Crab opens 11/1

Abking,
I assume you are heading out Friday night at midnight?  That sounds like a great time but I have to work on Saturday.   I will be off by 1930 on Saturday--any chance for a run then? 
You'll be happy to know I just received my new Sony Sure Shot in the mail today.
Jedmo, I'll see if I can post my crab cage, net, and new crab davit.
Timo

Let us all keep fingers and toes crossed that the weather will be good to go. It may be the case that Half Moon Bay is going to be the best option as swell and wind will make it tough to beach launch/land. Plan B is Go out drop pots, come in for a rest, food and then go pick up pots later in the day. 

Our crab season re-opens on the same day. I will be hoping for some keeper Dungies as well. Good luck to all!

Z

Thanks Timo, I appreciate it. If you don't mine as well, could you also tell me
where to buy one?

Thanks a bunch,
Jedmo

The WX looks bad for a surf launch. HMB may be doable for crab but questionable/dangerous for fishing. The west swell may produce some big breakers at Mavericks. 

Scott

Abking,
I assume you are heading out Friday night at midnight?  That sounds like a great time but I have to work on Saturday.   I will be off by 1930 on Saturday--any chance for a run then? 

We'll see if the crabs are a show or a no-show at the mouth, Tim.  PM me any time if you don't see my report, and I'll fill you in w/ whatever scoop I have.  It's supposed to rain by Friday, so I won't know if I'll go until that day.  I don't end up out too late - maybe 1:30AM or so - might not be too late for a work night?!...   

The west swell may produce some big breakers at Mavericks. 

NO midnight crabbing there!   

  When you guys drop, what do you use for bait?  Left over RF carcasses? dog food?   what?

Jedmo, go to the General Talk section and look for the discussion "crabs"  look up Zeelander's photo of a crab setup--that's the one you want.
JP, A commercial crabber told me that squid works the best for males and r.f. for females.  I have caught both genders using r.f. carcasses.  Chicken wings have worked well too.

Trader Joes has $.049 cat food which is chopped up tuna. If you don't have rf carcus, squid or other left over bait. It works well but you have to put it in a plastic container with holes in it and hang if from the top of the cage.

Old yucky chicken works good - rockfish carcasses work good, but some say cabezon doesn't (crab predator).  I think salmon bellies are best.

Check out the latest forecast up here:  GALE FORCE WINDS ACCOMPANIED BY VERY HAZARDOUS SEA CONDITIONS ARE  EXPECTED LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

I don't know about midnight crabbing in the face of that forecast!   

I would never feed Salmon bellies to crabs. They are turned into smoked Salmon in these parts. Maybe the Salmon head. We are up for some crappy weather here too!

Doesn't look too good this weekend. Are you guys still going to HMB?

SAT
 SE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING SW 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES
 3 TO 7 FT. SW SWELL 8 TO 12 FT AND S 2 FT. RAIN.

 SUN
 S WINDS 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 9 TO 13
 FT AND S 2 FT. CHANCE OF RAIN

If the current WX holds I am out. HMB can be unforgiving in big swell conditions once you leave the harbor. Better surfing conditions than fishing, IMHO.  If you guys go out, I wouldn't get too close to the Mavericks area.

Scott

i agree with scott.

due to the weather condition, i am going to lawson's landing instead on sat.
i will hit the waters at HMB when the weather gets better.

SE WIND 20 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT...BECOMING S
15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 8 TO 10 FT...SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 6 FT. W
SWELL 10 TO 12 FT. RAIN...THEN SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS
This is for Saturday around Humboldt.  Looks like even the crabs will be puking.