blue crabs?

[jbapinoy]

i know it's kind an awkward askin blue crab on this forum but my wife's been begging me to catch some blue crabs. Can anybody give me a nice spot to catch some blue crabs, what do I need to catch them and what time. Hope you can help me on this guys.
You can PM me I know it's not allowed to named spots on this forum. Thanks!

[BrianS]

My spots have been kinda dry...

My uncle has been popping all over the place with minimal luck.. He was going to try RI the other day.. Havent talked to him yet.

[GMAN]

hey guys, you guy want to meet up and do some crabbing and maybe wet a line too?

[BrianS]

absolutely...

nothing like rotten chicken legs, crabs, and fishing among friends..

[jbapinoy]

sure, it's my first time crabbing and I don't have any traps to catch crabs and i don't have a boat. No luck on Striper fishing only got blues so I wanna do some crabbing.

[BrianS]

traps?

all you need is few 20' or so lines on sticks... and a net...

tie on the chicken.. toss it out.. and watch and wait...

Its a good time.... better when you find them.. but fun nonetheless...

[jbapinoy]

oh that's cool! i think you have to show me on how to do that.

[Surfcastinglife]

haha omg that sounds like so much fun!!! now i wana go crabbin

[STEVE IN MASS]

BJS....not for nothing, but only RI residents can take blue crabs in RI......

Yeah, I know that sucks, but that's the law.......

[bloocrab]

I catch an occasional crab or two ...here are some minor things you may want to think about.

1. Try to use a bright line (ie:white twine). It's much easier to see the action on the line as opposed to using mono. (It's easier to see the line PERIOD!!)

2. Tie a loop-knot on the line roughly 18" from the chicken. This will help during those times when the water is murky or the crab is in a deeper area where you can't see the crab or chicken in relation to the net. This way you'll KNOW how far the chicken and crab are away from the net.

3. Don't use a deep net. It takes a LOT longer to get the crab out of the net. Crab nets are inexpensive and work fine.

4. Have something (tapemeasure, stick, branch, etc..) marked to easily measure the crab <from the shell's point to point> There is a size limit and it is enforced. You may want to add an extra 1/2" just so that your sure ...(The crabs I've been catching aren't as big as they normally are)

5. Use WATER shoes ...2 people have been bitten on the toe while crabbing with me this season alone. Your toes look like chicken fingers ...

6. As far as I know, there is NO limit to the amount of lines you can put out. Use that to your advantage. You will NOT pull every crab in. They can be very finicky. This way, if they let go of one line...more than likely, they'll pick up the chicken from the next line that's probably 10' away.

7. Pull your lines in slower than you crank your eels in. If the crab seems to be cooperating, increase the speed. If you can get them off the bottom, take advantage of that. If they keep stopping you...be patient, especially if it feels like a biggen'.

8. DO NOT TAKE ANY FEMALES. It is against the law. I have attached a picture of both. The biggest difference can be found underneath the crab, (note: the red arrows) Another way would be a reddish tint on their claw tips. Although some males may also show this tint at times. I always flip the crab over...best way to tell.

[BrianS]

Yah
My uncle is a Rhody Resident...

I dont go there.. My areas are in MA.

and thats a great synopsys...although i didnt know taking females was against the law.. we always let them go just because...

getting bit on the toe? thats funny...
would hurt like a SOB.. but funny..

[Rappin Mikey]

I sent you a pm, but it looks like Bloo covered it in a bit more detail then I. Good luck.

[bloocrab]

Why does the female crab have that large triangle under it's belly as opposed to the male crab having a very narrow one?


....of course you knew!!!

[STEVE IN MASS]

Bloo....gotta disagree a bit with harvesting of females.......I would have to look some more, but I think it is only egg-bearing females (as per your picture) that HAVE to go back......(but it would be better to put all the "gurls" back....)

This is from the RI DEM:

Blue Crabs: Harvesting by residents only, by crab net, dip net, scoop net, handline and trot line only. It is illegal to harvest crabs from sunset to sunrise. All blue crabs measuring less than the legal minimum size of five inches (5") from spike-end to spike-end must be returned immediately to the water from which taken. No person shall possess, take, or attempt to take more than twenty-five (25) blue crabs from any of the waters of Rhode Island except when taken by a scoop or crab net, trot, or hand line. Measuring: A direct line measured from the end of one spike across the body shell to the end of the opposite spike must be no less than five inches (5").

[bloocrab]

Originally posted by STEVE IN MASS
(but it would be better to put all the "gurls" back....)

With the ongoing decline of the Bluecrab in our waters, I tell everyone to release the "Sallys" - females. It's not even worth looking up the law, just release them. You only catch 1 female to every 10 males anyhow .....and if Mr. Game-Warden shows up, it may be an "interpretation of the law" kind of issue.....it just ain't worth it.

[jbapinoy]

do you know where's the nice spots I can go to?

[BrianS]

We used to slam them in the little river behind Demerest Lloyd beach, but that was YEEEEEEEEEEEARS ago...

Makes me wanna go for a ride this weekend...

Most of my spots are closer to the cape....

[Westport Jeff]

I have recently seen them in the Westport River.

There are other types of crabs in the river so I do not how hard it will be to target a specific type.

[Surfcastinglife]

oh man i wana go crabbin! is it only down the cape here in mass or would i be able to find spots around the north shore or around boston :P

[BrianS]

Thats a good question..

Ive never found any anywhere else but south side of the cape... but that doesnt mean they arent there.

[STEVE IN MASS]

Bloo..... .....ya, let the gurls go. no arguement on that here......

As far as the North Shore of Mass, Surfcasting.....sorry, I think you are dreaming......about the furthest north you will see them is the south beaches of the Cape....and MAYBE up to Plymouth, but that's pushing it and you would hve to be REAL lucky........

Man, if there is ANY reason to miss Jersey, blueclaws in the summertime would be it..............

[GMAN]

there are no blue crabs up here in boston area. i try and didn't find any. only place i have seen them is down by mike's shop.
okay boys who is going crabbing?

[STEVE IN MASS]

Just saw Mike today at the shop, and happened to ask him that question about the river out back....he said lot's of people trying and not catching.....ya need to go further down river, or elsewhere.....

[missing link]

Originally posted by STEVE IN MASS
Just saw Mike today at the shop, and happened to ask him that question about the river out back....he said lot's of people trying and not catching.....ya need to go further down river, or elsewhere.....

we use to do realy good behind mikes... not any more..


got flash light?

[GMAN]

you need to go when it's low tide. that is when the crab feed near the shore.

[Rappin Mikey]

Anybody been to Crab Creek in Dennis this year? Does spot club refer to crabbing spots too?

[BrianS]

I all got the bug now.. I need to go this weekend for sure...

[STEVE IN MASS]

Here's something to REALLY give you the bug....

Carolina Crab Mud Sauce....

Steam and clean your crabs, and save the crabmeat.....also save all the shells and remains, except for the lungs (gills)...

Chop up a few large onions, some celery, some carrot, some bell peppers, and a half ton of garlic (to taste).

Saute the veggies in olive oil. Add some bay leaf, some chopped parsley, some thyme and oregeno, and a good shot of Old Bay.

Add the crab shells and remains, and an entire bottle of good red wine. Add two 28 oz cans of plum tomatoes, squished thru your fingers. Add enough water to cover the crab shells, and bring the whole mess to a boil. Then lower to a simmer, and cover the pot., and stir it up every once in awhile...

Simmer for 2-3-4 hours or more, taking off the cover for the last hour.

Drain the whole mess thru a colander into a big bowl or pot......do this in batches, and be sure to use a mallet or a sturdy spoon to mash down the veggies and shells to extract all the juice.

Return the extracted liquid to a pot and simmer down to reduce by half or more.

This is your mud sauce. It will be very rich.

Then make your favorite tomato pasta sauce (preferrably home made) and add about half a cup of the crab base to it....(be careful, the crab base may be somewhat salty).....

Cook up your sauce, and serve over pasta (I prefer angel hair), and then top it with the reserved crab meat..........

YUM, to die for..............

The leftover crab base can be frozen and then cut into chunks to add to tomato sauce whenever you need it.....I have a batch in the fridge that has been there close to a year, and it's still fine....and another batch I made when I was in Hatteras this early summer.........it will last me thru the winter, and makes me happy in the middle of January with pasta, tomato sauce, clams, mussels, squid, etc, and the base added to the sauce......

[BrianS]

oh my oh my oh my..

*twitch*

im sold...

[Clammer]

BLOOOOOOOOO when ya gonna take me crabbin ========none around here this year ???????????/