did the crab season start today? also does anyone know a good place to go besides pacifica? i know the bay is off limits, so where are the hot spots?

Sport crab season opener is on the 7th. commercial starts later. I go out of HMB, use squid for bait. Be safe out there on the water...take no chances people die every season out there. Marina is a sad place when boats go down!

Just spoke to my Captain the swell is up this weekend and pobably wont risk going out till the seas flatten a bit. If you go out be smart, and take no chances. Seems too rough turn around and fish another day! Hear 13+ on the swell.

Sound advice Raggaman! Fresh fish is good but living to fish another day is better. Here's a good link to the swell conditions, http://wavewatch.com/Surf-Forecast-Regi ... RegionID=4

Don't become a statistic.

yeah i dont plan on going out to sea i just want to throw a few nets out on a pier. i only know of pacifica and santa cruz but i want to try to find a new place to go to.

thanks for the wave watch site its was really usefull.

just stick to pacifica. thats the best place for crabbing

yeah pacifica is always a good place to go get some crab.

Alright definately going out to drop pots tomorrow morning and let em soak. Pulling them on Wednesday and going to scrounge for muscles under the light house too! Sounds like a nice red sauce cioppino is in the near future...with a little luck on our side! Reports from the few boats that went out over the weekend say the crab are deeper this year. 250-300 ft. Seas are calmer till Thursday morning, as the swell picks back up! Currently at 12 ft.

On another note spoke with JR. on the phone this morning and he sounds great! Like nuttin ever happenned. Yay our buddy pulled through with flying colors and he is still loud and excitable over the phone...He's back! Mr horseshoe zipper head, says his staples come out a week from tomorrow and then he should be ready to join us out on the water! Can't wait!

WhooHoo....first to answer the skipper's call for a crew, and got my rail position back! Didn't even have to challenge for my old spot! Have a string of (6) pots at 200 ft, and a string of (6) pots at 250 ft. Decided to go for a 17 -18 hr soak till tomorrow morning. Hopefully we have something to steam tomorrow night for dinner. Chop picked up around 3pm out there and was a bit rough comming in, but work time was pretty calm. Sure is nice to smell the salt air again! Hated cleaning the boat though as usual...seem to always get wetter cleaning the deck, more so than fishing. Still had to do the bait as punishment for missing last season, but I can say I got some...want to smell my finger?

Congrats Raggamuffin on getting your spot , be safe ,and no i dont wanna smell ya finger

Alright guys and gals...When out and pulled my first pots of the season. Reached Pillar Point Harbor at 8 am and down to our slip casting off by 8:20. Wind blowing from west at 14 notts, blowing us at a constant 3-5 deree tilt for the ride out 9 miles. Bumping and slamming at 35 notts we reach our shallow string of (6) pots at 200 feet. First pot had 12, second pot had 9, for a two pot, two limit pull, to start the morning off! Pots 3,4,5, and 6 didn't fish as well but we had 49 in the well and had thrown back about 4 under sized. At this time we were ready to head in with our morning catch, but wanted to peek at the first (2) pots of our deeper string of (6) at 250 feet. So we motored another half mile or so to our next string. Pot 7, had 8 rock crab and 3 star fish and Jelly! Cleared the pot out and stacked it on deck for a move. Then pot 8...4 rock and 5 big D's. Needless to say I baited it back up and dropped for another soak, due to the size we found deeper! pots 9 thru 12 we left soaking for tomorrows check in the am weather permitting! Took pot 7 and redropped it with the 200 foot string. All in all a good fun and tireing day out on the sea. Oh and (1) boat had a slight problem and got lots of help from fellow fisherman to save the day! Sort of!

Awesome report Ragga, whats up wit that catamaran

Dude was seen nursing it into the harbor making his way towards the ramp. Said he didn't hit anything and the bildge was running at 7am this morning and all day then stopped. Dude must have been a rookie with a nice boat...didn't know any better than the bildge is not to run constant! Worked hard all day keeping up with the inflow till it burnt itself out and he took on water. Saved by a kodiak and my skipper aboard a launching craft to tow and save! I of course caught the bow line and dragged her in to dock! Completely strained my recently patched broken elbow and torn knee. Still might be going out tomorrow. We saw him in trouble while we were cleaning our catch. Really not sure what happend to damage that craft.
Oh did I mention we went out in the small 21 footer this morning and there was a small craft advisory... Today I was the slayer and good luck charm I guess! Definately loved running the deck again! It felt good!

Looks like a blast ,man the water ,the smell of the ocean ,wow better than coffee in the Am ,looks like you enjoy it!!!
Right on Raggamuffin props to you and you will get some good fisherman karma from helpingout the rookie who is lucky to be back on try land ,what a schmuck , lots of folks dont get out of that kinda situation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have fun be safe keep keep the water in your face , awesome stuff right there