# When the fish won't bite, catch crabs!



## drippin' rock (Jul 22, 2010)

Went down to St George Island last week.  Carried my brother-in-law's grill and had plans on grilling up fresh caught fish every day!  Well... the fish had other things in mind.  After the 1st day all we had to show for our efforts was too much sun and 1 little hardhead catfish.( I set the hook on him good!)  We did notice that the crabs seemed to hone in on our bait fairly fast and we were disgruntled.

The next day, we started to catch a few whiting and I noticed that once I felt a blue crab on my line I could retrieve it slowly and get it all the way to the surf.  I asked the guy at the bait shop about blue crab preparation, and with a smirk let me know I was probably wasting my time.(stupid tourist!)

Well by gosh, the fish weren't biting and I couldn't just sit on the beach and drink beer all day, so to work I went.  

When I called it quits I had hauled in 22 blue crab.  I kept them on ice and that night, armed with old bay seasoning and lemons went to cooking.



I sat down with the first two and once I pulled the top shell off, I knew I had my work cut out for me.  We figured out that we needed to clean out the main cavity with running water to get at the meat in the body.  By the time we were finished an hour and a half later, we had 3 CUPS of Blue Crab meat!!!



The next day we went out early and found a gentle surf with the blue crab up against the shore! 2 1/2 hours later, I had 30 Crab.  Repeat steps above and we wound up with over 7 cups of meat!



I did not think to take pictures of the food I prepared, but the next morning I made blue crab omelets with tomato, onion, and cilantro for everyone.  That night I made crab dip and crab cakes, and still brought home 3 cups of lump crab.  Thank you GOOGLE and Paula Dean!

Oh, and one more thing.... take that Grumpy bait shop dude.


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## Paymaster (Jul 22, 2010)




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## Fletch_W (Jul 22, 2010)

Good stuff. In my neighborhood when I lived in Charleston, there was a pier that we'd fish every weekend when the weather was nice. Whenever the fish weren't cooperating, about 90% of the time, we'd handline crabs just like you are talking about, sans fishing pole. Just turkey neck and string, and a net. Once they break the surface, they'll let go, but you get them up to the seawall, and the designated drunk (me) reaches down to scoop them up. On the backside of the pier were tidal creeks so we'd throw the cast net back there for shrimp to go with the crab, never a shortage of shrimp. But if you think cleaning crab is laborious, try peeling a hundred 1 inch shrimp! It was my beagle's favorite hobby. She'd snap up every critter that shook out of the net.


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## bigox911 (Jul 22, 2010)

How'd ya catch em?  Nothin like fresh lump crab


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## turkey foot (Jul 22, 2010)

*Crab*

Good eating. Brings back memories of when I lived in Ft. Myers, Fl. and you could order crab in the resturant. They'ed bring a big pile of boiled crabs to the table still in the shell and you had to crack them open and dig the meat out. Delecious.


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## Spurhunter1 (Jul 22, 2010)

Outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!


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## maker4life (Jul 22, 2010)

Fletch_W said:


> Good stuff. In my neighborhood when I lived in Charleston, there was a pier that we'd fish every weekend when the weather was nice. Whenever the fish weren't cooperating, about 90% of the time, we'd handline crabs just like you are talking about, sans fishing pole. Just turkey neck and string, and a net. Once they break the surface, they'll let go, but you get them up to the seawall, and the designated drunk (me) reaches down to scoop them up. On the backside of the pier were tidal creeks so we'd throw the cast net back there for shrimp to go with the crab, never a shortage of shrimp. But if you think cleaning crab is laborious, try peeling a hundred 1 inch shrimp! It was my beagle's favorite hobby. She'd snap up every critter that shook out of the net.




Used to do the same down at Alligator Point except we used chicken necks .


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## drippin' rock (Jul 22, 2010)

bigox911 said:


> How'd ya catch em?  Nothin like fresh lump crab



We did buy cord and chicken necks, but I just put a neck on my hook.  When I got them close I scooped them with a net.


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## specialk (Jul 22, 2010)

they are mighty good eating, but i could eat a hundred and never get full, my fingers and hands gets cramps trying to get enough meat to fill me up.....i like'em in the ''soft shell'' stage, i CAN fill up on them then!!!


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## JohnnyD (Jul 22, 2010)

I wish I was closer to saltwater. The last few times I've gone to Florida I always set out a crab trap or do like you said and go after them with some bait and a net.  

I absolutely love fresh crab.


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## GONoob (Jul 23, 2010)

Every time I go to the beach I always go scalloping, clamming, crabbing, and fishing. Nothing like fresh grilled scallops, fish, and clam, fresh boiled blue crabs.











Even had an octopus once




















Morning/day time I'll fish and gather some clams and scallop. As the sun sets try some shrimping and crabbing.


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## trkyhntr70 (Jul 23, 2010)

Man this brings back memorties when I was a kid; Theyre fun to catch and very tasty!


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## bnew17 (Jul 23, 2010)

there is no other crab meat beat than blue crab IMO. Crabbing is one of my favorite things to do!


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## Twenty five ought six (Jul 23, 2010)

A lawyer boarded an airplane in New Orleans with a box of frozen crab and 
asked a blonde stewardess to take care of them for him

She took the box and promised to put it in the crew's refrigerator.

He advised her that he was holding her personally responsible for them staying 
frozen, mentioning in a very haughty manner that he was a lawyer, and proceeded 
to rant at her about what would happen if she let them thaw out.

Needless to say, she was annoyed by his behavior.

Shortly before landing in New York , she used the intercom to announce to the 
entire cabin,

"Would the gentleman who gave me the crabs in New Orleans please raise your 
hand?"

Not one hand went up ...so she took them home and ate them.

Two lessons here:

1.. Lawyers aren't as smart as they think they are.

2. Blondes aren't as dumb as most folks think.


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## lilburnjoe (Jul 23, 2010)

Blue Crab is the sweetest meat of crabs. In my younger days, my grandparents would take us fishing on Wilmington Island and we always took crab nets. My grandmother made the best crab cakes. Whenever we go down to Savannah, the crab nets are packed along !!


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## Sugar Plum (Jul 23, 2010)

Such a great combination! We loaded up last time we went down to the gulf. I hope we get to go again soon!


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