Crabbing Season in Southern Maryland

Crabbing Season in Southern Maryland! The Chesapeake Bay is one of the only estuaries in North America. It is is also the sanctuary for the Maryland Blue Crab. For Maryland and Virginia the harvest of this little crustacean is a huge part of our economy. (racking in over 100 million dollars in 1993) Since then harvest has dropped due to regulations, so that this tasty little creature can still survive and reproduce.

So, be safe and stick to the regulations, you can have yourself a nice meal!

Crab Pots: The laid back approach and not quite as fun, but it can get the job done. Just stick some chicken necks in the trap and come back the next day to see if you've caught yourself some "Jimmies".

Speaking of chicken...

"Chicken Necking" as our family likes to call it. Is our preferred method of crabbing. My son used to spend hours at the end of a pier with a piece of chicken tied to a string patiently waiting for that little nibble. If you have the patience, you can catch yourself a feast! The kids still love crabbing in the summer when they come home from school.

Inlets: If anyone has ever been to Drum Point Beach which is Drum Point Community, Lusby Md 20657  there is small inlet connecting the Chesapeake Bay to Drum Point Lake. The kids would take their nets and just go scooping/hunting all day long. Mind you, the population isn't what it used to be, so I'm not sure how effective this method is now a days.

Trotline- Probably the most effective, but a more involved process. You need a boat and equipment for this one. A trotline, sometimes incorrectly called a troutline, is a heavy fishing line with baited hooksattached at intervals by means of branch lines called snoods. Give it a whirl this summer!  Using a trotline to catch blue crabs

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 Here's a few points to remember when you are out recreational crabbing:

* Remember that a single female blue crab can produce up to eight million eggs in one mating season, so try to minimize their capture.
* Keep only crabs that you are going to eat.
* Don't leave crab pots unattended for long periods of time.
* Always wear a life vest when you are in the water.
* Know the local fishing regulations before you head out.

Summary of Maryland Tidal Recreational Fisheries Regulations