Alaska · Southeast Alaska
DUNGENESS CRAB FISHING
IN WRANGELL
Wrangell 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 Wrangell
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 — Wrangell
Month-by-month availability for dungeness crab in Wrangell, AK.
How to Catch Dungeness Crab in Wrangell
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 Wrangell
Top spots where local captains target dungeness crab and other inshore species.
Stikine River Flats
The Stikine River is one of the largest free-flowing rivers in North America, and its massive tidal flats at Wrangell hold king salmon, coho salmon, eulachon, and shrimp in enormous numbers. The river's spring eulachon run attracts bald eagles and provides a unique fishery at the river's mouth.
Wrangell Harbor
Wrangell Harbor provides dock-fishing access where pink salmon, coho salmon, and rockfish hold around the harbor's pilings and breakwater structure. The harbor serves as the launching point for accessing the Stikine River and surrounding inside passage waters.
Zimovia Strait
Zimovia Strait south of Wrangell is a protected waterway where king salmon, halibut, and rockfish hold in the strait's tidal channels and along its rocky shoreline. The strait's calm waters provide sheltered fishing when outer waters are rough.
City Creek
City Creek in downtown Wrangell hosts runs of pink salmon and coho salmon during summer, providing walk-to fishing access from town. The creek mouth area attracts salmon staging before their upstream migration.
Other Species in Wrangell
More fish you can target while visiting Wrangell.
Dungeness Crab Fishing in Wrangell — FAQ
Dungeness Crab fishing in Wrangell is productive during July, August.
Dungeness Crab fishing charters in Wrangell 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 Wrangell, 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 Wrangell, you may also catch Rockfish, Pacific Halibut, Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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