St Ives' working harbour is a genuinely good spot for crabbing, busy with boats and visitors alike, and it's an easy activity to combine with a wider harbour-front day.
St Ives Harbour itself is the spot — the harbour wall offers plenty of space, and given how many families do this here regularly, it's a genuinely sociable, low-key activity rather than something you need to seek out a quiet corner for.
Skip the shop-bought crabbing lines with hooks — a strip of bacon tied to string, lowered gently to the harbour floor, is the best bait, and a simple net on a string is the best way to actually land a crab once it's taken hold. It's cheaper, simpler, and works better than the fancier alternatives.
Lower slowly, let the bacon settle, then wait patiently rather than moving it around — crabs need a few minutes to find and properly grip the bait. When you feel the tug, lift steadily rather than sharply, with the net ready underneath for the final stretch as the crab nears the surface, where it's most likely to let go.
Bacon, string, a net, and a bucket of seawater — several shops around St Ives sell basic crabbing kits if you're without your own, though the bacon-and-string method genuinely doesn't need anything fancier.
St Ives Harbour sits close to several of the town's dog-friendly cafés, which makes it easy to combine an hour of crabbing with a coffee stop either side — a genuinely relaxed, low-cost way to spend a morning.
As with most harbours, mid-tide tends to give the best results — enough water depth without the bed being too far below the wall to reach comfortably. Check current tide times before you head down if timing matters to your day.
St Ives' harbour sits close to several dog-friendly cafés and a short walk from Man's Head, which makes it easy to build a full, varied morning around a crabbing session rather than treating it as a standalone activity.
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