Tall Pines / Chesapeake Bay KOA Holiday Blog
2026 Season: March 12 - November 30!
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The pilings on our fishing and crabbing pier get slick with barnacles by July, a sign that blue crabs are working the pier for food underneath. Pocomoke Sound feeds directly into the Chesapeake Bay, and crabs move through the shallow water along our shoreline all summer. You don't need a boat or years of experience to catch one.
Learning how to catch crabs on the Chesapeake Bay starts with a piece of string, a chicken neck, and a little patience. Families do it here every week using gear from the camp store and a pier a short walk from most sites. This guide covers the equipment, the technique, and Virginia's current rules so your first trip actually puts crabs in the bucket.
Most guides to catching blue crabs assume you own a boat, have a dock, or at least know somebody who does. At Tall Pines / Chesapeake Bay KOA, none of that applies. Our fishing and crabbing pier sits right on Pocomoke Sound, part of the Chesapeake Bay, and every guest can walk out and use it during their stay.
The pier puts you in real crab habitat instead of a stocked pond. Blue crabs feed along the pilings, grass beds, and shallow drop-offs within casting distance of the rail. Because the water is tidal, a quiet spot at mid-morning can turn busy with crabs by early evening. It's an underused amenity, and it works just as well for a quick try before dinner as it does for a full afternoon.
You're not driving an hour to a public pier or renting gear from a bait shop in town. You're stepping off your site, walking a few minutes, and dropping a line, which matters more than it sounds like the first time a kid asks to go crabbing at 4pm on a Tuesday.
Two basic methods work at the pier, and both catch crabs. A hand line and a trap differ mainly in how hands-on you want to be and how many crabs you're hoping to bring home.
A hand line is exactly what it sounds like, a length of string tied to bait, with a weight to keep it near the bottom. Drop it in, feel for a tug, and pull up slowly until the crab is close enough to net. It's the method most first-timers here use, since it's cheap, fast to rig, and lets kids feel every strike.
Traps and collapsible nets sit baited on the bottom and get checked every few minutes. They pull in more crabs with less attention, but Virginia requires a license once you're running more than two.
Chicken necks remain the classic bait. They're inexpensive, tough enough to survive several strikes, and sold at our camp store in season. Fish heads and bunker work too. Rig your line before you reach the pier, since fumbling with knots one-handed while a toddler asks for the bucket gets old fast.
Virginia's recreational crabbing rules change from year to year, and getting them wrong can turn a fun afternoon into a fine. As of this writing, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) does not require a license for hand line crabbing, or for fishing up to two crab traps, as long as you stay within the daily limit of one bushel of hard crabs and two dozen peeler crabs per person. Add a third trap and you need a recreational license for three to five pots.
Size matters too. Hard male crabs and immature female crabs must measure at least 5 inches point to point across the shell. Mature female crabs, easy to spot by their rounded, orange-tipped apron, have no minimum size under current VMRC rules. When in doubt, let it go.
Season windows shift by gear type. VMRC currently lists hand lines and collapsible traps as legal year-round, while use of up to two crab pots runs from March 17 through December 20, and licensed pots, three to five, are limited to June 1 through September 15.
Because these numbers get updated, confirm current season dates, size limits, and license requirements on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's website before you go. What's posted here reflects regulations at the time of writing.
Timing matters as much as technique. Blue crabs feed most actively when the tide is moving, because moving water stirs up the small fish and debris they eat. Early morning and early evening tend to produce the best action, especially from June through August when midday heat pushes crabs into deeper, cooler water. Check a Pocomoke Sound tide chart before you head out.
1. Tie a chicken neck or fish head to one end of about 3 to 4 feet of string, and attach a small weight a foot above the bait.
2. Walk out on the pier and lower your baited line into the water near a piling or a patch of grass, letting it settle on the bottom.
3. Let out slack and wait at least 60 seconds. Crabs feed slowly, so rushing the check costs you catches.
4. Feel for a light tug on the line, then pull it up in one slow, steady motion. Jerking the line makes the crab let go.
5. When the crab is a foot or two below the surface, slide a dip net underneath it and scoop up and out in a single motion.
6. Measure the crab point to point across the shell. Keep it if it's a legal size and species, or release it right where you caught it if you're unsure.
The technique stays the same whether you land one crab or a dozen.
A bucket of crabs gives you two good options once you're done at the pier. Cook them that night, or send back anything you're not planning to eat. A few safety habits make the whole process easier for kids too.
Steaming is the simplest method for a first attempt. Bring an inch of water mixed with vinegar to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, season generously with a seafood spice blend, layer in the live crabs, cover, and steam for 20 to 25 minutes until the shells turn bright orange-red. Pick the meat from the body and claws with a mallet and a butter knife once they've cooled. A dozen crabs makes a solid dinner for two adults and a couple of kids.
If a crab is undersized, a female carrying eggs, or a species you don't recognize, release it gently at the spot where you caught it. Hold it by the back two-thirds of the shell, away from the claws, and lower it back into the water instead of tossing it.
No. Virginia does not require a license for hand line crabbing or for using up to two crab traps, within the daily limit of one bushel of hard crabs and two dozen peeler crabs per person. A license is required only for three to five crab pots. Confirm current rules with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission before your trip.
Chicken necks are the classic choice. They're inexpensive, tough enough to hold up to repeated bites, and sold at our camp store during the season. Fish heads and bunker work too. Tie the bait securely so it doesn't come loose the moment a crab tugs the line.
Male and immature female hard crabs must measure at least 5 inches point to point across the shell. Mature female crabs have no minimum size under current VMRC rules. Regulations and season dates change from year to year, so verify current limits before you go.
Tall Pines / Chesapeake Bay KOA sits on Pocomoke Sound on Virginia's Eastern Shore, with a private beach, a fishing and crabbing pier, and waterfront RV sites for families who want the Bay right outside their door.
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