Hand Lines, Dip Nets, Rakes, and Measuring Gauges

A hand line (a length of line with bait tied on, no hook needed) paired with a long-handled dip net is the classic, lowest-cost way to catch blue crabs from a pier or shoreline — lower the baited line, wait for a crab to grab on, and net it before it lets go.

A clam rake (short-tined, for reaching into mud) and, where legal, an oyster tong are the standard hand-harvest tools for bivalves — see this guide's own Oyster & Clam Guide for which method applies where.

A measuring gauge — even a simple ruler or a purpose-made crab/clam gauge — is genuinely essential gear, not optional: this guide's own Blue Crab Guide and species pages depend on accurate, honest measurement, and a borderline animal should always be measured, never eyeballed.