Blue Crabs Ocean City

Hey all, just went crabbing in OC for the first time and only caught some small ****ty crabs.  Anyone know of any good spots to go?  Should we try renting  boat to do it?   Any tips at all would be appreciated.  Thanks.  

Use chicken necks tied to a line.You don't need hooks
Or buy some crab traps and put a dead fish in-the older the better

Drop either off a pier, wharf or dock

Assateague bridge is 45 minutes from OC. I'm sure there are some closer places around where your staying before you blast all the way down there.

Steelhead4ever..   From the inlet at O.C., Rt. 50 bridge, it about 8 - 10 miles out to Assateague Island .  Thats the bridge I was refering to that crosses the Sinepuxent Bay to Assateague Island. It's nice out there, crowds aren't as bad as the in town piers, and there's lots a wildlife to see. Worth the short ride. There are also good clamming areas out there as well.

ORIGINAL: CRANKMASTER

Just go to Hoopers Crab House, you can get all of those disgusting thangs you can eat there! I personally wouldnt waste my time. "YUCK"

Hoopers is good. BTW, you know you're not supposed to eat the guts, right?

ORIGINAL: clinchknot

ORIGINAL: washdog

Steelhead4ever..   From the inlet at O.C., Rt. 50 bridge, it about 8 - 10 miles out to Assateague Island .  Thats the bridge I was refering to that crosses the Sinepuxent Bay to Assateague Island. It's nice out there, crowds aren't as bad as the in town piers, and there's lots a wildlife to see. Worth the short ride. There are also good clamming areas out there as well.

Yup, can't be more than 15-20 minutes from OC. If you're inclined to take a little farther drive (30-40 minutes) go to Chincoteague Island and crab in the little canals leading to the beaches. They're loaded with them. We did that a couple years ago on vacation. It was a blast.  

 
ooh! sounds like some spot burning going on here. i bet the locals are going to get ****ed seeing their secret spots full of out-of-town crabbers! 

ORIGINAL: pghmarty

Use chicken necks tied to a line.You don't need hooks
Or buy some crab traps and put a dead fish in-the older the better

Drop either off a pier, wharf or dock

I grew up in Philly and went "crabbing" as a kid with my dad in a boat in the inland waterway near  the Jersey coast.
Crab traps make it easy with a dead half of a fish in the trap, if you  are near them.
However, tying a heavy string around a fish-half / chicken neck, we used about a "1- 2 ounce sinker" , in about 5 - 6 ' of water near weeds, make it interesting and sporting.  You normally do not feel the crabs on the line and you pull the line up slowly and then "net them" as you get close to the top of the water.  I think their are limits both in size and numbers.

As in fishing, no bites, you move.

Loomis picked up crabs in OC... ask him about it

They definitely do. Spent my summers on Chincoteague while I was in highschool, there are still some relatively "unknown" spots, but they are few and far between, especially during tourists season. The average person though can have some good luck crabbing in any of the well known areas that are around the Island though, you just have to hit it at the right time of the tide. Remember too, that crabs aren't as plentiful in some times of the years as they are in others.




The bridge I was referring to was the bridge that connects Chincoteague to Assateague, which is 40 minute minimum from OC.

ORIGINAL: doubletaper

ORIGINAL: clinchknot

ORIGINAL: washdog

Steelhead4ever..   From the inlet at O.C., Rt. 50 bridge, it about 8 - 10 miles out to Assateague Island .  Thats the bridge I was refering to that crosses the Sinepuxent Bay to Assateague Island. It's nice out there, crowds aren't as bad as the in town piers, and there's lots a wildlife to see. Worth the short ride. There are also good clamming areas out there as well.

Yup, can't be more than 15-20 minutes from OC. If you're inclined to take a little farther drive (30-40 minutes) go to Chincoteague Island and crab in the little canals leading to the beaches. They're loaded with them. We did that a couple years ago on vacation. It was a blast.  

ooh! sounds like some spot burning going on here. i bet the locals are going to get ****ed seeing their secret spots full of out-of-town crabbers! 

When I went to Ocean City with my family my dad and arent much of beach people so we went to Asseteague Island and they have a couple different classes you can go to around the island... They are free and there are different ones thought-out the day. Surf fishing, crabbing, I think a fly fishing one, and then a clam class... The classes just showed the basics for the different things each lasting an hour to 2 but it was fun!!! The next day me and my dad were out at the beach at 6 a.m. surf fishing then later in the day we went crabbing. Fun trip

All this talk about crabs is making me             itchy.lol
If ya cook some up get the crab boil sold in stores. Great stuff but it does get spicy.

A ton of blue crab, a roll of paper towels and a boat load of beer what could be better. Don't eat the lungs!! The "mustard" is fine for you. Get some ritz crackers and put it on them.

Use the small ones for bait.  Cut them in half and fish them near the rocks.
 
I'd much rather spend my time fishing than catching crabs.  The stripers should be in the inlet pretty good right now.  I'd imagine the blues are showing up too. 
 
Buy the crabs at the side street vendors or fish markets.  Usually sell them live or steamed for free, for much cheaper than the resteraunts.
 
I'm pretty sure you can eat everything in a crab.  I've eaten many softshelled crabs, and I'm still walking!  Those things are very good! 
 
Crabbing is pretty fun though, I used to do it all of the time with my parents and brother.  Will probably end up doing it with my kids when they are older.