Catching crabs is a favorite pastime for visitors to the Isle of Wight. It’s a fun and relaxing activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and it’s a great way to get up close and personal with some of the island’s most fascinating marine life.
The Isle of Wight has many great spots for crabbing. Here are some of our suggestions (based on insider knowledge and years of crabbing!):
Bembridge Harbour:
This is a popular spot for crabbing, particularly along the harbour wall or at low tide. If you head towards the Embankment road and park, when it is low tide you can find lots of crabs hiding under the rocks at low tide, or head along to the old mill causeway when at high tide you will be able to find a good spot. (Be careful or other path users). You are not permitted to crab from the harbour pontoons but there is an annual crabbing competition run, so keep an eye out for details of this!
Seaview Beach:
This is a great spot for families, with shallow waters and plenty of crabs to catch, best caught with a net at lower tide. There are also toilets and cafes nearby. The roads can be narrow so please park in a public car park. Crabbing off the slipways isn’t recommended as these tend to get very busy in high season.
Yarmouth Harbour:
Having spend nearly 40 years crabbing in the harbour this is our firm favorite, but please be careful you are not allowed to go onto the marina pontoons. Just behind the marina near the swing bridge is a great little spot and easily accessible from Pier Road car park. Yarmouth also run the annual crabbing competition which is really worth joining during festival week.
If you really want to up your crab-catching game, there’s one weird trick that you need to try: using unusual ingredients as bait.
If you are crabbing with a line, here are some of the best ingredients to catch crabs with on the Isle of Wight:
Chicken
Believe it or not, chicken is one of the best baits for catching crabs. Simply boil some chicken in a pot of water until it’s cooked through, and then cut it into small pieces. Crabs love the smell and taste of chicken, and it’s a cheap and readily available ingredient that can be found at any grocery store.
Cheese
Cheese is another great bait for catching crabs. Simply cut a small piece of cheese and attach it to your line. The strong smell of the cheese will attract crabs from far and wide.
Bacon
If you have some bacon on hand, it can make an excellent crab bait. Simply cut the bacon into small pieces and use it as bait on your crab line. The strong, smoky smell of the bacon will attract crabs in no time.
So there you have it – some of the best strange ingredients and areas to catch crabs with on the Isle of Wight.
Give them a try and see for yourself how effective they can be. Who knows, you might even catch a monster crab that you can brag about for years to come!
Please remember to crab considerately and be conscious of the natural environment, only keep crabs in a full bucket of water for minimal time and gently release them back into the water once finished. Please also ensure if you do use any of the bait above that it is sealed in a crab net and taken home with you, and only use small pieces – let’s keep the waters of the Isle of Wight perfect for visitors to come. We recommend crabbing under the rocks with a net for the most environmentally friendly approach.
We have recommend the follow areas as they are accessible to the public, but things do change so please check for yourself in case anything has changed, we can take any responsibility for public areas turning to private areas.
Isle of Wight
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