Here are some reports for New Jersey in 2023:
Red Bank Municipal Dock
Crabbing has been good at the Red Bank Municipal Dock, with reports of crabs being caught in both the upper and lower bay. The best baits have been chicken and menhaden, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Caught a few dozen crabs at the Red Bank Municipal Dock yesterday using chicken as bait. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Good Luck Point
Crabbing has also been good at Good Luck Point, with reports of crabs being caught in both the tidal and non-tidal sections of the bay. The best baits have been chicken and bloodworms, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Good report from Good Luck Point in Barnegat Bay. Crabs were caught on both bait and chicken. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Navessink River
Crabbing has been good in the Navesink River, with reports of crabs being caught in both the tidal and non-tidal sections of the river. The best baits have been chicken and bloodworms, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Caught a few dozen crabs in the Navesink River using chicken as bait. The water was a little choppy, but the crabs were still biting.
Bayshore Park
Crabbing has been good at Bayshore Park, with reports of crabs being caught in both the upper and lower bay. The best baits have been chicken and menhaden, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Caught a few crabs at Bayshore Park using chicken as bait. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Tuckerton Bay
Crabbing has also been good in Tuckerton Bay, with reports of crabs being caught in both the tidal and non-tidal sections of the bay. The best baits have been chicken and bloodworms, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Good report from Tuckerton Bay. Crabs were caught on both bait and chicken. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Area: Barnegat Bay
City: Red Bank
Report: Crabbing has been good at the Red Bank Municipal Dock, with reports of crabs being caught in both the upper and lower bay. The best baits have been chicken and menhaden, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Caught a few dozen crabs at the Red Bank Municipal Dock yesterday using chicken as bait. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Area: Barnegat Bay
City: Good Luck Point
Report: Crabbing has also been good at Good Luck Point, with reports of crabs being caught in both the tidal and non-tidal sections of the bay. The best baits have been chicken and bloodworms, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Good report from Good Luck Point in Barnegat Bay. Crabs were caught on both bait and chicken. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Area: Navesink River
City: Red Bank
Report: Crabbing has been good in the Navesink River, with reports of crabs being caught in both the tidal and non-tidal sections of the river. The best baits have been chicken and bloodworms, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Caught a few dozen crabs in the Navesink River using chicken as bait. The water was a little choppy, but the crabs were still biting.
Area: Bayshore Park
City: Middletown
Report: Crabbing has been good at Bayshore Park, with reports of crabs being caught in both the upper and lower bay. The best baits have been chicken and menhaden, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Caught a few crabs at Bayshore Park using chicken as bait. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
Area: Tuckerton Bay
City: Tuckerton
Report: Crabbing has also been good in Tuckerton Bay, with reports of crabs being caught in both the tidal and non-tidal sections of the bay. The best baits have been chicken and bloodworms, and the best times to crab have been early in the morning and late in the evening.
Comment: Good report from Tuckerton Bay. Crabs were caught on both bait and chicken. The water was a little murky, but the crabs were still biting.
The reports are updated regularly, so you can always find the latest information on where to catch crabs in New Jersey.
Here are some additional tips for crabbing in New Jersey:
- Make sure you have a valid fishing license.
- Check the local regulations for crabbing, as they can vary from place to place.
- Use a crab pot or a dip net to catch crabs.
- Bring a cooler to keep your crabs fresh.
- Cook your crabs as soon as possible after catching them.
Crabbing can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it is important to be safe and follow the rules. With a little planning, you can enjoy a day of crabbing and fresh seafood.
Lately crabbing in New Jersey has been largely on the decline, due to either declining population counts or some other factor. In Ocean City NJ, for example, almost all local piers on the island have little to no crab life, especially keepers.
Some of the more populous areas in this region are near the Meadowland and marsh areas, particularly Seaview Docks.
The Chesapeake Bay has had the lowest blue crab numbers in 33 years, so it stands to reason that New Jersey crabbing would likely suffer as well.
Got anything to report? Add it to the comments below.