Crabbing in Dorset

Catch a Crab

Crabbing is brilliant traditional family fun; you can spend hours sat on a harbour wall, ice cream in one hand, crabbing net in the other. Where are the best places to catch those crabs? Try Kimmeridge Bay, Mudeford Quay, West Bay Harbour, Poole Quay and Weymouth Harbour all excellent crabbing spots. What will you need to catch them? Use a crabbing net (not a line) plus some bait — they love bacon or smelly fish — and sink the net straight down the harbour wall. You’ll need a bucket too, filled with sea water (and some seaweed, if possible, to make the crab feel more at home and less stressed).

Top Tips for Crabbing

Use a bait bag (not a hook that can damage the crab).

To hold a crab, pick it up from the back corners of its shell.

Have a maximum of three crabs per bucket, to avoid damage and distress.

Return any fighting crabs to the water.

Replace sea water frequently and keep your bucket in the shade.

Return all crabs to the sea gently and as close to where they were caught.

Take all kit and litter with you when finished, don’t leave it near the sea.

Fun Crabby Facts!

• Crabs have 10 legs; however, the first pair are its claws which are called chelae.
• Crabs have a thick external skeleton called an exoskeleton.
• Other animals with similar names such as hermit crabs, king crabs, porcelain crabs, horseshoe crabs and crab lice, are not true crabs.
• Crabs usually have a distinct sideways walk. However, some crabs can walk forwards or backwards, and some are capable of swimming.
• The collective name for the group of crabs is a cast.
• Crabs communicate with each other by drumming or waving their pincers.
• The Pea Crab is the smallest known species at just a few millimetres wide. The largest species is the Japanese Spider Crab, with a leg span of up to 4 m (13 ft.).
• Crabs are omnivores (meaning they eat both meat and plants).