SANTA CRUZ -- It was a tasty weekend for Dungeness crab fans, as recreational crab season opened Saturday with early indicators pointing to a promising season.
"All in all they seem to be off to a good start," said Bryson Drake, a deputy harbormaster at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor.
And the sports fishermen have the bounty to themselves for a few days, as commercial season doesn't begin until Nov. 15.
Carl Azevedo of Santa Cruz and a few friends hauled in their limit of 10 crabs per person Sunday and were boiling them in a large pot connected to a butane tank on S dock.
Azevedo, a retired commercial fisherman who owns a boat called Boccie Boy, said he used anchovies, sardines and squid as bait and put his pots down about 8 miles out. He said that the average Dungeness they hauled in was about a pound and a half.
"I just get some for friends these days," said Azevedo, who said he was one of the first two fishermen in the harbor decades ago. "They are excellent; they have a taste all their own."
According to the website for Santa Cruz harbor-based Bayside Marine, crabbing reports were great Saturday, with limits reported early in 170 to 200 feet of water up the coast near Five Mile Beach.
Fisherman Tom Ghio of Santa Cruz said regulators are planning to limit the number of crab pots commercial fishermen can put out for the first time, starting next year.
"But they've had some banner years recently," Ghio said.
State officials confirmed the strong showings in a recent statement announcing the season opener, the first Saturday in November.
"Crab populations appear to be strong coming off another record-setting year in the commercial fishery," said Department of Fish and Game scientist Pete Kalvass.
Sunday, commercial fishermen had stacks of metal crab pots assembled and ready to go near the R, S and T docks at the harbor and the launch area, closer to the bay, was full of trucks towing boats in and out of the water.
On R dock, Tom "Biggie" Rouhier of Scotts Valley was preparing a boat he recently bought, Tidepoint, for crabbing season.
"All the guys are getting ready," Rouhier said. "I hope it's a good season. There's some crab out there; they've been getting them."
State regulations dictate that any crabs taken be at least 5 3/4 inches in diameter for recreational fishermen and 6 1/4 inches for commercial fishermen.
The Department of Fish and Game states Dungeness crab generally prefer cooler Northern and Central California waters and are usually found on sandy or sand-mud bottoms at depths of less than 300 feet.
No crab can legally be taken from San Francisco or San Pablo bays, which are important crab nursery areas.
The most popular methods for catching the tasty crustaceans are with crab pots, loop traps and hoop nets, though some divers retrieve them by hand, state officials said.
For information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/crabs.asp.
Follow Sentinel reporter Cathy Kelly on Twitter at Twitter.com/cathykelly9 ___
(c)2012 the Santa Cruz Sentinel (Scotts Valley, Calif.)
Visit the Santa Cruz Sentinel (Scotts Valley, Calif.) at www.santacruzsentinel.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.