3 minute read
Crabbing with the Kids- From a Kayak
Here’s something different – load up the kids, kayaks and crab pots and head to the Canal. It’s time to get up close and personal with nature and catch dinner from the stability of – a kayak. Local guides are seeing a trend for families and individuals trying out this new exciting method of catching your own dinner!
Never mind fork to table – let’s talk paddle to pot! According to Christina Maloney, owner and guide at Kayak Brinnon, kayak crabbing is gaining popularity on Hood Canal.
Dungeness and Red Rock crab can be found throughout the Hood Canal at depths between one and 300 feet.
We recommend kayak crabbing in depths of 30 to 75 feet and provide 100 feet of line for each crab pot .what you catch depends on a variety of factors such as location, bait, length of soak, and the health of the population.
The amount of crabs you may keep is limited to five male Dungeness, and six Red Rock crab of either sex, per day. Crabbers are required to purchase a WDFW shellfish license with a Dungeness crab endorsement and each licensed harvester is expected to educate themselves on the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife rules and regulations before setting out for a crabbing experience.
Don’t have a kayak? Don’t worry. Many establishments on Hood Canal rent both kayaks and crab pots. Rent kayaks and crab pots by the hour or for multiple days to paddle the Hood Canal during the day and pull your pots full of Dungeness and Red Rock crab for dinner.
At Brinnon Kayak, located at Yelvik’s Beach, in addition to renting kayaks and crab fishing equipment, they offer helpful advice and tips on crabbing in the Hood Canal.
Brinnon Kayak was started by former Marine and Fisheries Biologist Christina Maloney in 2008. While working seasonally at the old Point Whitney Shellfish Laboratory in Brinnon between 1993 and 1995, Christina vowed to return to the Hood Canal someday to live full-time. After a twelve year career in Seatlle with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other biological agencies she was given an opportunity to leave the city and build this dream.
Christina’s husband, Jason, displays the evening catch off Yelvik Beach
As a child Christina grew up on the beaches California. “Back then kids played outside all day long,” she smiled nostalgically, “I was either playing in the surf of the Pacific or catching pollywogs in the creeks. I knew that if I had work eight hours a day that I wanted to be outdoors and around the water doing it.”
Christina now serves as Kayak Brinnon’s owner/operator and guide. Their tours take guests to estuaries to watch seals and eagles, to coves in search of marine invertebrates, and to beaches to swim and shuck oysters. “One of my favorite things about taking people out kayaking for the first time is
Summer water conditions in the Hood Canal are, more often than not, very mild. It can feel more like kayaking on a still lake than on the big waters of other parts of the Puget Sound. “The kayaks we use,” adds Christina, “are stable. People learn to paddle confidently within minutes of leaving the beach. As we corner Wa Wa Point or paddle out of Pleasant Harbor, everyone is paddling like a pro and it’s time to talk about the marine and avian wildlife we see on Hood Canal and the estuaries we visit.”
"Watching their apprehension transform into pure joy and confidence,” replied Christina when asked what she loved about her job, “Most of our guests are new kayakers and they are nervous about it.”
Kayak Brinnon offers hourly, daily, and multi-day kayak and paddle board rentals from their beach and deliver kayaks to area homes and campgrounds. Life vests and safety equipment are included. They also offer kayak crab pot rentals during crabbing season and will help you plan your trip. Have guests visiting from out of town? For a day rental, a family of four can expect to pay about $80 to rent kayaks. Kayak tours run between $45 and $95 per person. Kayak Brinnon is located near Brinnon at Yelvik’s Beach.
Want to give it a try? Visit http://www.explorehoodcanal.com/thingstodo/kayaking-sup for details on available kayaking rentals and places to "check it out" on Hood Canal and South Pugeet Sound.
The crabbing season on Hood Canal runs Thursdays through Mondays each week through Labor Day
Dogs are welcome at Kayak Brinnon if they meet the weight restrictions. A small dog may fit in your lap, but a 90 lb. dog may need his own seat and require you paddle a double kayak.
