Hunting & Fishing I caught crabs (with pictures)

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

My brother and I took my son out crabing for the first time. We did pretty good we got 18 large red rock crab and one large dungeness.

We used duck meat for bait and it worked very well.

My brother mostly drank beer and watched. It was a good time for all of us.

My son wants to go again.

It was alot of work shelling the crab but later that night we had salmon toped with crab and a white cream sauce. mmmmm it was good.
For lunch the next day we had pasta salad mixed with crab meat.

 

[McCrazy]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Good times. Always good to see a father taking some time to teach his son a new skill and keep him out of trouble.

 

[mp45acp]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

I caught crabs too, but i dont have pics..

the doctor just gave me some "Quell" cream and told me to stay away from that hooker.

he turned me on to a clean asain massage parlor..he he he

 

[Benlow]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Looks like you had some quality time your son. Good for you. Lots of good eating there.

 

[mdesign]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Always wanted to do that and catch lobsters. Looks like a lot of fun.

Whats that blue thing you are holding your hand and what is it used for?

Could you tell us flatlanders a little about how crabs are caught?

 

[psinclair]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Nice job!! We all expect to see that crew on next season's "Deadliest Catch".........grin!

 

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

mdesign- The blue thing we are holding is a shellfish ruler. The game wardens frown upon taking undersized crab. We send them back to the bottom if they are even close to being too small. We did get checked by the Game Wardens that day but they had no issues with us. Most of the time we set the traps between 50 and 100 feet deep using chicken for bait. After about a hour soak we pull it up by hand to see our catch. This was the first time we ever used duck meat. I think I will take the boy out again tomorrow and target the Dungeness crab they have more meat on them. Most fish for salmon or bottom fish while the crab pots soak.

 

[mdesign]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shootnblanks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...Most of the time we set the traps between 50 and 100 feet deep using chicken for bait... </div></div>

Interesting, do the traps rest on the bottom or just deep in the water?

 

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

On the bottom for sure. We have some pretty swift currents here in the Puget Sound so your pot has to be pretty heavy to stay on the bottom. If you set it to deep it will be gone.

 

[Guest]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

In Texas, the only crabs we have at in Pappadeaux, bars, and CKAs house, so forgive the dumb questions.

Is this done in a lake or on the ocean?
What are the slot limits (legal sizes) like for these things?
Limits?
What kinds of crabs can you catch?
Are any of em the kind that make fried softshell crab? (I'll pay for shipping

)
What kind of seasons do you have on crabs?

Looks like a good time. Your brother does my kind of fishing, Miller Lite Fishing. And, as has been said, good on you for taking your boy out there.

Thanks.

 

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

These are caught in the saltwater. The crab pictured above are Red Rock crab which must be 5" in order to retain. They can be either sex. The Dungeness crab that we catch have to be 6.25" in order to keep them. We can only retain male Dungeness. Our season should be open until January. These are not soft shell crab. I never heard of frying them. I like to boil them whole like a like a lobster. The meat is like lobster only more sweet.

Are the crabs at CKA's house bigger?

 

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Limit is 6 Red rock per person per day and 5 Dungeness per person per day.

 

[Guest]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shootnblanks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Are the crabs at CKA's house bigger? </div></div>

MUCH.

So, what the hell are soft shell crabs then? Anyone know?

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Shaggy, any soft-shelled crab that I've had were in sushi-bars and they were GOOD. As for your quest, I've found this and it is interesting:

http://www.bluecrab.info/softshell.htm

check it out, I've learned stuff.

 

[shooter65]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Crabbin and drinkin beer, what a great way to spend the day.

 

[Bryan27]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

This is making me hungry. We used to catch blue crabs off the docks when I lived down in Louisiana. Sometimes you'd be fishing for something else and they'd just grab onto your line and not let go so you'd catch them on rod and reel, kinda strange reeling in a crab but happens quite a bit.

 

[wirehand]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Crabbin'
One of three things I miss about Florida.

 

[long range dogr]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Looks like you and your boy had a great time.


Ahh crab salad!

 

[19Scout77]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mdesign</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Always wanted to do that and catch lobsters. Looks like a lot of fun.

Whats that blue thing you are holding your hand and what is it used for?

Could you tell us flatlanders a little about how crabs are caught? </div></div>

License required for lobsters--not needed for crabs (at least the blue East Coast ones).

 

[Shady_Jay]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shaggyback</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In Texas, the only crabs we have at in Pappadeaux, bars, and CKAs house, so forgive the dumb questions.

Is this done in a lake or on the ocean?
What are the slot limits (legal sizes) like for these things?
Limits?
What kinds of crabs can you catch?
Are any of em the kind that make fried softshell crab? (I'll pay for shipping

)
What kind of seasons do you have on crabs?

Looks like a good time. Your brother does my kind of fishing, Miller Lite Fishing. And, as has been said, good on you for taking your boy out there.

Thanks. </div></div>

You think crabs live in a lake? How many bowls of retard to you eat every morning?

 

[19Scout77]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

Shaggyback-

Go down to the Gulf (preferably an estuary adjoining the Gulf) with a piece of rope, with a weight and a chicken neck tied to the end. Stand on the end of a dock and throw it in. Wait a few minutes and slowly pull it in--if they are there, you will catch them--use a wire net to scoop them off off of the neck, before pulling it out of the water. From what I understand the Gulf has blue crabs, just like the Chesapeake.

 

[SuperXJeff]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

I live in Oregon and we are allowed 12 Dungeness and there is no limit on the Red Rocks. In Washington crabs have to be bigger to keep then in Oregon and in California they need to be bigger still. A good limit is described by the number of "Washington and California crabs you get" as they are much nicer size then a legal Oregon crab. The California Crabs must be at least 2 inches bigger across the back. Doesn't sound like much but an Oregon crab and a California look as much alike as a .308 and a .300 Winchester magnum. Crabbing in Oregon is usually done in much shallower water then the guys up in Washington's Puget Sound. I seldom crab over 20 feet deep and some of my best spots are only 12 to 14 feet deep. Great fun for the whole family pulling up pots as you never know what will be inside them! Jeff

 

[kombayotch]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

I have a buddy who tried that, its how he found out he was allegic to shellfish...

 

[Victory]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

I lived in Lusby Maryland until I was 10. My cousins had a dock in one of the many coves that came off of the Chesapeake. We would go crabbing on the weekends when it was in season.

All you do is connect chicken legs onto one end of a 6 or 7 foot string, then tie the other end to the pylons of the dock. Then just drop it in the water and wait. You know there is a crab on the line when the sting isn't sitting vertical anymore. It is now at an angle from the pylon because Mr. Blue crab is trying to swim away with his chicken leg.

So all you do is slowly pull the sting up until you can see the crab hanging off of the chicken, stopping about 12" from the top. Your friend has already placed the net into the water while you were pulling the crab up and swoops the crab into the net.

And that is how you catch a crab.

Now once you have a bushel basket full of crabs, you get your large pot of water boiling, then place the live crab into the steamer. Making sure you douse them with beer and a gratuitous amount of Oldbay seasoning.

I can't stand shrimp or crab that has been boiled, steaming is the only way to do it.

Then layout newspapers across the table, gather the family, then dump all of the steamed crab in the middle of the table and begin picking. I know it took us awhile, so make sure you have a lot of beer ready to keep you hydrated.

Oh, and a soft-shell crab is just a crab that has molted. A crab grows too large for its shell, so it gets rid of it and grows a new one. A soft-shell crab just hasn't grown its new shell. You catch it and then cook it whole. They are super tasty.

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: victory</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I can't stand shrimp or crab that has been boiled, steaming is the only way to do it.
</div></div>

Here in Washington they recommend boiling for twenty minutes in salt water. I assume to remove toxins. That soft shell crab sounds very good. I hope someday to try it.

 

[Jimmy2Times]

Re: I caught crabs (with pictures)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Captain Kick-Ass</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shaggyback</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In Texas, the only crabs we have at in Pappadeaux, bars, and CKAs house, so forgive the dumb questions.

Is this done in a lake or on the ocean?
What are the slot limits (legal sizes) like for these things?
Limits?
What kinds of crabs can you catch?
Are any of em the kind that make fried softshell crab? (I'll pay for shipping

)
What kind of seasons do you have on crabs?

Looks like a good time. Your brother does my kind of fishing, Miller Lite Fishing. And, as has been said, good on you for taking your boy out there.

Thanks. </div></div>

You think crabs live in a lake? How many bowls of retard to you eat every morning? </div></div>

Bro, that was a funny post, but actually crabs are often found in brackish water lakes adjacent to salt marshes. When I was a kid growing up in Long Island NY, we could fill a boat in one night with blue claw crab in a brackish lake.