California · Central Coast
DUNGENESS CRAB FISHING
IN MORRO BAY
Morro Bay is a solid destination for dungeness crab fishing, with good fishing in January, February, December. Book a charter and target dungeness crab with local experts.
About Dungeness Crab Fishing in Morro Bay
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 — Morro Bay
Month-by-month availability for dungeness crab in Morro Bay, CA.
How to Catch Dungeness Crab in Morro Bay
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 Morro Bay
Top spots where local captains target dungeness crab and other inshore species.
Morro Bay Estuary
Morro Bay's protected estuary encompasses over 2,000 acres of tidal flats, eelgrass beds, and channels that hold halibut, leopard shark, perch, and jacksmelt year-round. Kayak fishing the estuary's grass flats for halibut and shark is a signature Morro Bay experience.
Morro Rock Jetty
The massive jetty at the base of Morro Rock guards the harbor entrance and its submerged rock structure attracts rockfish, cabezon, lingcod, and surfperch. Shore anglers fish from the jetty rocks for accessible catches while tidal currents sweep baitfish past the structure.
Coleman Beach
Coleman Beach inside Morro Bay provides calm-water shore-fishing for surfperch, halibut, and jacksmelt from a sandy beach sheltered from Pacific swells. The beach's gradual depth and proximity to the channel edge bring fish within easy casting range for family-friendly fishing.
Baywood Park Flats
The Baywood Park mud and eelgrass flats in the southeastern corner of Morro Bay hold clams, leopard sharks, and perch in warm, shallow water. Kayak anglers work these flats for leopard sharks on light tackle during summer, and clamming is productive during low tides.
Other Species in Morro Bay
More fish you can target while visiting Morro Bay.
Dungeness Crab Fishing in Morro Bay — FAQ
Dungeness Crab fishing in Morro Bay is productive during January, February, December.
Dungeness Crab fishing charters in Morro Bay 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 Morro Bay, 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 Morro Bay, you may also catch Rockfish, Lingcod, Chinook Salmon, White Seabass, Albacore Tuna. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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