My kids enjoy fishing, and crabbing seems like an activity that is similar enough to fishing that they would also enjoy. Since neither my husband nor I had any clue about crabbing, starting off local and low-key seemed like the best way to try this. Fortunately for us, crabbing turns out to be an easy activity even for newbies like us. All you need are a few essential equipment, bait, a good location, a good dose of patience, and plenty of water and bug spray.
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LOCATION
My family and I went to Cheesequake State Park's crabbing bridge. Located about an hour away in Matawan, the park's crabbing bridge was the perfect introduction to crabbing. We were the only family there on a Saturday afternoon. You can stay on the bridge or for a shadier spot, you can go under the bridge to catch crabs. There were also a lot of small fish that were attracted to the chicken bait, which the kids loved to catch with the net. The park also has a lake on site if the kids decide to go swimming afterwards.
BAIT
We did some research before we headed out to make sure we knew what we were getting into. It seems like crabs like to eat anything, but most people recommend using raw chicken parts like chicken necks or drumsticks. We brought a pack of chicken drumsticks which was the perfect amoun It was easy to tie the twine around each drumstick, and the crabs really went for it!
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EQUIPMENT
We also did some research on what type of equipment to use before heading out to Cheesequake. Most videos we saw showed people using crab cages, nets, and even simple twine to catch crabs. Not wanting to invest in anything expensive or bulky, I opted to purchase a portable and collapsible crab trap and a fishing net with a long telescopic pole from Amazon.com. Just in case, I also brought kitchen twine and scissors. A pair of heavy duty rubber kitchen gloves also came in handy to handle the crabs and the bait and we brought a waterproof cooler to keep the crabs in. We also brought our fishing gear but ended up not using them. Also be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and bug spray!
PATIENCE
Since it was our first time, there was a little bit of trial and error before we caught our first catch. We learned that our collapsible net didn't work as well as simply dropping a line with the chicken tied to the end of it. To catch the crabs attracted to the bait, we lured them close enough to the shore to catch them with our net. It took some timing and patience, but we did catch three crabs! Once you catch a crab, you can safely grab them from where their tail is to avoid getting pinched (this is where the rubber gloves come in handy!). Add a little bit of water in your cooler, and your crabs can safely be transported home.
Overall, we had a fun afternoon learning a new activity. It was blazing hot so we only stayed for a few hours, just enough to enjoy the thrill of catching a few crabs and making fun memories!
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Have you gone crabbing? Let us know in the comments where some of your favorite local crabbing destinations are.
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