Where to go Crabbing in Virginia (The Complete List)
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 Virginia.
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 with collapsible traps and crab pots, are labeled with a blue pinpoint.
- Boat Landings to go crabbing by boat are labeled with a green pinpoint.
- Shoreline crabbing spots, which are perfect for crabbing with crab pots and handlines, are labeled with a red pinpoint.
- Bridges that allow crabbing with collapsible traps and crab pots 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 lower 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.
I use the blue crab pot pictured above and I’m very happy with it. I bought it from kcrabpots, a user on eBay who has been making custom crab pots since 2002! If you’d like to read my review on this pot, click here.
Collapsible traps are what I recommend to complete beginners or anyone crabbing with children. Simply pulling the trap up makes for an easy catch and enjoyable experience. I have a tutorial on using collapsible traps here: How to go Crabbing with Folding Traps (Collapsible Traps). If you’d like to see my recommendation for the best collapsible trap on the market, read this: FoxyMate Crab Trap: My Favorite Blue Crab Trap.
Last, but definitely not least, are handlines. These will work from any shoreline or pier that’s low to the water. It also works best when the water is calm and steady. Here’s my guide on using handlines: How to Catch Blue Crabs With a String (Handlines Guide).
Virginia Crabbing Spots by Region
As host of the Southern Chesapeake Bay, it would be easier for me to write a post about where to NOT go crabbing in Virginia! To help juggle all these crabbing spots, I broke this post down by region. See the map below for reference, and click the region you want to read about.
Crabbing along the Potomac River
As far as crabbing goes on the Potamic River, it’s best to find a spot south of The Harry W. Nice bridge by Newburgh, MD. The closer to the Bay you are, you will find more and more blue crabs. You can go crabbing off either the Colonial Beach Town Pier or Westmoreland State Park Pier on the Virginia side. On the Maryland side, you’ll find public piers at Point Lookout, Bushwood Point, and Piney Point Landing.
When it comes to public piers, the Maryland side of the river has more spots to choose from. Speaking of which, the waters of the Potomac are Maryland waters, which would require a Maryland crabbing license to go crabbing. If I could pick, I would either head south to go crabbing in other Virginia waters or head north to one of many Maryland crabbing spots.
Crabbing along the Rappahannock River
Crabbing is as good as ever on the Rappahannock River! As far as public piers go, there aren’t any. You will have to drive all the way to the end of the peninsula to go crabbing at Milford Landing Fishing Pier on Gwynn Island, VA. There, you can go crabbing with your collapsible traps, pots, and handlines.
If you’re crabbing by boat or kayak, you have a few options when it comes to boat ramps. Hoskins Creek Boat Ramp is the furthest upriver located in the town of Tappahannock, VA. Further down river on the north side, you have the boat ramp at Belle Isle State Park. Lastly, you’ll find Mill Creek Landing Public Boat Ramp closest to the Chesapeake Bay just after the Route 3 bridge.
Belle Island state park could work as a great spot to use handlines. You will have special access to sandy shorelines where people fish, why not go crabbing? I recommend bringing a few PVC pipes to tie your handlines to so you can wade a bit deeper into the water where the crabs are. Check out my guide on handlines for more information.
Crabbing along the York River
The West Point Fishing Pier is as far up the York River as I would go to go crabbing. Technically, it’s at the mouth of the Mattaponi River. However, this is still brackish water and will produce the most crabs during peak season (June-August).
Glouchester Point Beach Pier is a “paid license pier,” which means you do not need a fishing license to go crabbing here. However, there is still a registration process you need to go through. You can read about this on Glouchester Point Beach Park’s Website. This makes this spot easy for beginners and there are plenty of activities besides crabbing or fishing. Just keep in mind that this is a heavily-crabbed spot. So, don’t expect to bring home bushels of crabs.
Croaker Landing Pier, a part of York River State Park, is a great spot to go crabbing. Paired with the boat ramp, this spot is perfect for any recreational crabbing method you choose. Other amenities include a restroom, plenty of parking, and acres of untouched Virginia wilderness to explore.
As we go towards the Bay we find Yorktown Fishing Pier. This spot has a town fishing pier that’s great for fishing and crabbing alike. It’s a busier beach, so you may run into competing crabbers on weekends. Nonetheless, it’s a relaxing spot with a small-town atmosphere. You may even catch a glimpse of the Coast Guard training at their nearby base.
James River
Besides the piers within Newport News, the James River has a public pier to go crabbing at Chickahominy Riverfront Park. The place comes with plenty of parking, public restrooms, and a well-kept campground. There is a fishing pier here, as well as plenty of shorelines. You will have plenty of spots to use a crab pot, collapsible trap, or handline.
Besides that, there are two public boat ramps to go crabbing by boat or kayak. You have Grey’s Creek Landing and Lawnes Creek Landing, which are both on the South side of the James River.
Keep in mind that the further upstream you go, the fewer crabs you’ll find. Blue Crabs love brackish and salt water, which is more plentiful the closer you get to the Atlantic Ocean. I wouldn’t go crabbing any further inland than where the James River splits at Dancing Point.
Crabbing Spots in Newport News & Hampton, VA
Newport News & Hampton both have plenty of fishing piers along the James River. If I were to pick two, I’d go with the James River Fishing Pier and King-Lincoln Park Fishing Pier.
The James River Fishing Pier stretches over 2000 ft into the James River and has parking right at the base of the pier. It’s free to use and has plenty of spots to use collapsible crab traps.
King-Lincoln Park is another pier, just not as long. Here, you’ll find other amenities such as a playground, beach, and walking trails making this a perfect spot to take children crabbing.
Crabbing in Norfolk, VA
The best spots to go crabbing in Norfolk, Virginia, are Bennetts Creek Park and Ocean View Community Park Fishing Piers. They are both family-friendly, well-kept, and perfect for using collapsible traps. I especially like the close proximity of the piers to your parking spot, which makes crabbing that much easier.
For more information on these spots, and to find even more spots in Norfolk, check out my article: Where to go Crabbing in Norfolk, VA (Secret Spots).
Virginia Beach Crabbing Spots
The best spot to go crabbing near Virginia Beach is at Little Island Park. There, you’ll find a pier into the Atlantic Ocean on the coast side, and coastlines along tidal marsh on the opposite side along Shipps Bay. There, you’ll have the option to choose between ring nets and collapsible traps at the Atlantic Pier, and hand lines along the Bay.
Sandbridge Fishing Pier (Little Island Park)
Just south of Norfolk and Virginia beach lies the beach town Sandbridge Beach. To the west of this town, you have brackish bays and saltwater marshes, and to the East, you have the Atlantic Ocean. This is the ideal spot to catch some blue crabs.
Sandbridge Fishing Pier is a public fishing pier that’s ideal for setting collapsible blue crab traps. Unlike other spots on this list, this spot is on the Atlantic Ocean. Your crab traps will need extra weight at the bottom to ensure the current doesn’t sweep them away.
You can also go crabbing in the brackish marshes on the West side of Little Island Park. However, it’s not known for its crabbing. The “brackish” water is mostly freshwater for most of the year, so don’t bother crabbing here unless it’s late summer/early fall. You’re better off heading south to the Outer Banks or crabbing on the Atlantic Side.
Chincoteague & VA Eastern Shore Crabbing Spots
The two best spots to catch blue crabs along Eastern VA’s shore are Kiptopeake Fishing Pier, Cape Charles, VA, and Veteran’s Memorial Park, Chincoteague Island, VA. These spots are in opposite locations, but both provide some of the best piers to catch blue crabs in Virginia.
I made an article dedicated to this region of VA. To read it, click the link below.
Where to go Crabbing in Chincoteague (And VA Eastern Shore)
There are plenty of public spots to catch blue crabs in Chincoteague, Virginia as well as the rest of the Eastern Shore Penninsula. I’m going to go over some of the best piers, shoreline spots, and bodies of water to set some crab traps.
