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Crabbing at Hammond

11K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  Clamman 
#1 ·
Had my second day of crabbing ever today, and it was fantastic. We all limited out in about 1 hour. We used 4 pots and 4 rings, and had the most success using chicken (they weren't interested in the salmon). We actually tossed quite a few legal crabs overboard because we were catching so many large ones.
 
#5 ·
Swell in the ocean will be big to huge this weekend so really watch yourself out there in the big River. Could nasty up in a hurry.
 
#10 ·
Never been crabbing in the Columbia,Where are some good places to drop if you don't mind my asking.
RR.
We usually launch out of the Hammond Marina in Warrenton, Oregon. Basically anyplace downriver from the mouth of the Skipanon at Warrenton will find crabs on the bottom.

Heavy flow on the ebb and poor crabbing at that time. Safer and "crabs aplenty" on the flood. Closer you get to the spit and the bar the more perils you could face. Wish I had a chart in front of me to mention bouys but I believe it is 20 and 22 that I use as a downriver border. Pretty safe and shallow just off the Jetty Lagoon ...and any crabbing on the lower river is safe or dangerous depending on your boating skills and knowledge of the tides and current.

Hope this is of some help.

:smile:............... :smile: .............. :smile:........................ :smile:
 
#11 ·
We laid out our pots around buoy 22, in about 35 feet of water. Last year we were in the same area, and planned to go relax on the beach, and managed to swamp the boat trying to do so. Fortunately, the weather and the water were warm, but I wouldn't want to be in that situation at this time of year.

Matt
 
#14 ·
I've been wondering about the license issue myself. There doesn't seem to be a consensus. If you launch your boat in Oregon, do you need an oregon license? Does anyone know the actual law. Every store that I ask gives a different answer (on both sides of the river). There seems to be a different law regarding shellfish.
 
#15 ·
In both states, you must be in possession of a shellfish licence, in order to harvest shell fish.

The Columbia borders both states, as long as you have in your possesion a tag, from either state, you are in compliance. You can launch from either side of the river.

Being I am from Oregon, we will use me as an example OK?

I have an Oregon fishing licence and a shellfish tag. I launch in Chinook Wa. to crab the bay. I am legal. If I own a WA shellfish tag and launch in Hammond I AM LEGAL.

Being you are from Washington, you have a shellfish licence from Washington, you can crab the Columbia river without getting an Oregon licence.

You cannot crab Tillamook, or any other area in Oregon, without an Oregon licence. AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER YOU ARE LEGAL.
 
#17 ·
In both states, you must be in possession of a shellfish licence, in order to harvest shell fish.

The Columbia borders both states, as long as you have in your possesion a tag, from either state, you are in compliance. You can launch from either side of the river.

Being I am from Oregon, we will use me as an example OK?

I have an Oregon fishing licence and a shellfish tag. I launch in Chinook Wa. to crab the bay. I am legal. If I own a WA shellfish tag and launch in Hammond I AM LEGAL.

Being you are from Washington, you have a shellfish licence from Washington, you can crab the Columbia river without getting an Oregon licence.

You cannot crab Tillamook, or any other area in Oregon, without an Oregon licence. AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER YOU ARE LEGAL.
fishchaser...

You mean to tell me a license is required to pursue fur, fish and game?

Couldn't resist saying that as I'm almost certain if my rural, ******* cousins from the midwest came out here to the westcoast for a "first time" visit...they'd say it!

My Dad...the only law abiding member of our Clan who moved west in the '40s always obeyed the fur, fish and game laws but as a child I remember hearing him state many a time while looking over a synopsis...

"I think I'll need to call my Philadelphia lawyer on this one!"

This thread reminded me of that after many years of it being in the deep dark corners of my memory.

:jester:............... :jester:.................... :jester:
 
#18 ·
Fish Chaser,

Are you sure that this is the rule? I thought that it sould be as you described, however a call to the Washington Department of Fisheries in August said "If you have a Washington shellfish license you can crab anywhere in the Columbia River but you need to land your catch in WAshington". With this ruling I was going to buy an Oregon license because it is easier to launch from Hammond.

I am going to call ODF&W to verify and will post the results.
 
#19 ·
Fresh off the phone with ODF&W and they confirmed what I was told in August by WDF&W. They said that "There is no resiprical agreement with Washinton in the Columbia River zone for Shellfish" Therefore, you must hold a shellfish lisence in the state inwhich you "land" you catch. If you go out of Hammond you must hold an Oregon license and if you go out of Chinook you must hold a WAshington shellfish license. Hope this helps.
 
#21 ·
Fresh off the phone with ODF&W and they confirmed what I was told in August by WDF&W. They said that "There is no resiprical agreement with Washinton in the Columbia River zone for Shellfish" Therefore, you must hold a shellfish lisence in the state inwhich you "land" you catch. If you go out of Hammond you must hold an Oregon license and if you go out of Chinook you must hold a WAshington shellfish license. Hope this helps.
Thanks Tyeebuster for finally answering this question about catching and landing on the Columbia between the states. For decades I've heard both the stories of what you found out as fact and what Fish Chaser thought. It is good that you got it straight from the horses mouth at ODF&W.

Did they mention anything about having to have an ID license if you take the crab to Boise and consume it there!!! :laugh:
 
#22 ·
Well I hate to add to the confusion but we had the same question regarding license requirements. A fishing partner talked to the Northwest office of ODFW earlier in the week and was told that either license was legal in the Columbia. Today another fishing partner sent the email below and received the following response. Now I'm really confused? :whazzup:It's sure frustrating when you are trying to follow the regulations but can't figure out what they are. To be covered we will spend the $16.50 for out of state licenses.

Partners email to ODFW:

We are Washington State residents and intend to go crabbing next
weekend in
the Columbia River between Buoy 10 and Chinook, WA. It is our
understanding
that the Oregon/Washington border in this area is very near the
Washington side
of the river and that we , most likely, will be in Oregon waters. As
we read
the Oregon regulations it is legal for us to take crab from these
Oregon
waters if we have valid Washington permits and licenses as long as we
abide by the
Oregon regulations. It appears that where the Columbia River is the
border
between the two states, either Oregon or Washington licenses are all
that is
required. In order to insure that we are interpreting the regulations
correctly
we have the following two questions regarding this matter:

1. If we have the shellfish/seaweed license and catch record card
for
Washington can we take crabs from anywhere in the Colulmbia River
between Buoy
10 and Chinook or do we need to purchase nonresident licenses from
Oregon? ,
and

2. If we take crabs from the Columbia River in Oregon waters and
abide
by Oregon regulations do we need to record the crabs taken on our
Washington
catch record card if we launch our boat in Washington (most likely at
Chinook,
WA.)?

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer our inquiry.


Response from ODFW:

There is no reciprocity between Oregon and Washington for the harvesting
of shellfish in the Columbia River. If you are harvesting crabs in
Oregon waters you MUST have an Oregon Shellfish License and vice versa.

-Travis

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Information and Education Division
www.dfw.state.or.us
 
#23 ·
Well that would be a bit different than the reply I got the other day. However, for clarification, I was told that you could crab ANYWHERE on the Columbia River (as long as you are in a boat) BUT you need to land your catch in the State in which you hold a valid shellfish license.

As you stated, I will spend the $16.50 to be safe and dig clams on the Clatsop Spit to make it all worth while :grin:
 
#24 ·
At this time there is NO reciprocity for the shellfish license. Oregon has it set in place through the legislative end when the law was drafted last year. Washington never had the language in their law since Oregon didn't have a shellfish license at that time. I believe it will take an act of Washington legislature to add that reciprocity language before it is like fishing.


Clam
 
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