Can't believe you made a 53 minutes video and didn't implement at least a catch clean and cook but the videos i like are the U-Tubers that are showing in detail how good they really taste how they cooking them up in some good recipes so your video has nothing different than everyone else's got to be more creative
I like my Protoco Slip Ring pot. Built nice and sturdy and works well. This pot comes in different sizes, and the larger pots have the bait box tied to the bottom of the pot (while the small pot has it attached to the top). If you get the larger size with the bait box attached to the bottom, after you drop the pot to the bottom, it's a good idea to pull the pot back up a couple of feet off the bottom to make sure the pot is right side up (then just let it back down). I've learned that the bait box when full of bait acts like a parachute when dropping the pot, and the extra resistance will flip the pot over as it descends to ocean floor. The small size pot has the bait box attached to the top of the pot, so it doesn't flip over when it descends. You can also move the bait box to the top of the larger pot (although I haven't tried doing that yet). Good luck crabbing and be safe!
Him: "That's way over. That's a good 7 inch crab right there." Her: "Soft, huh?" Him: "It's hard!" Her: "It's hard!... Stop playing!" Him: "It's hard, baby!... It's a keeper!" Her: "Suweeeet!" Him: "This is a nice keeper, right here." Her: "What did that measure at, again?" Him: " "This one is a solid 7 incher... or 6 3/4" Her: "Woowwww!" Him: "He's a monster!" Her: "Nice!"
Thanks! It's a Porta-Bote. Definitely on the small size for Puget Sound (12'6" and weights about 90 lbs), but it works on a real nice day w/ no wind. Just have to monitor the weather report and watch out for any small craft advisories.
@@genjster that’s awesome! So convenient. Perfect for someone like me who lives in an apartment but has a cargo van. I had an inflatable boat with a floor I made, and a motor, but I just switched to a kayak since it’s easier when I’m alone. Just moved to Bremerton so I’m learning about fishing the Puget Sound!
@@dustbin_young Oh nice! Should be some good fishing and crabbing opportunities in your area. Hood canal is usually decent for crabbing too (not too far from Bremerton), and that water is fairly protected. One of the best things about the boat is the easy storage. It folds fairly flat and all the seats and oars can fit in a very large duffle bag (e.g., a canvas hockey equipment duffle bag), so doesn't take up much room. You can often find a used Porta-Bote on Craigslist for pretty cheap. You can checkout the Porta-Bote.com website for specs on their different size boats. Me and my gf can carry the 12 foot boat with not too much problem, but it is still pretty heavy b/c of the awkward size. The 14' Porta-Bote is about 110 lbs, which doesn't sound like much but I'm guessing it would be very difficult for 1 person to move around. Definitely helps to move the boat around with the available wheels ("Porta Dolly").
The 12' Porta-Bote was purchased at the Seattle Boat Show a number of years ago (around 2015) by my brother. I'm guessing he got a boat show special price, but I'm not sure what he paid. If the direct from manufacturer price is too high, you can try Craigslist for used porta-botes. I see them from time-to-time in the Seattle area on Craigslist. These boats are pretty durable, and the only issues I've had was with the square black plastic transom plate hinge hardware (I had to remount it with new pop rivets), and the black foam on the inside panels crumbled away in a couple of areas. Nice boat for smaller lakes. For saltwater fishing (or bigger bodies of water), then a bigger boat would be better.
Thank you for your kind words! It's fun watching the underwater activity. Amazing how fast the crabs and fish get to the bait. In one of the drops, if you look closely you can also see some small shrimp enter the pot.
Great question! I actually emailed the WA State Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and asked them a similar question earlier this year. Specifically, I asked why a particular beach (e.g., Everett) might be "Closed Due to Pollution" for clams, geoduck, scallops, oysters, mussels, etc., but that crabs and shrimp may not be included within the closed species. They responded that the "shellfish and safety map is a great resource for any shellfish that you dig for. Crab and shrimp are not affected in the same way and are safe to consume." Of course, it's best to harvest seafood from the cleanest waters and you should follow your own best judgment. I have been to both Mukilteo and Kayak Point and those are also nice places to go crabbing. I'm guessing the water is cleaner up north by Kayak Point, but I've never studied any water quality reports. Hood Canal or the Washington Coast are other good options, but they are further from the Seattle Area. Hope that helps. Good luck crabbing!
It's definitely fun! If you don't have a boat, you can also crab from some of the docks on Puget Sound (the fishing piers at Edmonds, Mukilteo, and Kayak Pt are all fairly productive, especially for Red Rock Crab). The season for crab is currently closed in Puget Sound, but it should open during the summer. When crabbing from a dock, most people are catching Red Rock Crab which are a little smaller than Dungeness Crab, so popular gear to use are crab rings and crab hawks. I particularly like the Protoco Slip Ring (I use the smaller and larger version of the Slip Ring in this video). Good luck!
Great show 👍 do the bigger crab fight off smaller crabs it looked like you had more with less soak time? Looks like the crabs could fall out when getting them out.
Thanks for your comment! Yes, crabs do fight in the cage sometimes. But they are usually too busy eating. 🤣 if there are a lot of crabs around, then soak times can be really short. Otherwise, you might have to increase soak time to an hour or more. The smaller crabs can fall out of the pot while pulling it up, but they are usually under the size limit anyways.
In the video, my boat is a 12-foot (12'6") Porta-Bote. The boat weighs about 100 lbs with the boat, seats and oars (the boat/hull by itself weighs 87 lbs). The engine is a 2.5 hp Suzuki gas outboard that weighs about 30 lbs. For the 12-foot boat model, the manufacturers max suggested weight for gas engine is 56 lbs. I got the smaller engine, because I didn't want to carry a heavy motor on and off a boat. You can get more specifications on the boat here: porta-bote.com/specifications-colors/ Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment!
@@larrycao8258 Yes, it's a great simple setup. Especially if you plan to use it on smaller bodies of water, like lakes. It's definitely on the small side for Puget Sound where I was crabbing in the video. In those situations, you have to be very careful with the weather and pay close attention to small craft advisories. I only went out when the weather was real nice with very little wind. The boat folds down pretty thin, so storage is easy (it can be stored in the garage or outside). I often see them for sale used on Craigslist, so that would be a good place to look if you want to buy used. The fold-down seats and porta-dolly (wheels that attach to side of boat to transport on land) are great accessories. I think you can see the porta-dolly wheels in action when I launch the boat at the beginning of the video.
@@genjster Thank you for the word of caution. I think it probably safer to get a regular boat. Just need to find one that would fit into my garage. Your video of crabbing of Oregon coast is just amazing!
@@larrycao8258 that was actually in Puget Sound in Washington State. About 40 mins from Seattle. Good luck with finding a boat. Getting a trailer with a Swing/Fold Away Tongue usually helps to fit the boat and trailer in the garage if it's a bit too long. Some trailers come with the swing tongue, but I've seen people get it modified afterwards. I wouldn't trust myself to do it, but I know trailer shops do that kind of work.
The boat brand is Porta-Bote. The company is located in Canada, but they sell them at boat shows and ship them to the U.S.A. Depending on where you live, you might be able to find a used one from Craigslist or one of the other online marketplaces.
Thanks for watching! Currently, the daily limit is 5 Dungeness crab (must release all soft-shell, females, and undersized crabs), and 6 Red Rock crab (must release all soft-shell and undersized crabs). Here's a link to the WDFW page for more info on crab season and limits for Marine Area 8-2 (this area includes Port Susan and Everett): wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/crab/seasons-areas/port-susaneverett-area-8-2#limits. Hope that info helps!
@@genjster Thank you! I live in Oklahoma, but have family that live on Whidbey Island. I've only been up there one time back in 2019 but was fortunate enough to get to go crabbing with them then. As a result, I have been obsessed with the Pacific Northwest since then! lol Please upload some more crabbing ventures :-)
@@archershan44 Fishing and Crabbing in the PNW is definitely addicting. We went crabbing almost every weekend last year ... mostly on the local fishing piers. Haven't had as much time this year, but hopefully will get some fishing in soon. Will definitely try uploading a squidding video in the fall. That's a blast too!
Thanks for your comment! Funny, we were just talking about getting a pot puller. The sides of our boat are wobbly, so not sure how that would work. Might have to get a bigger boat. 😉
@@roberthodge2771 Yes, the slip rings definitely let the crabs come in and out easily. That's the good and bad. If there are crab around, need to check those pots every 15 mins or so.
@@caesarbarahona3933 great question! I have a 2.5 hp Suzuki (4-stroke) engine, which weighs about 30 lbs. Maximum engine weight for the transom is 56 lbs (about a 5hp or 6hp engine). I can't remember the max speed w/ my 2.5 hp engine, but I'm guessing it was about 6 mph (I rarely ran it at full throttle, bc it gets pretty loud). I've read stories of people that put larger engines (10hp+) on their portabote and got 15mph (max hull speed), but that's definitely straining the transom of the boat and probably not safe (also made steering of the boat unstable). Some people modified the transom to accommodate a larger engine, but that adds to the weight and decreases portability of the boat (and makes it unsafe). For me, portability was a high priority, so I wanted a light engine that's easy to carry and attach/remove from boat.
You are right ... with a slip ring crab pot, you have to check the pot every 15 to 30 mins. Otherwise, the crab will just leave after they eat. You definitely wouldn't use a slip ring pot if you are soaking the pots for hours at a time or overnight. However, I do like using a slip ring on short soaks (less than 30 mins), since the crab can easily find their way to the bait (easier than traditional pots with doors). I also enjoy pulling the pots (it's great exercise) often, since it's fun to see what's inside, so the slip ring is actually one of my favorite pots to use.
