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Take A Kid Crabbin'
Dock Crabbing
Crabbing is great fun for everyone!
It may take practice and patience to catch crabs, but success usually happens in the first outing. The crabbing season is from April 1 to December 31. In Maryland a license is NOT required of an individual who uses only the following gear and takes the following quantity of crabs per day:
      10 or fewer traps and rings
      dipnets
      handlines
      No more than 2 dozen hard crabs
      No more than 1 dozen soft crabs or peelers
If you plan to do more than these be sure to read the Maryland Crabbing Regulations before you go!

To follow Maryland regulations it is important to know is whether a crab is male or female and whether it is the right size to catch. Below are links to the basics.

  • Identifying Crabs
  • How to Catch Crabs By Hand
  • Crabbing With Pots & Trotlines
  • Come to the Annual National Hard Crab Derby
  • See the Annual Skipjack Races
  • Books On Crabs & The Eastern Shore
  • Books Just For Kids
    • Public Crabbing Areas
    Many towns have public fishing and crabbing piers. Always obey all posted rules. Check with local authorities for regulations and restrictions. Be sure to
    get permission before crabbing
    on private property.

    Call: State of Maryland
    Department of Natural Resources
    Tidewater Administration
    410-974-3365
  • Online: Maryland Crabbing Regulations
    State Areas On The Water
  • Elk Neck State Park
  • Sassafras River NRMA
  • Eastern Neck NWR
  • Wye Island NRMA
  • Black Water NWR
  • Deal Island WMA
  • South Marsh Island WMA
  • Fairmount WMA
  • Janes Island State Park
  • Ellis Bay WMA
  • Cedar Island WMA
  • Taylor's Island
  • Pocomoke Sound WMA
  • Pocomoke River State Park
  • Isle Of Wight WMA
  • Assateague Island National Seashore
  • Sinepuxent Bay WMA
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    This site was designed, illustrated, and compiled by Dana Kester McCabe of Moonshell Productions with some content provided by Kate O'Mara. This site was edited by Kat Harting of Skipjack.net. All questions and comments about the site should be directed to the Rural Development Center at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore: email dskuennen@mail.umes.edu or call 410-651-6183.

    This site is funded by the Rural Development Center at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore through a grant from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.