Tanner Crabbing on Vancouver Island

[Canyon Slayer 749]

I was wondering if anyone has ever caught any Tanner crabs by chance, or if they know where they’re located and how to catch them, depth-wise and structure-wise. I'm asking because this year, I plan to go on the hunt for these interesting critters.


Thanks, everyone! Tight lines!

 

[Dogbreath]

Most people after catching one and taking an hour to clean it will never touch those things again.

 

[Girica]

Targeted them at 600-1000ft in the strait with large tanner traps. Wasn't easy to find them but we caught a few before we lost our traps to tugs. Whoops. They were at the mouth of a valley/funnel between steep ledges.
Not sure what dogbreath is referring to with regards to cleaning them, we prepared them like we would any type of crab (steamed). They are delicious.

 

[Canyon Slayer 749]

Targeted them at 600-1000ft in the strait with large tanner traps. Wasn't easy to find them but we caught a few before we lost our traps to tugs. Whoops. They were at the mouth of a valley/funnel between steep ledges.
Not sure what dogbreath is referring to with regards to cleaning them, we prepared them like we would any type of crab (steamed). They are delicious.

Wow, that's awesome man! I will definitely update you when I go out and drop some traps, which will be dropped on a steep ledge. And I'll try around 400 to 800 ft, also maybe I`ll try and get some squat lobsters too for fun.

 

[Tighthead]

Wow, that's awesome man! I will definitely update you when I go out and drop some traps, which will be dropped on a steep ledge. And I'll try around 400 to 800 ft, also maybe I`ll try and get some squat lobsters too for fun.

Presume you are using open top tanner crab traps. Dungy traps do not work.

 

[Hardy Guy]

We would catch them in regular crab traps in Rupert harbour but conical open top would work better. Cook as regular.

 

[kaelc]

You can catch them much shallower, people have got the freediving. In the summer I think they go deeper.

I bought a tanner crab trap but haven’t rigged it for deep yet. Planning to for for 250-300 to start.

Squat lobsters are plenty at about 280-300 feet on a lot of places. Not much meat on them at all, not worth keeping except for soup base in my opinion.

 

[Hardy Guy]

You can catch them much shallower, people have got the freediving. In the summer I think they go deeper.

I bought a tanner crab trap but haven’t rigged it for deep yet. Planning to for for 250-300 to start.

Squat lobsters are plenty at about 280-300 feet on a lot of places. Not much meat on them at all, not worth keeping except for soup base in my opinion.

That's true. Have caught them under 200 feet at times.

 

[adanac]

this guy gets them free diving in what looks like 20 - 30 feet of water, looks like up around the johnstone strait or something but i could be wrong

 

[Canyon Slayer 749]

Presume you are using open top tanner crab traps. Dungy traps do not work.

Yep, just using a couple of open tanner traps

 

[Canyon Slayer 749]

You can catch them much shallower, people have got the freediving. In the summer I think they go deeper.

I bought a tanner crab trap but haven’t rigged it for deep yet. Planning to for for 250-300 to start.

Squat lobsters are plenty at about 280-300 feet on a lot of places. Not much meat on them at all, not worth keeping except for soup base in my opinion.

Yeah, I`ll probably drop a couple traps shallower around 175 to 200 ft, but I am also curious to see whether around 300 ft box crabs start showing up.

 

[Canyon Slayer 749]

this guy gets them free diving in what looks like 20 - 30 feet of water, looks like up around the johnstone strait or something but i could be wrong

Yeah, I was thinking around there up to Port McNeil because of the houses. But seeing that many tanners are shallow for breeding is very interesting, which means there are tanners in deeper water, but probably too deep for a trap, around 1000 ft.

 

[Canyon Slayer 749]

Thanks everyone, for sharing tips and responding back! I really appreciate it.