Crabbing in Keyport NJ: A Family Guide

If you’re looking for a fun outdoor activity to do with kids in New Jersey, crabbing in Keyport NJ is definitely worth trying.

Today, we decided to give crabbing a try at Keyport Waterfront with our 3-year-old son.

We arrived around 9:00 AM and spent about two hours crabbing before heading out for lunch and continuing our day at Keansburg Beach.

It was our first time crabbing in Keyport, and it turned into a fun little family adventure.

Free Parking at Keyport Waterfront

There is a large free parking area near the Keyport pier, which was very convenient for us.

We arrived around 9 AM, and it turned out to be a great decision. A car show was scheduled from 12 PM to 3 PM, and police started controlling traffic around 11 AM.

Finding a Fishing Area

After parking, we walked along the waterfront promenade and found an area where people were fishing.

There were already quite a few people settled in and fishing.

Luckily, we found a spot with a shaded bench right behind us, which was perfect since we had our 3-year-old with us.

We set up our crab nets and got ready for our first attempt at crabbing in Keyport.

A busy fishing area at Keyport Waterfront

What We Brought Crabbing in Keyport NJ

Our Crabbing Net – Amazon Purchase

Before our trip, I ordered a crabbing net from Amazon for almost $50.

This was a true “I bought it with my own money” purchase! 😂

The set included things like:

Bait Bag with Clip
Crab Gauge
Crabbing Nets
Other crabbing accessories

I chose this set because it was advertised as being suitable for use in New Jersey.

👉 I’ll leave the Amazon link below if you want to check out the exact set we used.

Our crabbing net set from Amazon

This is our actual purchase, not a sponsored product.
We bought a 2-pack and set up two traps! 😂
And because we really wanted to catch some crabs…

Our Bait: Chicken Legs from H Mart

For bait, we bought chicken legs from H Mart before coming to Keyport.

The crab nets we used for our first Keyport crabbing trip

Our First Blue Crab

In New Jersey, there are size and other regulations for recreational blue crabbing, so you need to measure your catch before keeping it.
Our crab didn’t meet the minimum legal size, so we had to release it.
We were a little disappointed, but honestly, we were just excited that we actually caught one!

We thought:

“Okay! We know what we’re doing now!” 😂
So we decided to try another trap with two chicken legs.
And guess what?
Nothing. 😂
Not a single crab.

We had another trap going at the same time, and eventually caught another crab there.
Unfortunately, it was even smaller than the first one.
So back into the water it went!

Too small to keep, so we released it back into the water

Crabbing with a 3-Year-Old

I thought our son might get bored, but he actually had a great time.
He was fascinated by the crabs and even started walking sideways like a crab. 😂
Before we knew it, two hours had passed!

Around 10:30 AM, more people arrived to fish. Some of the fishermen nearby caught fish that looked to be around 10 inches long, so we went over to take a look.

Meanwhile, our little crabbing team was still waiting for our next crab.
Unfortunately…
We didn’t catch another one. 😂
We arrived imagining a fresh crab dinner, but our first crabbing adventure ended with zero crabs to take home.

Check the Tide Before You Go

One thing we learned is that timing matters when crabbing.

One thing we learned is that tide timing can make a difference when crabbing. Many recreational crabbers recommend fishing around high tide, so we checked the tide schedule before our trip.

So if you’re planning to go crabbing in Keyport, make sure to check the tide schedule before you visit.

usharbors.com/harbor/new-jersey/keyport-nj/tides/

A reminder for crabbers: No bait fish or crabs in the trash!

Was It Worth It?

Absolutely!

We didn’t catch enough crab for dinner, but we had a great morning outdoors and our son had so much fun.

Sometimes the best part isn’t what you bring home—it’s the experience.

After crabbing, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant and then drove about 15 minutes to Keansburg Beach for another two hours of family fun.

We’ll definitely try crabbing again. Next time, we’re hoping for a legal-size blue crab! 🦀

👉 Read our [Keansburg Beach, NJ: Family-Friendly Beach Review with a Toddler]

Keansburg Beach, NJ: Family-Friendly Beach Review with a Toddler