Enagement trip: Crabbing and fishing? Ft. Bragg to Gualala

Hey guys,

Got an Air BNB down near Gaulala with a private beach and am going to pop the question to my high school sweetheart. We have reconnected after 20 years and its like we were never apart. Anyway, my cover is a 5 day trip of light tackle surf perch fishing and some crabbing. We are going to car camp a couple nights before  we make our way down to the beach house in Gaulala. I haven't surf perch fished in 20 years and haven't ever crabbed with rings. Any tips would be awesome. We were going to start at Petrolia and work our way down. Does anyone have any good info they could help me out with? Is their any places between Petrolia and Ft Bragg and down to Gaulala  where I could show my handiness to my soon to be and catch some crab from shore(docks or a pier)? Im sure Surf perch fishing will just be cruising beaches and covering ground til I find them. I have my pro angler 14, so If I needed I could take it to get out to better crabbing spots, but I kinda wanted to do that with her, and she doesn't have a kayak yet. Any info would be awesome, and I live on Lake Almanor and can always return the favor with some good lake info. Thanks

The pier at Point Arena is a good spot if you want a shot a some rockfish, lings, and cabezon from shore. Not a good crabbing spot due to the rocks, but some big lings hang out around there.

You can throw crab rings in Big River off the bank near Catch a canoe on the south side of the river just past Mendocino. Lots of small crabs but occasional find a few keepers.

That made me wonder about crabs at Albion off the docks on the river - gotta use rings there. Maybe Tim could weigh in, it’s his backyard.

Might also have some shore fishing intel to share. Maybe via PM so it doesn’t get blown up. 

And camp at Manchester KOA north of PA; good clean sites, right by a long stretch of secluded beaches, and there's a hot tub that campers can use for the night. I've heard of a lad pop the ? to a lucky lady there before

I’m crabbing Doran tomorrow if you are popping the question then. I’ll give you a dungee and maybe it can hold the ring in its claw. ☺️

My rec is to buy some crab snares from bay area tackle shops, frozen leftover meat morsels, a large surf rod that can handle a few lbs of weight, get a 2 rod stamp and let one soak in the surf as far as you can while you work up and down the beach for perch. Look up youtube videos of surf snaring, where there's perch there's dungies. Make sure you have a crab guage.

Just FYI, 2 rod stamp is certain FW fisheries only.  From a beach ,its as many rods as you can exercise control of. Off any man-made structure it is 2.

Nothing says I Love You more then giving her crabs! Good luck!

Nothing says I Love You more then giving her crabs! Good luck!

That was not unexpected, but its still hilarious!!! Thanks for all the info guys. Someone also said I might try snaring off of Norro jetty too.

Nothing says I Love You more then giving her crabs! Good luck!

That was not unexpected, but its still hilarious!!! Thanks for all the info guys. Someone also said I might try snaring off of Norro jetty too.

Most crab snares, the body of snare is good, but the actual Loops are pretty crap. make sure you get one that the loops are stiff and stay open when not holding down on a dungee.  I could send you a couple snares in the mail if the special trip isn't too soon.

LMK.

My rec is to buy some crab snares from bay area tackle shops, frozen leftover meat morsels, a large surf rod that can handle a few lbs of weight, get a 2 rod stamp and let one soak in the surf as far as you can while you work up and down the beach for perch. Look up youtube videos of surf snaring, where there's perch there's dungies. Make sure you have a crab guage.

Just FYI, 2 rod stamp is certain FW fisheries only.  From a beach ,its as many rods as you can exercise control of. Off any man-made structure it is 2.

Depending on what you are targeting - from wildlife.ca.gov:
“Species-specific gear restrictions (such as for rockfish, lingcod and salmon) do apply when fishing from the shore.”

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Beach-Fishing#320781177-how-many-rods-can-i-use-while-fishing-from-the-shore-where-a-fishing-license-is-required

That made me wonder about crabs at Albion off the docks on the river - gotta use rings there. Maybe Tim could weigh in, it’s his backyard.

Might also have some shore fishing intel to share. Maybe via PM so it doesn’t get blown up. 

There are Dungies in the Albion, and you can throw rings off the dock. Tricky current, though. A little farther upriver would probably be better, but there's less access.

Shore fishing intel, what little I have, shared offline. Disclosure: I hardly ever catch anything from shore!

Is your future wife as into fishing as you are? If not, I strongly suggest working her hobbies/interests into the trip, too... Just sayin’...


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That made me wonder about crabs at Albion off the docks on the river - gotta use rings there. Maybe Tim could weigh in, it’s his backyard.

Might also have some shore fishing intel to share. Maybe via PM so it doesn’t get blown up. 

There are Dungies in the Albion, and you can throw rings off the dock. Tricky current, though. A little farther upriver would probably be better, but there's less access.

Shore fishing intel, what little I have, shared offline. Disclosure: I hardly ever catch anything from shore!

Thanks Tim! Thanks for the Pm also. Hope your shoulder gets better soon!

Is your future wife as into fishing as you are? If not, I strongly suggest working her hobbies/interests into the trip, too... Just sayin’...


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Oh yeah, it was her idea!!!