The Best Spots for Catching Dungeness Crab in California

The commercial season has been pushed back, but the recreation season has begun. It is now time to take matters into your own hands, er, claws.

California is famous for its fresh and delicious Dungeness crab. Every winter, fishermen haul in huge catches of these tasty crustaceans from the cold Pacific waters. As a crab lover and angler I’m always on the lookout for the best spots to catch my own Dungeness crab in California. After years of trial and error crabbing up and down the coast, I’ve put together this guide to my top picks for catching Dungeness yourself.

Northern California

San Francisco Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area offers some of the most accessible and productive spots for catching Dungeness crab in California. With public piers, beaches, and jetties just minutes from the city, it’s easy to escape into nature and pull up traps loaded with crab.

My favorite pier in the Bay Area is the Pacifica Municipal Pier. Stretching over 1300 feet into the ocean this pier gives you ample room to set traps. It also has the sandy bottom that Dungeness crabs prefer. At the end of the pier you can find depths over 25 feet perfect for lowering crab pots. Just be aware that crowds can be heavy on weekends. I recommend heading out on weekdays if possible.

For casting crab snares from shore, I love the rocky jetties in Half Moon Bay. The churning surf gives crabs plenty of food to scavenge. Carefully make your way out to the end of the jetty and cast your snare on an outgoing tide for the best results. Just be extra cautious of waves here.

Ocean Beach in San Francisco can also be excellent for shore crabbing when the tide is calm. This beach gets heavily impacted by waves though, so check conditions before heading out. Focus your efforts near the cliffside on the north end of the beach.

Bodega Bay

Located about an hour north of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is another top spot for crabbing in California. The bay is home to a variety of crab species, including Dungeness, rock, and red crabs. The best time to go crabbing in Bodega Bay is during the winter months when the crabs are most abundant.

For boat crabbing, you can launch from several ramps right in town. Drop pots in 25-40 feet of water. From shore, you can fish from the sandy beaches of Doran Regional Park or cast snares from Bodega Head.

Salt Point State Park

Rugged and beautiful, Salt Point State Park offers miles of untouched shoreline perfect for crabbing. While less known than other NorCal spots, the area produces nice Dungeness crab for patient crabbers.

For shore fishing, try Gerstle Cove. Pick your way carefully over the rocks to find sandy stretches to set traps or cast snares. Just know that the cove is inaccessible at high tide. Further north, Stump Beach also holds crabs among its rocky outcroppings.

You can also launch small boats at nearby Ocean Cove and run traps in deeper water offshore. I’ve had great success in 60-80 feet here.

Central Coast

Pismo Beach Pier

The historic Pismo Beach Pier is a great spot for catching Dungeness crab from shore on the Central Coast. At over 1000 feet long, it reaches depths of over 30 feet where traps can reach bottom. Strong ocean currents sweep food under the pier, providing crabs with a constant food source.

Focus your efforts out toward the end of the pier. Drop traps straight down on either side. You can also catch crabs right off the pier with snares or nets. Just be courteous of other pier fishermen when casting.

Avila Beach Pier

A bit further south, the Avila Beach Pier is another good option for catching Dungies without a boat. While only about half the length of Pismo Pier, it reaches similar depths over 30 feet. The sandy bottom is prime habitat for foraging crabs.

This pier can get congested on weekends and during summer tourist season. For the best experience, visit midweek during crab season between December and March. Check local regulations since this pier lies within a protected marine sanctuary.

Cayucos Pier

This historic landmark pier has provided easy access Dungeness crabbing for decades. Stretching over 500 feet into the sea, depths reach over 20 feet around the pier, suitable for lowering traps. The pier is also open 24 hours if you want to target crabs during a night bite.

Rocky jetties flank both sides of the pier, creating great habitat for crabs. Focus your efforts on the leeward side of the pier based on wind and swell conditions. Strong currents here can sweep traps away if they aren’t properly weighed.

Southern California

Ventura Harbor

Ventura Harbor provides the easiest launch point for Dungeness crabbing in Southern California. The northern Channel Islands offshore hold an abundance of crab, but can be tricky to safely reach for smaller boats. Ventura gets you closest to the crabbing grounds.

Most crabbers launch from Ventura Isle Marina. Crab fishermen report excellent results setting strings of traps along the navigational buoys that lead toward the harbor entrance. Target depths of 40-60 feet. These areas provide sandy substrate and food sources like mussels for the crabs.

From shore, you can fish off the rocky jetties surrounding the marina inlet. Cast out crab snares on a long line and bounce them slowly along the bottom. Use squid or fish for bait. Early mornings often produce best during strong tide exchanges.

Stearns Wharf

Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara is a well-known spot for catching Dungeness crab without a boat. The historic 2,300 foot wharf reaches depths over 30 feet where crab traps can reach bottom. Dropping pots down both sides of the wharf can produce limits of keepers during the winter peak.

This is a popular tourist area, so visit during off-peak hours if you want to avoid crowds. You’ll also need to transit past thick rows of fishing poles to get to the end. Arrive early to stake out the best spot.

While not as productive as Northern California, these Southern California spots can yield tasty Dungeness for patient crabbers. Just be sure to check current regulations and season openings for these waters. Limits and gear restrictions vary.

Tips for Catching More Dungeness Crab

Fish during the peak season from November-March when crabs are most active and abundant.
Target sandy or mixed sand-rock bottoms in depths from 20-60 feet. This is prime crab habitat.
Fish during slack tides for best results. Avoid setting traps during strong tidal currents.
Use fresh dead fish like mackerel or chicken for bait. Crabs love meaty baits.
Weight traps properly so they don’t wash away in surf and currents.
Bring a hoop net to actively catch crabs from piers or jetties.

where to catch dungeness crab in california

What kind of gear do you need to go crabbing?

Choose your own adventure from three options:

Kondo’s favorite gear is a rod, reel, and snare with six loops. You can cast off from the shore and relax on the beach.
This author used to drop a hoop net with two or three rings off the edge of a dock with her grandfather. But you need to get out quickly or the crabs will run away.
A crab trap looks like a box with circular openings. They are the safest, and you can leave them out overnight from your boat. But there is some fine print this year: you can’t use crab traps right now, so check back for an update. When they are allowed, you’ll also need two buoys, a fishing license, and a special stamp that costs an extra $2. 50.

Either way, you’ll also need:

A gage for measuring your crabs.
A bucket for bringing keepers home.

Here’s where to get your gear:

Because it has been around for more than 60 years, Gus’ Discount Tackle is a part of Outer Richmond history. Kondo bought his first set of clothes there and still likes it: “Stephanie is really nice and lovely; she’ll take care of you.” Stephanie Scott has owned the business for a long time and is known for not fishing. ) .
Another favorite in the area is Hi’s Tackle Box in South San Francisco.
West Marine is a bigger chain with stores in San Carlos, Alameda, and Sausalito.

How do you measure and check gender?

It’s a Dungeness crab, which must be at least 5¾ inches long, and a rock crab must be at least 4 inches long. Throw back the small ones for next season. In California, recreational crabbers are allowed to keep female Dungeness crabs, which is strange. However, Kondo and other ethical fishermen always throw them back to keep the fishery going. To tell the difference, just turn a crab over and look at the abdomen. The female has a much wider triangle shape.

Top 5 Southern California Crabbing Locations

FAQ

Where are Dungeness crabs found in California?

Dungeness crab are found in nearshore and estuarine waters from the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska, to Santa Barbara, California, although they are rarely found south of Point Conception, California.

Where is the best place to find Dungeness crab?

Habitat. Dungeness crab are a west coast species ranging from the Aleutian Islands to southern California. They thrive in colder water, making the ocean off British Columbia a prime fishing area, where they live in bays, inlets and estuaries and on the open coast.

Where is most Dungeness crab caught?

Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister, or dungies if you’re on the dock, live in nearshore waters from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska south to Point Conception, north of Santa Barbara, California. Occasionally, they are even found as far south as Magdalena Bay in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Do you need a license to catch Dungeness crab in California?

Crab with care Inside of the bay is a breeding ground for Dungeness and as such it is a protected estuary for them. Fishing along the coast is allowed with a fishing license but any man-made structure such as a pier, dock or jetty does not require a license and is open to public use.