Crabbing

A word of warning:

Many locals and tourists alike enjoy shrimping and crabbing off the harbour wall. It’s a very relaxing, sunny day activity, but it can also be dangerous. Please exercise due care and attention when you undertake this activity. We would not recommend taking small children with you.

How, what, where, when and how to cook ‘em:

You can catch brown shrimp and green shore crabs off the harbour wall, which is a fun activity and you can end up with a tasty bisque or potted shrimp dish. Head up the harbour wall towards the lighthouse, facing the marina. If you time it right then you may be able to go down the steps to get closer to the water but these are often underwater at high tide.

Check the tides online or in the  Visitor Centre or Fishing Tackle shop. Bare in mind daylight saving hours and the height of the tide, for example, if it’s a 13 metre tide then this is almost as high as it gets so you can go crabbing quite a while before actual high tide, but if it’s a 9 metre tide then you’ll need to wait until it’s at its highest or the water levels will be too low. The best time to catch is when the tide is coming in.

You can buy shrimp and crabbing nets or a hand line from the sea fishing shop on Swain Street, from Alberts ‘Ardware or the Post Office

Use smoked bacon rind or a fish head from the fishmongers or buy bait from the sea fishing shop on Swain Street – just tie it on to the line or put in the little zip bag on the trap, lower them into the water then wait! Don’t forget to take a bucket to put them in.

ACCESSIBILITY: Watchet Harbour is a wide flat surface without rails on the inner side. At high tide and in heavy water the surface is subject to salt spray.