Crabbing on Pensacola Beach

When you vacation on the beach during the summer and fall seasons, you’ll notice swarms of people scouring the beach for crabs. The good news is that crabbing is a fun activity you can enjoy just about anywhere! In fact, the best time to try crabbing on the beach is right now! This fall, try out crabbing on Pensacola Beach, Gulf Shores, or even Destin. There are several different types of crabs you can search for – ghost crabs, stone crabs, blue crabs, and hermit crabs – but blue crabs are the most common to search for. We love searching for blue crabs since their meat is sweeter and more delicate. In this month’s Southern Scoop, learn some of the best methods of crabbing on Pensacola Beach and other areas along the Gulf Coast.

Just be careful when chasing crabs with a flashlight, since this is also during sea turtle nesting season! The bright lights can confuse little hatchlings that are trying to make their way to the shore.

In addition, you will need a recreational fishing license to go crabbing anywhere on the beach. Get one from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Let’s Get Crabbing!

Crabbing is a fun activity for the whole family to try in the fall. You can catch the crab to bring back to cook at your Pensacola Beach vacation condo, or simply catch and release. There are a few different methods to crabbing: you can use a crab trap, baited line, or simply walk the beach with a crab net. We’ve found that crab traps are the most effective since the box-shaped wire traps hold your crabs in. The holes are small enough to let the smaller crabs escape, though, so if you’re looking for smaller crabs like ghost and hermit crabs you’ll want to use a net instead. A crab net is a favorite way among kids for crabbing, and we guarantee they’ll love running up and down the beach trying to outrun the crabs!

For the bait, you can use just about any fish or pieces of chicken to attract the crabs. Crabs aren’t picky eaters, so they’ll come running once they sense the bait. You can also pick up some bait at your local dive shop. Be sure to have a separate container to hold your crab if you plan to cook it. If you do plan to cook your crab, check out our Crowd Pleasin’ Crab Dip recipe that’s sure to be a hit!

Speaking of Fall Break…

It’s not fall break without jetting off on vacation! Ask anyone you know – fall break is the best time of year to visit the Gulf Coast! Make it a vacation to remember at Portofino 4-905 at the popular Portofino Island Resort. Our Pensacola Beach vacation rental is guaranteed to be just what you need on your fall break vacation to the Gulf Coast. Two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms make it the perfect size for six guests. High-end upgrades and a terrific view top off your sweet Southern stay here. Portofino is one of the area’s most sought-after resorts, with incredible, luxurious amenities. Whether you are lounging in the pool, pampering yourself at the spa, or taking advantage of private beach access, you’ll be endlessly entertained here!