Crabbing piers around Seattle area?

[p.t.]

Took my son to Vancouver, BC this past weekend. My friend took us to Belcarra Park in Port Moody for a picnic. We saw a lot of people crabbing from the dock, and my son fell in love with it right away! He's been begging me to take him to go crabbing when we're back. So I'm now on a quest looking for a place to do that. WDFW website listed several public piers like Elliott Bay Fishing Pier at terminal 86, Seacrest Park, Shilshole Marina, Edmonds Pier, etc. But it only said these places are public accessible, but it didn't say if they are actually good for crabbing? And a search in this forum didn't help much either, people are all talking about crabbing from a boat, not from a dock. So I'd apreciate it a lot if you can tell me:

Are the above places actually good for crabbing purpose? (I mean reasonably good, I'm not greedy :-) Or, any other docks or piers around Seattle you can think of?

Thank you in advance!

[Toni]

I know that Dash Point Pier isn't Seattle but I got two keeper rock crabs Saturday. Lots of crab there from the dock but not all keepers. It is fun and you can fish at the same time.

[p.t.]

I know that Dash Point Pier isn't Seattle but I got two keeper rock crabs Saturday. Lots of crab there from the dock but not all keepers. It is fun and you can fish at the same time.

Thanks a lot, Toni. Federal Way is not Seattle alright but it's not too far either. So I checked the satellite image of the Dash Point State Park, but there doesn't seem to have a dock along the shore. But you said there IS a dock. Maybe it's built after the picture was taken?

[fishingboy]

:bigsmurf: there is Edmonds pier in North Seattle in Edmonds, Wa.

[p.t.]

Thanks, fishingboy. Do you know if Edmonds Pier has crabs?

[Pradeep]

Kayak county park. I believe you can crab there as well as have a reasonable shot at catching flounder while waiting for the crab. It's not a big pier so you may want to get out early.

Good luck!
Pradeep.

[cobrar543]

I have found that any point in the water will have some crabs! Just make sure your bait is ready and stinky and like the movies said..they will come!! I am catching them in the Sand...in 10 feet of water..in front of my house ...LOL..and I know they have to walk a LONG way to get to the trap!

[kcc]

Try DesMoines, Redondo, or Dash Point pier. you can usually catch rock crabs at these piers. The only one I have ever caught a Dunguness was at Dash Point though. Dont eat any crab you might catch from Elliott Bay though, they can contain toxins, read the warning about eating resident fish, shellfish, and crabs around Alki and such. Good luck

[ckim85]

Shilshole pier has been pretty good. A couple dungeness keepers and lots and lots of red rock keepers in the past week for my friends and i.
We've tried Edmonds as well but not too much success.

Mukilteo, Dash Point, Redondo, Edmonds, Shilshole, Alki are all good places to be crabbing.

[natetreat]

I went to try and check out shilshole the other day and man it was crowded! There wasn't a parking spot in sight! It was ridiculous. Ended up going home, guess I'm going to have to go out on a rainy day.

[MarkFromSea]

http://www.johnssportinggoods.com/2010% ... 20Crab.pdf

Above is a link with lots of great info on PS crabbing.

[The Quadfather]

I went to try and check out shilshole the other day and man it was crowded! There wasn't a parking spot in sight! It was ridiculous. Ended up going home, guess I'm going to have to go out on a rainy day.

Nate,

just an FYI... if you went to Shilshole's pier, I hope that you didn't go to the one that is right at the launch.
That one is always packed. There will be crab lines thrown down every 3' along the smallish dock.
There is a much larger and for some reason, seldomly used open public pier. It is located at the very S. end of the marina. That is to say,, go from the launch... back towards ballard until the very beginning of the marina. Walk out there and you will find it. It is MUCH bigger, cleaner, no crowds. It does close at I think 10:00 pm.

[MarkFromSea]

I went to try and check out shilshole the other day and man it was crowded! There wasn't a parking spot in sight! It was ridiculous. Ended up going home, guess I'm going to have to go out on a rainy day.

LOL You need a boat Nate!