Crabbing Spots in New York (& Long Island Sound)
It’s August, which mean’s we’re in full swing of New York’s short and sweet crabbing season. To complete my state-by-state crabbing spot article series, I thought I’d cover New York and the surrounding Long Island Sound. You can find Blue Crabs as far North as Nova Scotia, but Long Island and parts of New England is about as far north as you can go to find some blue crabs. So, let’s go over all the crabbing spots I could find:
I called a few too many fishing piers and bait shops asking where and when I could catch blue crabs. For each spot I found, I added it to the Google Map you see above. I’ll go over each pinpoint in more detail, but for now I color-coded each one to give you some information about the spot.
- Public piers which are perfect for crabbing are labeled with a blue pinpoint.
- Boat Landings to go crabbing by boat are labeled with a green pinpoint.
- Shoreline crabbing spots are labeled with a red pinpoint.
- Bridges that allow crabbing are labeled with a yellow pinpoint.
The spot you end up choosing depends on how you want to go crabbing. There are several methods to catch a blue crab, three of the most popular being hand lines, collapsible traps, and crab pots. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read my Crab Trap Guides to get started.
If you want to go crabbing with a hand line or ring net, pick a red pinpoint. If you want to use ring nets or other collapsible traps to go crabbing, pick a blue or yellow spot. If you want to set a crab pot and come back later, or actively crab with a collapsible trap connected to a buoy, I recommend you go crabbing by boat at one of the green pinpoint locations.
Best Crabbing Piers
No boat? No crabbing experience? No problem! Piers make crabbing easy and attainable to anyone who wants to get started crabbing. Whether you’re someone who wants to bring their kids crabbing, or go alone and catch a crab dinner, a pier works for everyone. That’s why I focus on these spots in these articles. For a complete guide on how to go crabbing off a pier, see my guide below. Otherwise, let’s get into each crabbing pier.
Captree Fishing Pier
Captree State Park has not one, but two piers you can catch crabs from. It’s situated in the perfect spot to catch blue crabs, being a barrier island in Long Island. You’re a stone’s throw away from the ocean, which means as soon as the water gets warm enough (usually mid July) there will be crabs here.
Like most New York State Parks, there is a vehicle entrance fee. You will need a license to go crabbing from the docks here. Besides the pier there are nature trails here, fishing charters, and a boat launch. You’ll also find public restrooms and a bait shop.
Green Island Fishing Pier
If Captree is a bit too crowded for your taste, you should try Green Island Fishing Pier. It’s due West on the Ocean Parkway and located under Sloop Channel Bridge. You’re right in the middle of Long Islands Tidal marshes and estuaries, where crabs love to eat and swim. Parking is limited and requires a permit.
Magnolia Pier
If you’re in Long Beach, Magnolia Pier is the best and most popular spot to go crabbing. There’s plenty of parking and a bait & tackle shop just at the base of the pier. They say that crabbing here starts to pick up in July and lasts until late August. They sell traps and bait at the shop, and crabbers here usually use ring nets or collapsible traps (links to my guides on how to use each).
Sully’s Wharf
Sully’s Wharf will turn a crabbing trip into an event. With a million things to do here, it’s no problem if the crabbing gets slow! The park charges a small entrance fee, but allows parking right next to the fishing and crabbing pier. There’s another pier by the beach access where you can also go crabbing.
Navy Beach Pier
At the very end of Long Island is my favorite pier from this list. It’s a quiet pier like the one’s I’d find in Maryland that stretches 550 feet into the water. It has railings where you can set as many collapsible traps as you want
