Can you drop your crab pots the day before the season opener?

What is the earliest time or day you can drop your crab pots before or on the opening day? I assume the earliest you can pull them is 1/2 hour before sunrise.  Is this true?  It looks like there will only be a week of crabbing before the commercial season this year. Notfair!  Why is this?  When can the commercials drop their pots?

12:01 am on Nov. 7

I believe they still have the so-called dropping pots for rock crab. That means they can drop pots before season begins then pull it once season starts??

I believe they still have the so-called dropping pots for rock crab. That means they can drop pots before season begins then pull it once season starts??

I believe your sending the wrong message...

If you really think F&G are that dumb, there not; and you'd be just give the rest of us kayakers a bad name...

Rock crab and Dungies live in two different terrains....

My friends and I open the season at midnight:01 of the opening day by dropping gear, and we hope to be eating fresh Dungeness by 3ish or earlier.  It's illegal and not sporting to drop early, IMO.  Night crabbing for many years - it's not just legal, it's a blast. 

Search this site for "Midnight Crab" for some fun stories.

See you at 12:01 on November 7th...   

commercials drop their pots 1 minute after midnight of  the commercial season starting ,like everybody else.. Well the "fair" ones do anyway 

I believe that Commercial crabbers are allowed to drop there pots the prior tothe opening of the commercial crab season; theyjust can not retrieve the contents until 12:01 on the day of there opener.

Commercial regs:

§8283. Trap Setting in Advance of Season
(a) Crab traps may be set and baited 64 hours prior to the opening date of the Dungeness crab season in Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9. Crab traps may be set and baited in advance of that opening date in those districts if no other attempt is made to take or possess Dungeness crab in those districts.
(b) Except in Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9, crab traps may be set and baited 18 hours in advance of the opening date of the Dungeness crab season, if no other attempt is made to take or possess Dungeness crab.

I believe Doran and HMB are in District 10.  So based on what Crash quoted, we CAN bait and set our traps 18 hours in advance. 

Districts:  https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Commercial/Regulations/Districts

Commercial regs:

§8283. Trap Setting in Advance of Season
(a) Crab traps may be set and baited 64 hours prior to the opening date of the Dungeness crab season in Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9. Crab traps may be set and baited in advance of that opening date in those districts if no other attempt is made to take or possess Dungeness crab in those districts.
(b) Except in Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9, crab traps may be set and baited 18 hours in advance of the opening date of the Dungeness crab season, if no other attempt is made to take or possess Dungeness crab.

You get your commercial license, bro? 

Jason,
You are correct .......
If you are "COMMERCIAL"   crabbing.

  I missed that part  .  Dropping traps after midnight is a lot of fun...I CAN'T WAIT!!!

You get your commercial license, bro? 

I missed that part  .  Dropping traps after midnight is a lot of fun...I CAN'T WAIT!!!

You get your commercial license, bro? 

Me neither. You gonna do Doran or HMB for the opener?

HMB.  Come thru!  Evening of Nov. 6th...you know how we do...

I missed that part  .  Dropping traps after midnight is a lot of fun...I CAN'T WAIT!!!

You get your commercial license, bro? 

Me neither. You gonna do Doran or HMB for the opener?