Alaska · Kenai Peninsula
DUNGENESS CRAB FISHING
IN SEWARD
Seward is a solid destination for dungeness crab fishing, with good fishing in July, August. Book a charter and target dungeness crab with local experts.
About Dungeness Crab Fishing in Seward
The Dungeness crab is the signature crustacean of the Pacific Northwest, found in bays and estuaries from Central California to Alaska. Named after Dungeness, Washington, these sweet-flavored crabs are the backbone of the West Coast crab fishery and are caught recreationally using ring nets and crab pots from shore and boat.
Dungeness Crab are the signature crustacean of the Pacific Northwest, named after the small fishing village of Dungeness on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. These sweet-flavored crabs are found in sandy bays, estuaries, and nearshore waters from Central California to Alaska, where they are caught commercially and recreationally in enormous numbers. Dungeness have a wide, fan-shaped carapace that is purplish-brown on top and cream-yellow underneath. They are considered the finest-eating crab species in North America, with sweet, tender white meat that requires minimal seasoning.
Scientific name: Metacarcinus magister
Dungeness Crab Seasonal Calendar — Seward
Month-by-month availability for dungeness crab in Seward, AK.
How to Catch Dungeness Crab in Seward
Techniques & Bait
Recreational crabbing with ring nets or collapsible crab pots baited with chicken, fish carcasses, or turkey legs is the most popular method. Deploy pots in sandy bays, eelgrass beds, and channels in 10-60 feet of water. Check pots every 20-30 minutes for ring nets or every few hours for enclosed pots. Pier and dock crabbing with hoop nets is accessible from shore in many bays. Some anglers catch Dungeness by hand while snorkeling or wading at low tide. Kayak crabbing is growing in popularity.
Recommended Tackle
Crab ring nets, hoop nets, or collapsible crab pots with proper state tags. Heavy line (80-200 lb) for retrieving pots from depth. Crab gauge for measuring legal-size crabs (minimum 5.75-6.25 inches across the carapace depending on state). Bait: chicken legs, fish carcasses, clams. Rubber bands for handling — Dungeness have powerful pinching claws.
Best Inshore Fishing Spots in Seward
Top spots where local captains target dungeness crab and other inshore species.
Resurrection Bay
Resurrection Bay is a deep fjord at Seward that holds silver salmon, pink salmon, rockfish, and halibut in its glacially-carved waters. The bay's sheltered conditions and deep water close to shore create exceptional fishing accessible from the Seward small boat harbor.
Seward Small Boat Harbor
Seward's small boat harbor provides dock-fishing where silver salmon, pink salmon, and rockfish hold around the harbor structure during summer runs. The harbor serves as the launch point for Seward's renowned charter fleet targeting halibut, salmon, and rockfish.
Lowell Point
Lowell Point at the southern end of Seward's road system provides shore-fishing access to Resurrection Bay where silver salmon, pink salmon, and rockfish hold along the rocky shoreline. The point's rocky beach offers productive casting for salmon during summer runs.
Fourth of July Creek
Fourth of July Creek north of Seward hosts runs of silver salmon and pink salmon during summer, with easy road access providing shore-fishing along the creek and its tidal mouth on Resurrection Bay.
Other Species in Seward
More fish you can target while visiting Seward.
Dungeness Crab Fishing in Seward — FAQ
Dungeness Crab fishing in Seward is productive during July, August.
Dungeness Crab fishing charters in Seward are typically inshore trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Recreational crabbing with ring nets or collapsible crab pots baited with chicken, fish carcasses, or turkey legs is the most popular method. Deploy pots in sandy bays, eelgrass beds, and channels in 10-60 feet of water. Check pots every 20-30 minutes for ring nets or every few hours for enclosed pots. Pier and dock crabbing with hoop nets is accessible from shore in many bays. Some anglers catch Dungeness by hand while snorkeling or wading at low tide. Kayak crabbing is growing in popularity.
No — when you book a charter in Seward, your captain provides all required Alaska fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Dungeness Crab regulations in Alaska include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Dungeness Crab in Seward, you may also catch Rockfish, Pacific Halibut, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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