (December-February) – Crab activity slows as they burrow into mud. Still open season but lower yields expected.

While you can catch blue crabs in Texas any month, spring through fall offers prime harvesting, with summer being the most active season overall. Now let’s look at some key rules and tips for harvesting during peak seasons.

Texas Blue Crab Regulations and Minimum Size Limits

When crabbing in Texas, be sure to know and follow all regulations for harvest methods, sizes, and possession limits:

A fishing license with a saltwater endorsement is required for crabbing.
There is no daily bag or possession limit for blue crab. You can keep all the legal sized crabs you harvest.
The minimum size is 5 inches measured across the widest point of the shell.
It’s allowed to keep 5% of undersized crabs per day for bait only. These must be kept in a separate container.
Female crabs with eggs (sponge crabs) may not be kept.
Crabs may be taken using crab traps, crab nets, fishing poles, or lines only.
Specific rules apply for crab trap and line markings and placement. Check regulations before setting gear.

Following the size, season, and harvest method rules is important to ensure healthy crab populations for seasons to come.

Best Baits for Crabbing in Texas

The key to crab pot success is using fresh, smelly bait. Top choices include:

Fresh dead fish – Croaker, mullet, porgy, or other oily fish work great. Cut into strips for smaller crab traps.
Chicken necks/wings – Inexpensive and very effective. Can add old bay or fish oil for more scent.
Razor clams – A prized bait where available. The smell really attracts crabs.
Eel or squid – Excellent but pricier options. Cut into chunks.

Make sure to check and re-bait pots regularly, replacing bait every 24 hours if needed. Bait cages can help the scent disperse.

Best Places to Crab in Texas

The miles of shoreline and bays along the Gulf of Mexico provide countless options for crabbing spots. Some top places to try include:

Galveston Bay – The most popular spot for crabbing in Texas. Jetty fishing piers and shore access abound.
Matagorda Bay – Less crowded. Excellent crabbing from shore near Pass Cavallo and Sargent.
Sabine Lake – Border water near Louisiana. Big crabs taken near jetties and bridges.
Corpus Christi – Fish from piers or wade off Padre and Mustang Islands. Nearby bays also productive.
Trinity Bay – Part of Galveston Bay system but sees less pressure. Good wade crabbing.

Ask locals for their favorite access points and spots when visiting a new area. And be sure to get proper permission for shoreline access or for setting pots from piers.

Best Time of Day and Tide for Crabbing

Crabs tend to be most active and feeding around sunrise and sunset. Set your pots before dawn or in the evening, then check them early the next morning. The middle of the day sees less crab movement.

In terms of tides, a rising high tide generally produces the best crabbing. Crab pots near jetties, inlets, or passes are very productive on an incoming evening tide.

Low slack tide is the most difficult time for crabs to enter and exit pots. Consider pulling pots temporarily during extreme low tides.

Storing and Cooking Your Texas Blue Crabs

Once you’ve hauled in a bounty of beautiful blue crabs, you’ll want to prepare them properly:

Keep crabs cool and moist – place in a bucket or cooler with damp newspaper or a wet towel. Don’t submerge in water or they’ll drown.
Cook, pick, or freeze the meat as soon as possible for best flavor. Live crabs can be kept 1-2 days max if kept cold.
Boil, steam, or sauté crabs for 7-12 minutes until the shell turns red. Take care not to overcook.
Pick the sweet lump and jumbo lump meat from legs and body. Use the rest for delicious crab cakes and soups.
Freeze excess picked meat in airtight bags or containers up to 4 months.

Now get out on the water and put some Texas blue crabs on the table! Carefully follow the seasons, rules, and tips above for an awesome crab harvest. Let us know your best crab catches this season!

when is crab season in texas

Exploring the Ecology of Texas Blue Crabs

Blue crabs have a unique blue-green shell that turns bright orange when cooked. The blue crab’s carapace (or shell) is about 7 inches (17. 8 cm) wide and 4 inches (10. 2 cm) long. It weighs 1 to 2 pounds (0. 45 to 0. 9 kg) when fully grown. They’re also adorned with fierce-looking but fascinating claws—one for crushing and one for cutting.

Knowing how to identify male and female blue crabs can make your crabbing more ethical and sustainable. Males generally have a T-shaped apron on their belly, while females have a rounded, more triangular one. Mature females, known as “sooks,” have red-tipped claws. It’s like they’re wearing nail polish.

These crustaceans can live in a lot of different places, from salty estuaries to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Blue crabs usually live in shallow water with lots of places to hide, like grass beds and structures that are underwater. However, these crabs have a rather complicated life. After hatching, they go through several larval stages in open waters before settling in estuaries. They molt—shed their shells—to grow, going through a soft-shell stage that’s a delicacy for many seafood lovers. As they mature, their migratory patterns change, often venturing to deeper waters.

Insider tip: The best times to crab are in late spring and early fall, when there are lots of mature blue crabs in shallow water.

The Impact of Blue Crabs in Texas

In nature, everything is interconnected, and blue crabs are no exception. They serve as both predators and prey within the Gulf Coast’s intricate food web. As predators, they eat a wide range of things, such as plankton, small fish, and trash, which helps keep these populations in check. They are important food for many species, like red drum, bigger fish, and even some birds, because they eat them. By being both the diner and the dinner, blue crabs help maintain a balanced and healthy ecosystem.

The population of blue crabs has historically experienced fluctuations due to various factors. The number of crabs can go down because of overfishing and habitat loss, especially in wetland and marsh areas.

Don’t worry, though—these guys won’t be going anywhere because there are too many of them and their friends in the Gulf.

BLUE CRAB Catch & Cook! (Galveston, Texas)

FAQ

What kind of crabs can you catch in Texas?

Common Name	Scientific Name	Family
Red-jointed fiddler crab	Uca minax	Ocypodidae
Spined fiddler crab	Uca spinicarpa	Ocypodidae
Mudflat fiddler crab	Uca rapax	Ocypodidae
Blue land crab	Cardisoma guanhumi	Gecarcinidae

Does Texas have a crabbing season?

Like most southern states, Texas does not have a set crabbing season. You can go crabbing year-round in Texas. However, for 10 days out of the month of February, “It is unlawful to place, fish or leave a crab trap or crab trap component in the coastal waters of the state” during the Annual Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program.

When are blue crabs in season?

Blue crabs are in season when the water temperature in the rivers and bays they’re caught from reaches at least **70°F**.In the Gulf States, this typically occurs during the **spring and fall**, as the

Can you catch crabbing in Texas?

Texas has plenty of coastal areas where crabbing is a popular pastime, and the Gulf of Mexico offers an abundance of crab species to catch. In addition, you can easily learn how to catch crabs and bring back a tasty haul with the right gear and technique. So why not grab some friends and head to the coast for a crabbing adventure?

When does crab season start?

It usually starts in early April and runs through October or early November. The season runs longer than the Chesapeake or East Coast. We see very few crabs after the water temperature drops below 50°F. What should we look out for when buying them at a fish market?