8 Of My Favorite Spots To Go Crabbing In Ocean City, Maryland
So, my family is planning a trip to Ocean City this summer. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to find the best spots to go crabbing in Ocean City, MD so I can catch a bushel while we’re down there. That’s exactly what I did.
After asking locals, reading reviews, and skimming crabbing reports I narrowed down 7 worthwhile spots to go crabbing in Ocean City, MD. I hope this helps!
Before you read about each crabbing spot, I want to share my two favorite spots.
The best spot to go crabbing in Ocean City with your family is the pier at Northside Park. A close runner-up is St. Martin’s Neck Road Fishing Pier, located on the Isle of Wright. It offers a much more authentic crabbing experience but doesn’t have the amenities you’ll find at Northside Park.
These are my personal top picks. But hey! There are plenty of spots to go crabbing in Ocean City, and everyone has their opinion on which is best. I encourage you to pick a few spots, try them out, and decide for yourself.
Before Anything, Consider a Fishing Charter.
Crabbing isn’t overly complicated, but it can be overwhelming for anyone going on their first trip. You will need to buy licenses, gear, and bait to catch the crabs. Once you catch the crabs, you will need a cooler and steamer to cook them. This will add up in price, and it’s a lot to carry around. I’m also going to assume you’re vacationing here, and don’t have all this stuff on hand.
I don’t say this to deter you from crabbing, but it’s something you have to keep in mind. I recommend you ask yourself why you’re going crabbing. If you just want an experience on the water and don’t plan to make this a regular activity, I do not recommend investing all that time and money in stuff you’ll never use again.
On top of the price tag, there’s still a learning curve. If you’re new to crabbing, I wouldn’t bet on bringing in a bushel of blue crabs on your first try. It takes some experience to get good at crabbing.
Hearing all this may sound a bit discouraging, but I have a solution for you. Beginners will benefit by going crabbing and fishing with a knowledgeable guide. A fishing charter is exactly that. On a charter boat, you do not need to buy any gear as they will provide for you. This includes bait, traps, and sometimes even fishing licenses.
On Fishingbooker, you can browse hundreds of Captains in your area. The site is kind of like Airbnb but for fishermen. Instead of their house, they list their boat. On a trip, they’ll take you out on their boat, help you catch fish or crabs, and teach you a thing or two along the way. At the end of the day, most charters will fillet your catch and let you take it home. You get a cool experience and a meal at the end of the day. If you’re interested, Click here to browse fishing charters on FishingBooker.com (Affiliate Link).
Crabbing Piers
With my crabbing location posts, I like to provide spots for you to go crabbing from land as well as from a boat. If you’re like me and you don’t own a boat, you’re going to have to go crabbing from a pier.
Some piers are better than others, so let’s find the best pier to go crabbing from in Ocean City.
St. Martin’s Neck Road Fishing Pier
For our first spot, you’re going to have to take a drive on Route 90, the narrow stretch of road that separates the Assawoman and Isle of Wright Bays to the Isle of Wright Nature Park.
There, you’ll find a public fishing pier that’s amazing for going crabbing. There are some downsides to the spot, but the good easily outweighs the bad.
St. Martin’s Neck Road Fishing Pier Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This pier is in the ideal spot to go crabbing. | The pier is located outside of Ocean City. |
| The pier is in a secluded nature preserve with beautiful views. | At very high tide or after a large storm, parts of the Isle of Wright can flood. |
| It’s a very short walk from your parked car to the fishing pier. | A common complaint is the bugs. Bring bug spray! |
Located on the south side of the Isle of Wright; the fishing pier has plenty of parking and bathrooms. The spot has a nice, very secluded atmosphere while being just minutes away from Ocean City. You can see the city from the end of the pier.
However, the biggest selling point, in my opinion, is the crabbing. You are in an ideal spot in the Bay where crabs congregate throughout Maryland’s crabbing season. The pier stretches over a shallow saltwater marsh and a clean, sandy-bottomed bay. Both of these spots are what make a great crabbing spot, but this one has both!
This is also a convenient spot for someone who’s completely new to crabbing. In Maryland, you need a crabbing license to use actual crab traps. Otherwise, you can only use string and dip nets, which work best in calm and shallow waters.
Lucky for you, this pier is perfect for lines and dip nets! All you need to do is to go crabbing in the marsh before the end of the pier. You can also get away with crabbing at the end of the pier if the current and waves aren’t too strong.
If you want to do some more serious crabbing, use my guide to get a Maryland Crabbing License and buy some collapsible traps. With these, you can set traps at the end of the pier and catch an impressive amount of crabs.
I’ve read the crabbing reports, and this spot rarely disappoints. As long as you follow the tips in my guide: How To Go Crabbing (Everything You Need to Know & More!), you can easily catch a blue crab dinner.
Let me know if you end up using this spot in the comments! I’m excited to hear how it went.
Northside Park Fishing Pier
Our next spot is the pier at Northside Park. This long pier is in the perfect spot to go crabbing and is located in Ocean City.
Northside Park Fishing Pier Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This spot has plenty of amenities, for example, a playground, bathrooms, a recreation center, and more. | This spot can get crowded. |
| The pier has no railings, which makes maneuvering dip nets much easier. | It’s a long walk from your car to the pier. |
If you aren’t familiar with Northside Park, it has a playground, baseball diamonds, a soccer field, and so much more! There are bathrooms, pavilions, and walking paths. It even has a recreation center with a gym! Even if you don’t go crabbing, I highly recommend you check out this park if you’re ever in Ocean City.
This beautiful park even has a fishing pier, which is perfect to go crabbing from. It’s a popular spot so it can get crowded at times, especially on the weekends. If you go crabbing here, I would go in the mornings and avoid the evenings. People like to go there to watch the sunset most nights.
The pier is a popular crabbing spot because it was built with recreational crabbing in mind. There are pilings on the sides of the pier, but no railings. This can be sketchy if you have small children, but perfect for using dip nets and hand lines. You can get your net in the water without having to lean over a railing like you would at the previous spot. This is definitely a huge plus.
This pier is situated over a sandy-bottomed part of the Assawoman Bay, surrounded by saltwater marshes. You really can’t ask for a better spot to catch crabs. You’re a little ways inland, so crabbing should be better if you decide to go during incoming high tide rather than incoming low tide.
The only thing I don’t like about this spot is the walk from your car. You have to lug your crabbing gear from the parking lot all the way to the pier, which is a long walk. If you can, I would bring a backpack or a wagon if you have collapsible traps.
Let me know if you end up using this spot in the comments! I’m excited to hear how it went.
9th Street Fishing Pier
Working our way down Ocean City, our next pier is 9th Street Fishing Pier. The small fishing pier is surprisingly popular for its size. If you’re staying on the south side of Ocean City, this spot is within walking distance.
9th Street Fishing Pier Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The spot has a great view of the sunset. | This small, narrow pier can quickly get crowded. |
| This pier is just a few blocks away from Ocean City’s boardwalk. | Depending on the time of year, you will need to pay for parking to use this pier. |
It’s your classic fishing pier. It’s nothing grand or impressive like the pier at Northside, but it serves as a great spot to drop a few traps or ring nets. Unlike Northside pier, this one has railings and it’s higher off of the water, so dip nets may be an issue.
The pier is also sort of narrow, so there can’t be too many people on the pier at one time. If you get there before everyone else, this can be a great spot to go crabbing. You’re just going to have to be a bit stubborn with where you set your traps.
Parking for this spot will be a bit different than the other spots. You’re going to have to find a spot to park along 9th Street or Edgewater Avenue. Depending on the time of year, you may have to pay for parking. Here are Ocean City’s Parking Rates.
This spot doesn’t have bathrooms or other amenities, but it does have a dumpster for your trash. Also, it’s only a few blocks away from Ocean City’s boardwalk. So, there are alternatives if crabbing gets slow.
Let me know if you end up using this spot in the comments! I’m excited to hear how it went.
Oceanic Fishing Pier
Our next crabbing pier is Oceanic Fishing Pier, a privately-owned fishing pier on the south end of Ocean City. If you want a spot that never gets too crowded, has great crabbing, and full of kind people this is the spot for you.
It’s only a block away from The Boardwalk, situated along the Ocean City Inlet. This is the stretch of water that connects the ocean to the bay. There, you’ll see plenty of boat traffic. It’s a pretty popular spot, so if you’re someone who likes people, it’s a nice place to spend the day talking, fishing, and crabbing.
I especially like this spot because it’s where the Atlantic and water from saltwater marshes collide; the perfect spot to catch blue crabs. If you go here with a few ring nets or collapsible traps, you’ll be sure to bring home a nice catch.
Because this is a private pier, you will have to pay a fee to enter the pier. They have a shop where you can buy or rent fishing rods as well as purchase bait.
Want to learn more about this fishing pier? Check out their website.
Let me know if you end up using this spot in the comments! I’m excited to hear how it went.
Chicago Ave. Fishing Pier
Just because this is the last pier, don’t skim past it! I believe Chicago Ave. Fishing Pier is seriously underappreciated. It’s more a dock instead of a fishing pier, but boats can’t dock here. So, that leaves us with a two-block-wide fishing pier that’s free for anyone to use.
One thing I love about crabbing here is that there are trash cans, benches, and bathrooms. It’s on a quiet street and has a beautiful view of the water, and an even better view of the sunset.
If you do go crabbing here, I would skip hand lines and dip nets. You’re going to need ring nets or collapsible traps to go crabbing here. This means that you need a license to legally go crabbing here.
Parking for this spot is a negative. Just like 9th Street Fishing Pier, you will need to pay to park here for most of the year. Check out Ocean City’s Parking Rates on their website.
Let me know if you end up using this spot in the comments! I’m excited to hear how it went.
Shoreline Spots
Don’t think you’re limited to just piers to go crabbing. As long as you are on the shore, you can easily go crabbing. All you need is the right gear.
You have three options to go crabbing from shore: ring nets, collapsible traps, and hand lines.
Ring nets and collapsible traps lay flat and then turn into a cage, which crabs cannot escape from when pulled up. They only work from a pier or a ledge on the shoreline that’s a few feet above the water.
The word “handlines” is a fancy term for a piece of string with some chicken tied to the end. It’s an old-fashion style of catching crabs.
I wrote guides on each of these methods:
- How to Catch Blue Crabs With a String (Handlines Guide)
- How to go Crabbing with Folding Traps (Collapsible Traps)
Here are three spots to go crabbing from the shore in Ocean City:
Bayshore Drive
S Ocean Drive
Worcester St
Each spot is the same in how you would go crabbing. You park on the street, which means you have to pay (depending on the time of year). From there, you take your gear to the side of the road and start crabbing.
Make sure you check out Maryland’s Crabbing Regulations before you go crabbing.
If you want to go crabbing nearby, I have a few spots in Southern Delaware in my post Where to go Crabbing in Delaware.
Let me know where you end up crabbing in the comments. Happy crabbing!
