Gone Crabbing!

Like most webmasters, I keep an eye on how people arrive at our site, and one of the most common queries relates to crab fishing.  So, as they say, by popular demand, a bit more information on the subject!

Why go crabbing?
Well for a start you’re not going to catch your supper, but crabbing is a great activity for the kids for a number of reasons:
-Go to the right spot and use the right bait, and you will get results!
-…and get them before the boredom creeps in.
-Crabs are also pretty alien looking, so you also get the Urgh! factor that kids love!

So where are the right spots?
Since crab lines just dangle from a reel, you need somewhere with vertical access to deepish water.  Two top spots for this in North Norfolk are Wells harbour (when the tide is in), or Cromer Pier at any state of the tide.

…And the best bait?
Crabs find their food by smell, so in short, smelly food!  When I’ve been out on the crab boats, fish which is ‘less than fresh’ shall we say, seems to be the favourite.  But for crabbing from the pier or harbour, raw bacon or fish is a good bet.  If you’re planning on enjoying a cooked breakfast at the cottage, then put some of the bacon rind aside first.

What equipment do you need?
If you are staying at the Oaktree Cottage, you should find all you need in the shed.  Basically you need a bucket (to keep your catch alive in sea water until you release them), and some crab lines.  The lines need a means of attaching the bait in a way that the crabs can’t just grab it and run – so a small mesh bag is ideal.

And isn’t it cruel?
Uniquely for fishing, you won’t catch a crab that doesn’t want to be caught!  Crab lines use no hooks, and do not trap the crabs in any way.  The way that you catch them is that the crabs get hold of the bait, and then don’t want to let go as you reel them in.

So if you’re on holiday in the area, why not have a go at reeling in a Cromer crab?