CALIFORNIA, Md. — Grab your traps and handlines, Southern Maryland — the Chesapeake blue crab season is officially open.
As of April 1, recreational crabbers are back on the water across the Chesapeake Bay, its tidal rivers, the Atlantic coast, and local creeks. Whether you’re out on a skiff before sunrise or working a handline off the dock with your kids, the season promises solid numbers — but also a few important changes to keep in mind.
Crabbing Your Way: What’s Legal, What’s Not
Marylanders have plenty of options for catching crabs:
- You’ll need a license if you’re using trotlines, collapsible traps, net rings, seines, or eel pots.
- No license is needed for handlines or dip nets — popular with families looking to keep it old-school.
- Got waterfront property? Homeowners, tenants, or lessees can register for a free pass to fish with up to two crab pots — just make sure your gear is in compliance.
Local Reminder: Watch Out for Illegal “CRAB ALERT” Traps
A flashy new trap called CRAB ALERT has popped up in local sporting goods stores. It automatically snaps shut when a crab grabs the bait — but don’t get reeled in. That kind of trap is illegal in Maryland waters because it closes without manual input.
According to state regs, collapsible crab traps must close only when you pull the line. Legal traps are portable, no larger than 20 inches by 15 inches, and have sides that fold in — but only with your tug on the line.
Using illegal gear could cost you up to $1,000 for a first offense, so double-check before you hit the water.
Season Dates and Bag Limits
This year’s recreational crabbing season runs:
- April 1 to Dec. 15 in the Bay and tidal tributaries (like the Patuxent and St. Mary’s rivers)
- Through Dec. 31 in the Atlantic and coastal bays
Through June 30, daily catch limits for male hard crabs are:
- No license, 1 person on board: 2 dozen
- No license, 2 or more people: 4 dozen
- With a boat license: 1 bushel, or 6 dozen if using another container
You can’t sell your catch, and sponge crabs or any female hardshell or peelers must be released immediately.
Local Waters, Strong Population
Good news from the 2024 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey — the Bay-wide crab population is holding steady at 317 million. That includes 133 million spawning-age females, still well above the conservation threshold.
DNR officials expect updated numbers from the 2025 survey later this spring.
Don’t Forget the Turtle Excluders
If you’re setting crab pots from your dock in St. Mary’s, Calvert, or Charles County, make sure your gear includes bycatch reduction devices — also called turtle excluders. They’re required in every entry funnel to help protect our native terrapins. Violations can mean fines and gear confiscation.
For additional information on regulations, licenses, and catch limits, visit the Maryland DNR website: dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Is it just me or does it seem to be too many regulations? And if the crab 🦀 catching gear you buy is illegal to use then that should fall on the people/business selling the device, NOT the consumer, as we don’t know all the information or regulations on the devices!!!!!!!!
I agree with you, but the state of Md. is broke so they have to make money any way they can.
Same as the sabiki rig it should be three hooks on it and cheaper .
That shouldn’t sell them with 6 hooks
Same as the sabiki rig it should be three hooks on it and cheaper .
That shouldn’t sell them with 6 hooks