Oregon · Southern Oregon Coast
DUNGENESS CRAB FISHING
IN FLORENCE
Florence is an excellent destination for dungeness crab fishing, with peak season in January, December and good catches in February, March. Book a charter and target dungeness crab with local experts.
About Dungeness Crab Fishing in Florence
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 — Florence
Month-by-month availability for dungeness crab in Florence, OR.
How to Catch Dungeness Crab in Florence
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 Florence
Top spots where local captains target dungeness crab and other inshore species.
Siuslaw River Estuary
The Siuslaw River estuary at Florence holds Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, and striped bass in its tidal channels, and the river mouth is a major staging area for fish preparing to migrate upstream. Crabbing for Dungeness crab in the lower estuary is productive during open season.
Florence South Jetty
The South Jetty at the Siuslaw River mouth provides shore-fishing access where rockfish, surfperch, greenling, and lingcod hold along the submerged rock structure. The jetty's position at the river entrance means salmon pass within casting distance during seasonal migrations.
Siuslaw Bay North Jetty
The North Jetty at the Siuslaw River entrance extends into the Pacific and its rock structure attracts rockfish, cabezon, greenling, and surfperch. Shore anglers walk the jetty for productive ocean-fishing, and the channel between the jetties holds staging salmon.
Cushman Boat Ramp Area
The area around Cushman boat ramp on the Siuslaw River provides bank-fishing access where perch, flounder, and crab hold in the tidal estuary. The deeper channel attracts staging salmon and steelhead, making it a popular spot during fall and winter runs.
Other Species in Florence
More fish you can target while visiting Florence.
Dungeness Crab Fishing in Florence — FAQ
The peak months for Dungeness Crab fishing in Florence are January, December. During these months, Dungeness Crab are most active and abundant in the Florence area.
Dungeness Crab fishing charters in Florence 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 Florence, your captain provides all required Oregon fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Dungeness Crab regulations in Oregon 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 Florence, you may also catch Rockfish, Lingcod, Chinook Salmon, Pacific Halibut, Coho Salmon. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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