Winter Crabbing with Stackhouse Guide Service
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Winter dungeness crab trips during November and early DecemberQuick ocean rides targeting fresh crab for family dinnersSmall group charters with maximum four guest capacity
Nothing beats the satisfaction of hauling up your own fresh Dungeness crab from the cold Pacific waters. Our winter crabbing trips are a Pacific Northwest tradition that brings families together for some of the best seafood you'll ever taste. We're talking about crab so fresh it was crawling around on the ocean floor just hours before it hits your dinner table. This top-rated experience runs through November and the first half of December when the Dungeness are at their absolute peak – meaty, sweet, and worth every bit of effort it takes to pull those pots.
We keep things simple and effective on our winter crabbing runs. You'll join up to three other guests for a quick ride out to our proven crab grounds, where we've been dropping pots for years. The beauty of crabbing is that it's not about the adrenaline rush – it's about patience, timing, and knowing the right spots where these crustaceans like to hang out. We'll motor out to depths where the Dungeness congregate, usually in 40 to 100 feet of water along the sandy bottoms they prefer. The trip keeps a relaxed pace, giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the coastal scenery and learn about what makes our local crab population so special. Winter weather can be unpredictable along the Pacific Northwest coast, so we always check conditions carefully before heading out. When we do get those perfect winter days with calm seas and clear skies, there's nothing quite like being on the water with the coastline stretching out behind you.
We use traditional crab pots – those wire cages you see stacked at harbors up and down the coast. Each pot gets baited with fresh fish, usually whatever we can source locally that day. Salmon carcasses, rockfish, or sardines all work great for attracting Dungeness. The pots sit on the bottom for anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on how the crab are moving that day. We'll drop several pots in different areas to maximize your chances of a good haul. When it's time to pull the pots, everyone gets involved. There's something really satisfying about cranking up that hydraulic puller and seeing what's waiting inside. We measure every crab to make sure they're legal keepers – males only, and they need to be at least 5¾ inches across the shell. Any undersized crab or females go right back over the side to keep the population healthy. The whole process is hands-on but not too physically demanding, making it perfect for families or anyone who wants to try something different from traditional rod-and-reel fishing.
Dungeness crab are the stars of our winter crabbing trips, and for good reason. These Pacific Northwest natives are some of the sweetest, most flavorful crab you'll find anywhere. They're named after the town of Dungeness on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, where commercial crabbing first took off in the 1880s. A good-sized male Dungeness will measure around 6 to 7 inches across the carapace and weigh close to 2 pounds, though we regularly see specimens that push 2.5 pounds or more. The meat has that perfect balance of sweetness and brininess that makes Pacific Northwest crab famous worldwide. What makes winter the prime season is that the crab have been feeding heavily through the fall, building up their meat content before the spawning season. November and early December consistently produce the heaviest, meatiest crab of the year. These guys are opportunistic feeders, scavenging along the bottom for clams, fish, worms, and pretty much anything else they can get their claws on. They're surprisingly mobile too – tagging studies show they can travel several miles along the seafloor following food sources and temperature changes. During our winter season, they tend to concentrate in specific depth ranges where the water temperature and food supply hit that sweet spot.
Winter crabbing season is short but incredibly rewarding, and our spots fill up fast once word gets out about how the crab are biting. This customer favorite experience gives you everything you need for an authentic Pacific Northwest seafood adventure – we provide all the gear, bait, and local knowledge that comes from years of working these waters. You just bring your appetite and maybe a cooler for the ride home. The trip accommodates up to four guests, making it perfect for families or small groups who want to experience something uniquely Pacific Northwest. We don't provide meals on board, but honestly, after a successful day of crabbing, you'll have all the fresh seafood you need waiting in the live well. Book your winter crabbing trip with Stackhouse Guide Service and get ready to taste the difference that truly fresh, locally-caught Dungeness crab makes. These renowned crabbing grounds have been producing world-class catches for generations, and this trending winter activity is your chance to be part of that tradition.
Fortuna, CA