Nothing tastes better than fresh Dungeness crab that you caught yourself. Whether fried in butter or tossed onto a salad bursting with crisp produce, crab meat is a delicacy – and these tasty crustaceans happen to be bountiful on the Tillamook Coast.
While fall is the best time for catching the fattest crabs, there are plenty of crabbing opportunities year round and it is a great way to spend time with the whole family. Toss your crab rings off a local dock, or take a boat out onto one of our bays. If you’re looking to learn the art of catching crabs, try Kelly’s Brighton Marina north of Rockaway Beach for a guided crabbing excursion of Nehalem Bay (they’ll even teach you how to cook what you catch). Take a crabbing clinic, hosted by Harborview Inn & RV Park in Garibaldi, or rent a spot on a local charter boat. However you decide to go crabbing, you will love the experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get a shellfish license?
You can obtain a license online at the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife website, or locally at Tillamook Sporting Goods Store. It’s a good idea to keep it on you at all times.
Do I need my own boat to catch crabs?
All you need to go crabbing is a desire to catch some crab. Boats are a great way to catch crab, but you can also toss crab rings over dock side and still be very successful. There are many spots to rent crab pots, bait, and other gear locally, such as Kelly’s Brighton Marina or Wheeler Marina. Kelly’s Brighton Marina even offers guided crabbing excursions of Nehalem Bay.
When is the best time of year to go crabbing?
Crabbing along the Oregon Coast is a year round sport and can almost always yield results. However, typically the best months to crab are any that end in “r.”
Where do I go to catch crabs?
There are three bays on the Tillamook Coast that all produce plentiful Dungeness Crabs: Nehalem Bay, Netarts Bay and Tillamook Bay. Each bay has one or more local marinas where you can rent equipment or just use their docks to crab from.
I’m new to crabbing, are there any classes in the area?
Harborview Inn & RV Park in Garibaldi hosts regular crabbing clinics taught by local experts. The clinic is $25 per person and you must have your crabbing license.
