Dungeness Crab are one of the signature shellfish in the Pacific Northwest, and in Puget Sound over a quarter million people head out to soak pots and reap the rewards! A fresh caught Dungeness Crab, caught in Puget Sound and cooked the same day is one of the highlights of our amazing summers. We now have the word on our 2021 Summer crabbing season from Washington State on what our Dungeness Crab summer season will look like.
This post is now old news… check out 2022 Puget Sound Dungeness Crabbing Season
Puget Sound Dungeness Crabbing Season for 2021
SUMMER: Our initial summer crabbing seasons are published! There is always the possibility that the seasons will change as we get deeper into summer, always rely on WDFW Crab Seasons as the ultimate reference for your most updated seasons, we will try to update this page if anything changes, but use the official WDFW page for the final word. You can find more important information on crabbing regulations and gear regulations on WDFW Shellfishing Regulations.
WINTER: Many of our Puget Sound marine areas have closed after Labor Day. There is a good possibility that we will have some form of a “winter” crab season here in Central Puget Sound, and once we hear something we will update this page!
To read the initial Puget Sound crabbing season announcement, check out:
- Marine Area 7 North (Strait of Georgia): August 19 through September 30. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 7 South (San Juan Islands and Bellingham): July 15 through September 30. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 8-1 (Deception Pass): July 1 through September 6. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 8-2 (Port Susan and Everett): July 1 through September 6. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 9 (Port Gamble and Port Ludlow): Waters north of the Hood Canal bridge to a line connecting Olele Point and Foulweather Bluff. July 1 through September 6. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet): All of Marine Area 9 EXCEPT waters north of the Hood Canal bridge to a line connecting Olele Point and Foulweather Bluff. July 1 through September 6. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 10 (Seattle and Bremerton): July 11 through September 6. Sunday and Monday only each week. All other days are closed.
- Marine Area 11 (Tacoma and Vashon Island): July 11 through August 30. Sunday and Monday only each week. All other days are closed.
- Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal North of Ayock Rock): July 1 through September 6. Thursday through Monday each week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are closed.
- Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal South of Ayock Rock): Closed until further notice.
- Marine Area 13 (Deep South Sound): Closed until further notice.

How to Catch Puget Sound Dungeness Crab
Most of the Dungeness Crab catch comes from those of us in boats. We drop crab traps, pots and rings in 25′ to 150′ of water all around the Puget Sound. We use a variety of baits, such as filleted out salmon carcasses, herring, squid, cheap raw chicken or turkey legs. Drop the gear, wait at least an hour, sometimes overnight if you have a shoreside place, pull em up and see what’s up! For an in-depth review of Puget Sound Crabbing, check out our article The Ultimate Puget Sound Crabbing Guide, and if you are new and setting up your pots/traps/rings for the first time check out Rigging and Setup for Dungeness Crabbing. If you are in the market for some new crab gear, we have a brand-spankin’ new Puget Sound Crabbing Buying Guide to help you out as well. Hope you all have a great season!
Cooking Puget Sound Dungeness Crab
Once you haul in your Dungeness Crab, you will be in for one of my favorite meals! Check out How to Cook Dungeness Crab for the basics on preparing them for the table. No other meal fully encompasses the essence of the Pacific Northwest, quite like a freshly cooked Dungeness Crab meal.
