Coastal crabbing

Dungeness crab are highly sought after by recreational crabbers along the more than 157 miles of coastline and estuary stretching from Neah Bay south to Ilwaco. Crab populations along the Washington coast and in Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and the Columbia River, combined with many locations to catch crab from a boat or from shore, provide year-round opportunities for recreational crabbers.

Download the coastal crabbing pamphlet (PDF)

Dungeness crabs
Photo by WDFW

Washington's coastal recreational crab management area includes marine areas 1-3 and marine area 4 (Neah Bay) west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Coastal recreational crab fishing rules are different from those in Puget Sound. View the WDFW crab regulations webpage for details.

All recreational crabbers 15 years or older must carry a current Washington fishing license. Options range from an annual shellfish/seaweed license to combination fishing licenses, valid for a single day or up to a year. Catch record cards are not required along the coast.

Hoop net crab pot example
Photo by WDFW
A hoop net, an effective type of crab gear that is not legal gear during pot closure dates.

Gear regulations and pot closures

Regardless of budget or method, a variety of gear may be used on the coast to successfully catch crab. Depending on the season, usable gear types may include pots, dome or hoop nets, collapsible traps or ring nets, fishing rods with snares or foldable traps, rakes, nets, or even handlines. Any method which involves piercing the crab shell, poisons, or chemical irritants is illegal.

Pot closure dates vary by area. Foldable crab pots and hoop nets, also known as dome pots or conical nets, are not legal gear during crab pot closures as they do not lie flat on the seafloor or allow for the free movement of crab in and out of the gear. For additional information on what constitutes pot gear see FAQ's below. 

Learn more and get tips for coastal crabbing in this 2023 blog post: Check your gear: here’s what’s legal during crab pot closure in coastal marine areas.

Or learn more about WDFW's Coastal Recreational Crab Unit in our August 2023 blog post.

Coastal crab daily limits

Coastal recreational crab rules sign
Coastal crab rules sign. Click here for a larger version of this image.
Columbia River recreational crab rules sign
Columbia River crab rules sign. Click here for a larger version of this image.

The daily limit for Dungeness crab on the coast is six male hard-shell crab with a minimum size of 6 inches. For the Columbia River, it is 12 male hard-shell crab with a minimum size of 5.75 inches. Crabbers must retain the back shell (carapace) while in the field and release all soft-shell, female, and undersized crab.

The daily limit for red rock crab is six male or female hard-shell crab with a minimum size of 5 inches. Crabbers must retain the back shell (carapace) while in the field and release all soft-shell crab.

Be sure to have a proper measuring caliper for accuracy.

Help protect our crab resources

Report illegal activity with as much detail as possible as soon as it occurs. Call 1-877-933-9847 or submit a report to WDFW Police at: wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/report

Learn more about crabbing on the Washington coast and in the lower Columbia River on our signs and at the links below.