Which kit for which age?
- Under 6: drop net or a hook-free bagged line. There is nothing sharp, and the mesh bag holds the bait so crabs cannot steal it in one nip.
- Ages 6-10: the hook-free Kids Crabbing Kit - independent crabbing without an adult needing to hover over every cast.
- Older children and adults: a hand line with hook, booms and weight fishes deeper and holds bait more securely, but it earns adult supervision.
Line or drop net?
A hand line is the classic - you feel the crab tugging, which is half the fun. A drop net wins at harbours and piers with a bit of depth: crabs walk in and stay in, so small children land far more of them. Plenty of families bring one of each and let the crabs vote. Our guide to crabbing with kids covers technique, and the kids' coastal fun ideas page fills the rest of the day.
What a good kit must include
A bucket wide enough that crabs are not stacked (change the water often), at least 10 metres of line for harbour walls, bait that stays on - a mesh bag is more reliable than any hook for greenshore crabs - and something to read while you wait. The waterproof crab guide in our kits earns its keep the first time someone asks what kind of crab that is.
Crabbing manners
Wet your hands before holding a crab, keep bucket time short, and return every crab to the water it came from - lowered gently, not dropped from the wall. Watch the tide, keep little ones back from unfenced edges, and take the line home with you. That is the whole rulebook.
Crabbing questions, answered
Do we need a fishing licence to go crabbing?
No - recreational hand-line crabbing from the shore in the UK needs no licence. Just follow any local signs on the harbour.
What is the best bait for crabbing?
Bacon is the classic for a reason: cheap, tough, and crabs love it. Fish scraps work too but come off the line faster. Whatever you use, a bait bag holds it far longer than a hook.
When is the best time to go crabbing?
A rising tide near high water, at a harbour or quay with easy water access. Summer is peak season, but crabs oblige most of the year if the water is calm.
Ready to go? The full range lives in our crabbing kits collection - everything is packed here in Cornwall and most orders go out same day.
