Boat for Crabbing

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  • Rcbrownr7

    Member
    Jun 15, 2017
    66
    Annapolis
    Hi all,

    Maybe not the best forum but figured I would still get some good replies. I am looking to get a boat to do some crabbing and freshwater fishing this summer. Not looking to spend more than a couple $k. Question is will a say 14ft John boat work for both purposes? If not what should I be looking for?

    TIA
     

    SoMD_Gen4

    Active Member
    Apr 16, 2013
    505
    SoMD
    My recommendation is 14-16ft, give yourself room for a helper/2nd fisherman and gear. Also, I recommend staying away from the flat bottom jon boats. Depending on where your going, I recommend the v-hull to kill some chop, and not get blow around with a heavy wind in a smaller boat. The flat bottom technically gets you into some more shallow areas, but how shallow do you really need to go??
     

    Rcbrownr7

    Member
    Jun 15, 2017
    66
    Annapolis
    My recommendation is 14-16ft, give yourself room for a helper/2nd fisherman and gear. Also, I recommend staying away from the flat bottom jon boats. Depending on where your going, I recommend the v-hull to kill some chop, and not get blow around with a heavy wind in a smaller boat. The flat bottom technically gets you into some more shallow areas, but how shallow do you really need to go??

    Thanks for the reply, this is what I was looking for. I am from Alabama and everyone just has bass boats and I know that isn't what I need here. This will be the first time I have done any type of crabbing. If I am crabbing will I have to go out into the bay to do that or will i be able to do that successfully in brackish tributaries?
     

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    Answer to this will vary greatly on what waters you will be cruising...my Dad and I had great success with a large (read very wide) 16ft. Lowe modified vee bow jon boat. However, that was in the Severn River and the back bays of Ocean City. Would definitely want something bigger for longer hauls and/or main bay runs.

    Was also used to access goose blinds on Kent Island in winter time.

    Crabbing is mostly done in 10- 20 foot depths along drop offs in rivers and creeks. However, you need to consider all the water you'll encounter from ramp to crabbing area....i.e. In the Severn there are not a lot of public ramps, so it can be a run. My parents community has a ramp, so we had access.

    You'll also need to think about your methods...trot line, traps, hand lines off the sides, all have different needs.

    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
     

    Rcbrownr7

    Member
    Jun 15, 2017
    66
    Annapolis
    Answer to this will vary greatly on what waters you will be cruising...my Dad and I had great success with a large (read very wide) 16ft. Lowe modified vee bow jon boat. However, that was in the Severn River and the back bays of Ocean City. Would definitely want something bigger for longer hauls and/or main bay runs.

    Was also used to access goose blinds on Kent Island in winter time.

    Crabbing is mostly done in 10- 20 foot depths along drop offs in rivers and creeks. However, you need to consider all the water you'll encounter from ramp to crabbing area....i.e. In the Severn there are not a lot of public ramps, so it can be a run. My parents community has a ramp, so we had access.

    You'll also need to think about your methods...trot line, traps, hand lines off the sides, all have different needs.

    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk


    Thanks for the reply. I have no idea where I will be crabbing, I will be going into this pretty blind as far as knowledge or experience. Was hoping not to have to go out into the bay much and thought that might help keep the boat cheaper. I am located in Annapolis but wont mind driving further away to put in or crab if I need to.
     
    Last edited:

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,662
    Not Far Enough from the City
    If by fresh water you should mean Maryland reservoirs, make sure you know and understand permitting and zebra mussel regulations. In essence, dual use can in the case of reserviors
    become problematic, as you are not permitted to use boats used elsewhere in Maryland reserviors.
     

    FrankZ

    Liberty = Responsibility
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 25, 2012
    3,334
    You also need to consider how you are catching, some gear is restricted on where you can use it as well. And you need need to be able to get the gear there and back.

    Have you looked at the crabbing regulations yet?
     

    Rcbrownr7

    Member
    Jun 15, 2017
    66
    Annapolis
    You also need to consider how you are catching, some gear is restricted on where you can use it as well. And you need need to be able to get the gear there and back.

    Have you looked at the crabbing regulations yet?

    Yes I have. I only saw that I am required to get a residential license and with that I can use trot lines and legal traps. What am I missing?
     
    Last edited:

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    Thanks for the reply. I have no idea where I will be crabbing, I will be going into this pretty blind as far as knowledge or experience. Was hoping not to have to go out into the bay much and thought that might help keep the boat cheaper. I am located in Annapolis but wont mind driving further away to put in or crab if I need to.

    There are a couple of ramps in the Annapolis area to access the Severn. Lots of good crabbing in the lower Severn. We were about mid river in Severna Park. One of our favorite spots was off Manresa, between the Rt.50 and Rt. 450 bridges. There are lots of creeks across the bridge in Queen Anne's County with great ramp access. You'll need a county permit, but they're not that expensive. You can definitely pull it off without going into the main bay.

    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
     

    Rcbrownr7

    Member
    Jun 15, 2017
    66
    Annapolis
    There are a couple of ramps in the Annapolis area to access the Severn. Lots of good crabbing in the lower Severn. We were about mid river in Severna Park. One of our favorite spots was off Manresa, between the Rt.50 and Rt. 450 bridges. There are lots of creeks across the bridge in Queen Anne's County with great ramp access. You'll need a county permit, but they're not that expensive. You can definitely pull it off without going into the main bay.

    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk

    Ok thats good, My next question was going to be about access. So If I am staying local in the Severn and putting in Annapolis like you said will the 16ft john work or should I still be looking for a v shape hull?
     

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    Ok thats good, My next question was going to be about access. So If I am staying local in the Severn and putting in Annapolis like you said will the 16ft john work or should I still be looking for a v shape hull?

    Jon Boats are all different.....some are narrow and tippy, some are very shallow draft, and most square nosed ones will beat the snot out of you in any chop!! That being said, I have found most vee-bottomed aluminum hulls are also very tippy.

    The 16' Lowe that we had was just the opposite.....it was very wide, hence extremely stable, it had a very high draft (we had to put a shaft extension on our outboard), and the flat bottom formed up into a semi- vee (bow was still square, but bottom was flaired into a vee shape so it cut the waves smoother) in the front.

    I believe this is the current version of the boat we had...

    https://www.loweboats.com/jon-boats/l1648m-jon/#specifications


    Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
     

    FrankZ

    Liberty = Responsibility
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 25, 2012
    3,334
    Yes I have. I only saw that I am required to get a residential license and with that I can use trot lines and legal traps. What am I missing?

    I haven't looked in a while but I thought some gear was bay only.
     

    Silverlax

    Active Member
    Nov 13, 2014
    518
    Eastern Shore
    Yes, a 14’ Jon boat will work. I got a deal and bought a 14’ v hull with everything I’d need for trot lining. It works just fine.
     

    trailman

    Active Member
    Nov 15, 2011
    631
    Frederick
    My recommendation is 14-16ft, give yourself room for a helper/2nd fisherman and gear. Also, I recommend staying away from the flat bottom jon boats. Depending on where your going, I recommend the v-hull to kill some chop, and not get blow around with a heavy wind in a smaller boat. The flat bottom technically gets you into some more shallow areas, but how shallow do you really need to go??

    IMHO I'll second this, go for a V hull they ride better. If you are crabbing, use a tiller outboard and not a wheel and throttle. I'll make a guess here that you'll do the 30 open top traps and noodles. Missing a trap and having to reverse course and or back with a wheel and throttle is like eating a taco while driving a stick shift in rush hour traffic.

    You can find easy deals especially around the bay for under 1K most likely with a small engine. at most you'll have to rewire the trailer to pass inspection.
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    Check out Jake Phelps on Youtube. He films his crabbing excursions on places like the Chester and Wye Rivers, etc. He uses a v-hull boat that is probably about 16 feet and runs traditional style trot lines. I really enjoy his videos and you can learn a lot from them.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,725
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Hi all,

    Maybe not the best forum but figured I would still get some good replies. I am looking to get a boat to do some crabbing and freshwater fishing this summer. Not looking to spend more than a couple $k. Question is will a say 14ft John boat work for both purposes? If not what should I be looking for?

    TIA

    If you are only going to fish in protected ponds and streams, a jon boat will do fine. If you are thinking of fishing in the Severn, Suski, Patapsco or Bay, you need a bigger boat.

    Old Bayliners, especially bowriders, can be found for a good price if you look around. They have bullet proof hulls, so if the engine isn't that good, they are a good boat to re engine.

    If you are going on the rivers and Bay, I would look for something in the 18 foot range with good freeboard. The shallow water and winds in this area makes for waves on most days.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,151
    Does anyone with a V bottom find the sides a bit too tall when pulling traps?
     

    Magnumst

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 26, 2013
    1,253
    Does anyone with a V bottom find the sides a bit too tall when pulling traps?



    I have a 16” V-bottom Grumman that I used to crab out of. My sides would be sore at the end of the day reaching over to pull traps until I started using a hook to grab the float. That boat will be for sale in the near future.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,242
    Mid-Merlind
    If you are only going to fish in protected ponds and streams, a jon boat will do fine. If you are thinking of fishing in the Severn, Suski, Patapsco or Bay, you need a bigger boat.

    Old Bayliners, especially bowriders, can be found for a good price if you look around. They have bullet proof hulls, so if the engine isn't that good, they are a good boat to re engine.

    If you are going on the rivers and Bay, I would look for something in the 18 foot range with good freeboard. The shallow water and winds in this area makes for waves on most days.
    Having been out on the bay and tributaries for more than 50 years, with a lot of it in a 16' semi-V with a 50hp, I'm right there with John. I'll even admit to being in on the sinking two jon boats, a 10 and a 14, and we ruined an aluminum 16' deep-V up on the flats when a storm caught us. Broke a brace and pulled a LOT of rivets loose, barely made it back.

    Sure, you can stay in sheltered areas and pick your days, but things can go shitty faster than many/most realise and a tide change and/or wind change can make that glassy-smooth surface into 3 foot waves and whitecaps in a few minutes, even on the Severn. With a 16' flat bottom in big water, you'd be surprised how much faster the water can come over the gunnels than one can bail. You'll find yourself going places you never intended to go, just to not oppose the waves.

    The size/configuration of the boat needs to match the waters, more so than the task. "Ice cube trays" (flat bottom jon boats) really don't belong on the bay, particularly in the hands of a new captain.
     

    MykR0k

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 13, 2020
    207
    Just curious, some of these boat sizes seem kind of small. Are these smaller boats just for one or two people? Does anyone go crabbing with large groups (like four people) in these smaller boats?

    Thanks in advance,
     

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