Thank you for visiting CrabsInAPinch.com. This site is dedicated to growing awareness of the New Jersey crabbing industry. Chris Denn believes New Jersey offers some of the best crabbing spots in the United States. Future blog posts will touch on everything from crab dish recipes to some of the history of the New Jersey crabbing industry. Whether you love to crab yourself or just love to eat crab, be sure to visit the blog for the latest insights from Christopher Denn.
Chris Denn on The Best Crabbing Locations in New Jersey
The Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of New Jersey and the back bays, have been known to provide fishermen with bluefish, flounder, striped bass, and more, but recreational crabbing exceeds all other sea creatures in the number caught. This is partly due to the various locations providing fresh, blue-craw crab. Recreational crabbers can use scoop nets or classic collapsible traps without acquiring a crabbing license. However, once crab pots or trot lines are involved, a license must be obtained before use. Chris Denn assumes that most readers are licensed crabbers, but a future blog post will go over how to get a crabbing license and even what types of baits have provided the most success for Chris Denn.
Several counties in New Jersey can compete for the crown of most popular crabbing locations, but Chris Denn suggests that Atlantic County is the most sought crabbing location. This is largely thanks to locations like Patcong Creek, Great Egg Harbor Bay, Tuckahoe River, Peck Bay, and Scull Bay. Most of these waters surround Somers Point, New Jersey, so this is a great place to start a crabbing trip. For those looking to do some crabbing with their children without access to a boat, the Route 52 Causeway fishing pier, which separates Mays Landing and the 9th Street Bridge in Ocean City, is always filled with different fishing and crabbing enthusiasts looking to catch their dinner.
Due to the sheer volume of crabs surrounding Somers Point, the town is the home to many different New Jersey crabbing tournaments. One of the favorites of Chris Denn is held the week after Father’s Day each year, the Assault on Patcong Creek. Crabbing enthusiasts come from states nationwide to try their luck and raise the trophy. It’s not only a competitive tournament, but it’s a great networking event. Once the competition is over, fellow crab enthusiasts often share different spots where they see success and comment on baits proving more effective than others. One of Chris Denn’s favorite things about crabbing is that there’s always something new to learn.
Cape May has a few popular crabbing destinations for those traveling further south along the Jersey Shore. The Cape May National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to take in the Jersey that is rarely seen when Jersey is portrayed in movies or on television. The creeks along the marshlands are a hotbed for crabbing. Wildwood Crest has a few piers offering daily fishing and crabbing opportunities. During the busy summer season, it’s not uncommon for them to charge a small fee to carve out your crabbing location.
Those closer to Northern Jersey can still take advantage of popular crabbing locations. For instance, the Mantoloking Bridge Fishing Pier has a 70-foot-long pier that is the perfect place to catch crabs and take in the beauty of the surrounding area. Located in Brick, New Jersey, this popular crabbing destination sees visitors as early as sunrise, so it’s perfect for a full day or at least a whole morning of crabbing. Monmouth County is also home to the Navesink River, which has a reputation for having a plentiful supply of crab, summer flounder, and striped bass. The Red Bank Marina provides the perfect outlet to take advantage of this famous site.
Chris Denn recommends New Jersey to any crabbing enthusiasts. For locals new to crabbing, Christopher Denn suggests taking advantage of one of the many charters available throughout the summer months. Captains of crabbing charters provide access to the best crabbing spots in the state. They also help teach people how to properly bait their trap, the differences between trap types and offer guidance on placing the traps down effectively. There are even crabbing charters designed for family entertainment, which can be a real blessing for parents looking to instill a love of the outdoors in their children.