Crabbing

A crab trip on the Kraken is a great way to spend your morning. The boat leaves the dock at 7 am and heads out to the crab grounds where our crab pots are already fishing. The crew will start running the gear and we encourage everyone to participate in whatever way you are comfortable. As the crab gear is ran, the crabs are measured and counted and placed in totes for the run in. After all of the gear is ran or we have limits, we start our run in. It is good to be on the lookout for whales, dolphins and porpoises. After the boat docks, we cook the crab to make them ready for your dinner.

  • Fully licensed, professional, and experienced crew
  • Trips are ran from 7 am to 12 pm seven days a week weather permitting
  • Complete supply of safety equipment and life jackets including children’s life jackets
  • Large and clean restroom
  • Plenty of free parking
  • Because of the high speed of the Kraken, running times are faster than other boats in the harbor
  • The season is from the end of November until May
  • We also do crab/fishing combo trips. These trips are 3/4 of a day long
  • Field trips and kid’s groups welcome

More Information about Dungeness Crabs

  • It’s habitat consists of eel-grass beds and muddy to sandy bottoms from the low inter-tidal zone to depths in excess of 600 ft.
  • They can be found from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to south of San Francisco.
  • Dungeness Crabs average a little under 7 inches wide but have been found as big as 10 inches wide.
  • It has a reddish brown (some would say orange) shell and white-tipped claws.
  • It eats almost anything including clams, fish, crabs, starfish, worms, squid, and snails.
  • Other than humans the crabs are also eaten by large fish and eels and by octopus.
  • Crabs grow by shedding their old shell. During their first two years, crabs molt (shed their shell) several times.
  • By the time the crabs are 3 years old or 4″ molting occurring only once each year.
  • During an annual molt, a crab will grow about 1″. Male crabs start breeding at 3 to 4 years of age or approximately 5 1/2″.
  • A female produces up to 2.5 million eggs.

Crabs are caught in circular steel traps commonly called “pots.” The pots weigh between 60 and 125 lbs. with a diameter of 36″ to 48″. The pots are marked with a buoy attached to a length of rope so that they can be retrieved The pots are usually baited with herring, squid or razor clams to attract the crabs.