California · Central Coast
DUNGENESS CRAB FISHING
IN MONTEREY
Monterey is an excellent destination for dungeness crab fishing, with peak season in January, December and good catches in February, March, November. Book a charter and target dungeness crab with local experts.
About Dungeness Crab Fishing in Monterey
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 — Monterey
Month-by-month availability for dungeness crab in Monterey, CA.
How to Catch Dungeness Crab in Monterey
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 Monterey
Top spots where local captains target dungeness crab and other inshore species.
Monterey Municipal Wharf #2
Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf #2 provides free pier-fishing over sandy bottom where halibut, surfperch, jacksmelt, and squid are caught year-round. The wharf's position in Monterey Harbor puts anglers over productive water, and squid fishing under the lights during spawning season is a unique Monterey experience.
Monterey Harbor Breakwater
The Monterey Harbor breakwater shelters the harbor from Pacific swells and its submerged rock structure holds rockfish, cabezon, and perch along the entire length. Shore anglers fish from the breakwater wall for accessible catches, and the calm inner harbor holds halibut and bat ray on the sandy bottom.
Cannery Row Kelp
The kelp forests directly offshore of historic Cannery Row harbor a diverse assemblage of rockfish, lingcod, cabezon, and kelp greenling in structure visible from shore. Kayak anglers launch from nearby beaches to fish the kelp canopy for nearshore species in one of Monterey Bay's most iconic settings.
Wharf #1 Pilings
Fisherman's Wharf #1 in downtown Monterey offers pier-fishing from the historic tourist wharf where surfperch, jacksmelt, and small rockfish hold around the old wooden pilings. The wharf's location in the harbor provides sheltered fishing conditions and easy access for visiting anglers.
Other Species in Monterey
More fish you can target while visiting Monterey.
Dungeness Crab Fishing in Monterey — FAQ
The peak months for Dungeness Crab fishing in Monterey are January, December. During these months, Dungeness Crab are most active and abundant in the Monterey area.
Dungeness Crab fishing charters in Monterey 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 Monterey, your captain provides all required California fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Dungeness Crab regulations in California 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 Monterey, you may also catch Rockfish, Lingcod, Chinook Salmon, Pacific Halibut, White Seabass. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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