I've been three times this season and I think it's slowed down. Opening day limited out, second trip with a buddy got 9, and another limit the Sunday after Thanksgiving. These days were long. I've found the early soak and the late afternoon soak to produce the most. The middle of the day seemed to produce the least amount of dungies for me.
Used to use 4 pots, now I've been using 6 and sometimes a hoop net to test the waters. When my buddy crabbed with me we used 8 pots and crabbed from 8 to 4pm and came up with 9 as well as a bunch of Rocks.
I see a lot of guys, and gals, come out in the middle of the day and crab a few hours and get may be one or two. I think they just missed the morning and late craw.

I have a 7mm with a farmer john, and would not recommend anything thinner for NorCal. I went from 22 lbs to 17 lbs. Still thinking about cutting off the farmer johns to make breathing less constrictive. I've only been cold a few times.

Thanks for the report. Can't wait to go doran for crabbing again. 👍😀👍

I'm planning on going again these next two weekends. Let me know if you're going to be there.

This season is looking good. Got my limit + early. They were a lot of jumbos. Got to Doran around 5:30 and paddled out in the pitch black of the night. Dropped one pot on the protected side of the jetty trying to keep away from the other pots, but I couldn't see much even with my dive light. The other three pots I dropped on the outer side of the jetty. Headed out to check my pots before the poachers could check for me, when there was just enough light to see. Inside the jetty had nothing but a bunch of rock crab. The outter pots produced 7 keeper dungies. Stupid me, I let one of the large ones climb out of my bag and go back down. I dropped two more pots and set the pots back. The second check, half hour later produce only two more, and of course a bunch of rock. I did also get three that were just a little bigger than legal, so I dropped them back down in hopes of getting some that were bigger. Moved the pots around and started bringing pots back in and dropped a few back near the beach just to store. Went out to check my pots the three that I dropped were no longer in the pot. Poached or got out?
Looking for just two more on my last check picked up 5 on the pots I dropped near shore and 4 more on the outer pots. Wished I had a partner to keep all the crab, but 10 is still a lot.
The craw was on the outside the jetty in the morning and they started crawling inside after the high slack tide. The crabs were good quality, and more plentiful than last year. I was done by noon. The weather was great and there was no real wind to deal with. The swells were low, but the boat traffic in and out of the jetty was crazy. The boats were flying in and out at high speeds. Other then the boat traffic the day was perfect. Looks like it's going to be a good crab season. Good luck to all and be safe.

Good stuff.

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Just to report back. I was out there yesterday, a very nice day to be out on the water, but very few kayaks out, maybe 4 or 5 total. Lots of females and juveniles, only ended up with 3 keepers, barely legal males. Last year I would have thrown them back. I did have a good time out on the water, calm seas and gentle winds. Better to be out fishing than not.

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Thanks for the info. I think I'll give it another go before the season ends myself..

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Nice.