In most crabbing destinations, you’ll need a license for fishing or crabbing – one exception is the Captree State Park from Long Island. There are 4 piers that people can use to crab as well as light up some barbecues.
Limitations
Even though you don’t need a license, you will have to respect all the rules, unless you want to be forbidden to ever crab there again. For example, each person has the right to catch 50 crabs a day, not one more than that.
Also, crabbers are not allowed to catch females, since they’re detrimental to keeping the crab population alive and well. When it comes to size, the crabs that are smaller than 2” have to be thrown back in the water.
The best time to go crabbing in Captree State Park is the summer, especially July and August. The Park charges a certain entrance fee if you go with a vehicle.
Other Things You Can Do There
After a day of intense crabbing, you’ll have to blow some steam and Captree State Park offers plenty of ways of doing just that. You could go kayaking or canoeing, throw picnics, enjoy the varied food available on the piers or go with your children on the numerous playgrounds.
Moreover, there are approximately 28 boats that are available for launching. If you’re a scuba diving fan, you can rent a boat and go scuba. There are also tours taking place each day.
Species of Crabs
There are 3 main species of crabs in the waters from Captree State Park: spider, blue claw, and calico. Of the 3, the spider crab is the most difficult to catch, because it can be easily mistaken for a rock.
The calico and blue claw species are known for yielding a lot of meat and you can find them in pretty much all the restaurants in Captree State Park. They are absolutely delicious.
Captree State Park is primarily known for having one of the largest populations of blue claw crabs, so if you’ve got an affinity for that species, there’s no better place for you to be than here.
Make sure you get all your gear with you because it isn’t provided on the piers. You can buy some nets and other accessories, but it’s simply better to work with the one you have, so you don’t spend money on things you don’t need.