Anybody like to go crabbing?

[BlondGirl]

Any suggestions for me and my boy as we go crabbing tomorrow? Places to throw/drop the nets? Best bait? Anything?

We have nets and tongs and string for tying down the bait--I am excited.

The best dates I ever have involve a 9 year old.

 

[BlondGirl]

Has no one here EVER been crabbing? Please, any suggestions to keep from losing my fingers is appreciated. Any secret tricks for a successful daytrip would be great too.

 

[miles]

When the tide was too low to fish, we would tie chicken backs and necks to the traps and catch dozens of blue crabs. This was in SC and GA.

Where are you crabbing?

 

[Laurel]

Totally off topic, but...I used to go clamming when I lived in Ore-gun. We went out at low tide on the bay, early in the morning. You had to look for little holes in the sand where the clams stick their necks out. Once you found one, you had to dig really really fast with a shovel to try to catch the buggers. For dinner , we ate clam fritters. Yummy!

 

[cymbidia]

I'm sorry darlin'.
I've done a bunch of grunion runs but never done any crabbing.

I know it'll go well, though.
It sounds like a total blast of a date with your special guy.

 

[Desert Amazon]

 

[freakygirl]

Ooooooohhhhhhhh... Crabbing.. I know how you do that...

You drive down to the docks.. and as Jeff is unloading his crab boats... you yell out "hey you rotten stinky nasty ass.. give me a dozen crabs.. and don't give me no shit".. *nods* Now that is some real crabbin' there..

 

[Guru]

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

Yes, I prefered crabbing to fishing when I was young - but that was in Oregon (Yaquina Bay) so it might be a little different.

What we did was get the ring traps, then place them around the bay in likely spots. Off piers are decent spots because people throw their scraps off the pier, especially if it is a dock where fish are processed. You might have a problem doing that though; sometimes the traps would be in the way of boat traffic.

We would put fish heads and guts in the traps, go have lunch on a beach of the bay, then after a few more hours, go around and check the traps. Dungeness crabs are the best tasting crabs I have eaten - Alaskan king crab and lobster are bland in comparison.

 

[Laurel]

I'm not sure you ever used to live in Orygun, Laurel. See the spelling? You've been Californicated, I'm afraid.

I sure have. Thank god.

 

[Guru]

 

[u2slow13]

leather gloves if you're worried about being bitten, oops, you were taliking about crabs. Don't know....

 

[The_old_man]

Long time ago at NAS Jacksonville,Fl I did some shrimp netting off the Sea-wall. Used garbage from the chow-hall as bait.

At patuxent River NAS We would use hand nets to catch crabs. Hung the bait from a fish line.

Both were good eating.

 

[lickerish]

Orygun rocks!

Blondgirl, where are you?

I went crabbing once.. had a blast!

We went out in a little putt-putt boat on a lake... threw some fish heads in the ring basket thingies.. would throw one out, head out a ways, throw out another.

Then we'd kick back and have a beer (in your case root beer ) then make the rounds to each basket.. the trick is when you start to pull them up, pull up FAST or you'll lose them.

I hate those suckers when they pinch, so pliable leather gloves sound good.

 

[Guru]

 

[lickerish]

uh.. yeah.. what he said!!











(but Guru, i don't have cootie-crabs ya know... they're gonna think we gots cootie-crabs!!)

 

[Guru]

 

[Bigdog]

Yes, I prefered crabbing to fishing when I was young - but that was in Oregon (Yaquina Bay) so it might be a little different.

What we did was get the ring traps, then place them around the bay in likely spots. Off piers are decent spots because people throw their scraps off the pier, especially if it is a dock where fish are processed. You might have a problem doing that though; sometimes the traps would be in the way of boat traffic.

We would put fish heads and guts in the traps, go have lunch on a beach of the bay, then after a few more hours, go around and check the traps. Dungeness crabs are the best tasting crabs I have eaten - Alaskan king crab and lobster are bland in comparison.

Wow! STG just described some of the best summers of my early teenage years. My grandparents lived in Waldport and later moved to Newport. I would visit for 4-6 weeks each year, if the crabs were in season we would crab from the docks or if I was really lucky one of their friends would take me out on a crab boat. Either way, frozen fish heads ruled the day.

I miss that time in my life. Blondgirl, enjoy your outing with your boy; it's the stuff great memories are made from.

 

[lickerish]

Even better, then I have you all to myself!

BigDog, isn't that the truth! I love Oregon.. it's so lush and beautiful and peaceful. We went crabbing near Newport and had the best time ever. I definitely agree, it is the stuff great memories are made of.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

You tell 'em, licky. We orygonians, we got crabs!

Orygun doesn't rock - it goes splish spalsh.

I forgot to say BG, that if you handle that crab from the rear instead of the front, they can't get to you as easily.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

Wow! STG just described some of the best summers of my early teenage years.

Later, when I was in the Coast Guard, I was lucky enough to get a lateral to Newport (Yaquina Bay). When we would pull in a crabber it was great, because they would give us all the crab and ice we could put in our line lockers (where we kept various tow and mooring lines). These lockers were about the size of a truck tool box, and as I recall, we had like 2 or 4 of these on deck, so we got quite a bit of crab.

We would take them back to the station and cook them up with cloves and other stuff, and then eat a few after they had chilled, then divide them up amongst the crew. I usually took a few home to my mom who loves crab, as do I.

I reiterate; Dungeness crab is the best tasting crab out there.

 

[BlondGirl]

Thank you for your input everyone. I will look at the sale rack for the gross chicken.

One of my patients yesterday told me the always had more success with beef bones. (He said it was probably because they were easier to tie the cord to.) I figure we can experiment.

I looked up the laws and saw that in Texas, a fishing liscence with a salt water stamp is required. I don't have one, but I figure my odds of getting a ticket for fishing is pretty slim. (The things are damned expensive for one fishing trip the whole year anyway!)

As for where I am, I live in the South Houston area. We will likely be heading out to Galveston or maybe the Texas Dity dike. I don't know yet. I have a dr's appointment on Fannin at 2 and if I get out of there quickly, we will have time to go while it is still daylight.

I was born and raised in the Amarillo area and have never really eaten seafood. (I have begun to like shrimp in the last couple of years.) I have no clue what to do with the crabs. My intention is to freeze what we get and take them over to the ex's house. If this ends up being an easy afteroon with lots of fun for us, I might head out again to get some for my sisters as Christmas gifts.

If any of y'all have more hints or memories to share, please do.

Oh--and what are Ghost Shrimp?

 

[xzchief]

Not that I know personally, but I've heard that catching crabs is a bad thing.