Two pots typically used by boaters for crabbing are the box trap or a ring trap placed under a bobber. According to Hippo Lau of Hi's Tackle Box, using a box trap is the best way to load up numbers of crab in a quick amount of time.

"If you're using a box trap, chances are that it will fill up fast," Lau explained. "Once you get a few crabs in the box, they begin to fight over the bait. This attracts other dungeness crabs to come into the pot."

With a ring trap, when the crabs fight, they are able to push out competing crabs through the swing door they enter, according to Lau. Boaters who use this type of trap tend to pull up their pots after a shorter period of time compared to the box trap, which can be left overnight to fill up.

Various baits are used to entice crabs into the pots. But none are as productive as albacore entrails, noted Lau. "If you are fresh out of tuna guts, using chicken legs, fish heads (or other body parts) squid, or herring are all good baits," he added.

Recent crab only or crab/flatfish combo trips have found the best results going 1/4 to 1/2 mile off the Pacifica Pier, Bakers Beach, off the Marin Coast and near the Duxbury Reef. However, Mother Nature can always halt your plans by flushing the crustaceans out of the area during a fast moving tide.

Though the weather has been rough many days since January 1, boaters fishing aboard the New El Dorado III out of Berkeley Marina Sport Center have brought in limits of dungeness crab and lots of sanddabs on the fishable days. Boaters are picking up their crab limits just 20 miles off shore, while the sanddabs are being caught near the Farallon Islands in 200 to 250 feet of water, reported Chris Nelson from Berkeley Marina Sport Center.

Berkeley Marina will offer sanddab/crab combo trips until the 2003 salmon season opens south of Pigeon Point on March 29.

Limits of crab appear to be the rule of thumb across the board. The C-Gull, running out of Emeryville Sportfishing Center, has also managed to bring in limits of dungeness crab when the weather has cooperated, according to Craig Stone.

Also, boats out of Bodega Bay have done well since the season opened. "When the weather lets us get out, it's almost certain that we will come back with limits," reported Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sportfishing. Fishermen aboard the Predator took their crabs southeast of Carmet in 200-250 feet of water on the most recent trips.

Fort Bragg is another crab hot spot. "We are still picking away at the crabs along Ten Mile and Westport between 100-150 feet of water," said Don Akin of Noyo Fishing Center. "Limits are easy and the crabs are averaging 2 to 2-1/2 pounds each."