Netarts Crabbing

roblosey · 03-28-2001, 08:12 PM

Anyone out there crab at Netarts Bay? Is it decent this time of the year? Is there a reasonable place to throw a pot out from shore? How about fishing for flounder or perch in the bay? Thanks.

WaterDog · 03-29-2001, 05:14 AM

For me Netarts is hit and miss. It also gets crowded since it's small. I have done better at night and there is a good population of rock crab if you don't mind those. I have never fished it though.

WildHawg · 03-29-2001, 05:38 AM

Hello Rob,
I've crabbed, clammed, worked in the Oysters (friend has a commercial bed) and fished Netarts for 20 years. This can be a good time to crab, though I haven't been in a while. There's not many Starry Flounder any more, not sure why. As for Perch, the best time to fish for Pinkfin or Striped (Rainbow) in the bay is more like May and June.

For what it's worth, I would concentrate on crabbing and clamming. There is a .01 on Saturday morning at around 11:45-12:00 depending on where you're at in the bay. Plenty low enough to get a limit of Quahog's (sp?), Cockles, or the big Blue's. For some reason the tide jumps a ways forward on Sunday to closer to 2:00 pm, but it's still good at 0.0. If I were you I'd get on the water 1.5 hours early and put some crab pots out if you have 'em, then do a little clamming. Get a limit, then keep working your pots, cause the evening high is only around 5.0 feet (not to much rip). Be careful in Netarts. The Channel is fairly narrow and makes some hard sweeping turns which has been known to put alot of folks "in the ditch", especially if you're running upstream. Downstream a short ways from the ramp is the bar, and she is shallow and snarly. Make sure your kicker is in good working order, and bring a good anchor just in case. Although it's gonna be crowded due to Spring Break, you'll find it is a beautiful place. Have fun. Wish I could go and line you out on all the specifics, but I get to cut firewood at the old homeplace up the Mckenzie near Vida instead. By the way, a few of my friends have already caught fresh summer runs between Leaburg Dam and the (S)Curry hole at Greenwood. Should be a great year on the Mack, with Springer's AND a bonus sized run of Summer's as well!
Have fun, Hawg.
P.S. Saw your earlier thread. If you don't have a boat, you can rent one from the trailer park on the east shore of the bay about a mile south of the boatramp. They can give you tips and sell you bait as well. My personal choice however is cheap Southern Grown Chicken--crabs love it, and the seals wont touch it! Good Luck.

[ 03-29-2001: Message edited by: WildHawg ]

Bait O' Eggs · 03-29-2001, 07:50 AM

Netarts is a great bay to play in. You can get a limit of Cohogs on a 2.0 + tide if you know where to go [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Never fished in the bay, But last time I was there I watched a guy launch a jet ski with a fishing pole tied to the side and he was intending to cross the bar and bottom fish. Looked like a lot of fun, but you might have to be slightly crazy to fish from a jet ski in the ocean. He said he had no problems crossing the bar at any time with his jet ski. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Hawg, who is your buddy that has the commercial oysters? I to have a high school buddy who oysters in Netarts.

WildHawg · 03-29-2001, 08:06 AM

Howdy Bait,
His name is Brian Trusty (Tillamook 1979). One of my best friends since my Sophomore year at U of O in 1980. Company name was Northwest Oyster till he broke off with his partner. I can't remember what he renamed it right now [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] I have another friend named Todd Riggert who grows 'em as well.
I know Al Remington pretty good as well. Don't know any others, but I probably know their name and where their lease is.

Anywho, get after it Rob. If ya dont have a boat, you can still do some pretty good clamming from the shore. Just park along the east shore of the bay where you see all the people and start digging. No Quahogs to speak of there, but you can dig Blue's and the occasional Gaper. Some cockles as well, if you bring a rake and work the edges. Oh yeah, don't forget your waders [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Good luck.

[ 03-29-2001: Message edited by: WildHawg ]

Bait O' Eggs · 03-29-2001, 09:32 AM

Small world Brian. I havent heard your name in quite a while, But I remember you from HS. I was in Todd Riggerts class (1981), and know Al Remington as well.

Sorry to hear you went to U of O. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Go Beavs. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Your profile doesnt list a location, where are you located now days? If you dont remember me, I am sure you would my brother Walt who was a year behind you.

Roy Markee

Meridian · 03-29-2001, 06:27 PM

I don't know much about clamming but I have gone a few times at Neatarts. It is pretty easy to get your clams and they are yummy. One gentleman told us we were catching butter clams. Is that a slang name? I haven't herd of them before. One of the guys with us the first time refused to eat the neck because he thought it was something else. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

WaterDog · 03-29-2001, 08:05 PM

Well I wasn't going to go in to the clamming. But since it's been brought up, [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] Heck yeah it's a great clamming bay. Been clamming the bay for 15 years or so. I do wish when they rebuilt the ramp they would have concidered those of us with full size trucks and larger boats. It's a tight one for sure!

Hoosier Daddy · 03-29-2001, 11:23 PM

I crabbed in Netarts a few weeks ago. Didn't do real well, but we got a few. We were only out for about 2 hrs. Got three keepers, no red rocks. On the incoming tide. All three of our keepers were in our Danielson trap, none in the three rings I rented. I did see some guys chucking rings off the end of the little jetty near the boat launch, but I don't know if they got much or not. Didn't see any docks you could crab off of. I checked it out a few months ago, and you can rent a boat from the RV park nearby for around 50 bucks, with rings and bait. Might be worth it if you can get a partner. Nice bay though. It was pretty busy when we were there, and seems like all the guys were renters who had no clue what they were doing. They just tuled around getting in my way. Watched them run over floats all afternoon!!

roblosey · 03-30-2001, 03:01 PM

Thanks everyone for the excellent information! I've spent a good deal of time lately at Netarts Bay but doing research, not fishing, crabbing or clamming. It is certainly one of my favorite places on the Oregon coast. There are so few bays with such little development on them.
I have clammed there before and absolutely cleaned-up as a rookie. We managed to get a bunch of cockles and a few steamers raking. I will let you all know how tomorrow goes. Thanks again.
P.S. WildHawg--I live in Eugene and I would love to chat with you sometime about Netarts Bay and also about steelheading on the McKenzie--also one of my favorite things to do. Email me if you want.
roblosey@darkwing.uoregon.edu