Where to go Crabbing in Texas (The Complete List)
Updated 11/10/2023 by Taylor Whiteman.
Whether you’re going crabbing from shore, a pier, or by boat you’ve come to the right spot! I did some research, called locals, and scoured Google Maps for the best public crabbing spots in Texas.
I color-coded the spots on this list to give you an idea of what each spot has to offer.
- 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 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.
Public Crabbing Piers
Photo Credit: Nicholas Henderson on Flickr.com.
Pros of Crabbing from a Pier
Useful amenities
Public piers come with trash bins, parking lots, restrooms, and more amenities that make your day a bit easier.
Lots of room for traps
As long as you’re not impeding on other people’s space, you can set crab traps along the whole length of the pier.
Easier than other spots
Crabbing from a pier is infinitely easier than crabbing from a boat or shoreline. You don’t have to maneuver a boat.
How to Crab at Texas Public Piers
For beginners or those without a boat, public piers over saltwater marshes and estuaries are some of the best spots to catch blue crabs.
Compared to all the other states I’ve written about, Texas is one of the most relaxed when it comes to crabbing regulations. According to their Legal Devices, Methods, and Restrictions Page, hand lines and dip nets are not regulated. Folding traps have a size limit, but the Foxymate trap I recommend fits their requirements.
Being beginner friendly, and with the crabbing regulations out of the way, piers might be the way to go. For a complete guide on how to go crabbing from a pier, click my guide below. Let’s go over a few piers locals recommend.
