First and foremost in order to have a recreational crab trap you must have a fishing license. Since neither Rick nor I have acquired this we were just along for the joy ride and experience of crabbing. To beginning, as a recreational crabber you have to purchase your traps, rope, buoy, and concrete. The traps themselves do not have all sides so the bottom of a trap needs to be made using concrete. This helps to weigh the trap down when you throw it overboard. The buoys can be colored what ever distinguishing color you want or whatever you happen to have lying around the house The only thing they must have is the letter "R" for recreation. Lastly, the traps need to have bait - which apparently crabs love pigs feet. Weird. Also these traps are sneaky in that the crabs can go in but they are unable to get out.. hence a trap!
With our friends, Phil and Erin, we loaded up the most amazing vessel - the Rustypoon- and started out to check their crab traps. The Rustypoon is a pontoon and it is perfect for crabbing because you can stand on the front and hoist the crab traps up and onto a flat surface without having to go up and over a railing. Phil was the captain of the poon and Erin was the collector of the traps. Using a hook you snag the line just below the buoy and start hoisting the crab trap toward the boat. The anticipation of what is in the trap is terrible - it is literally like the Deadliest Catch- and you really can not tell if anything is in the trap until you have it all the way up and on the boat.
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| Erin hoisting the trap |
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| The trap |
Once the trap is on the deck of the boat you cut the zip tie and open..
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| Phil was not only the captain but he also collected the crabs.. |
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| Notice that he is wearing gloves because well when a crab claw grabs you it hurts... |
Once you have established there are crab you must determine if they have claws that meet the minimum regulations. In order to harvest a crab claw the claw must be a certain size (like 2.5 inches or something like that) and you are only allowed to take one of the claws. This allows the crab to be thrown back into the ocean where it can still defend itself. The claw that was removed will grow back.. so cool!
Crab are really strong and gross in a spider like way.. with their little crab legs.. yuck. But our trusty captain utilizes the hook to subdue the crab claw he is not taking while he harvests the other.
And Voila! you have delicious crab claws..
The above particular claw came off a massive crab. Erin and I decide that it was worthy of a picture because it was so massive (thats what she said). I was the first one to take the picture and although you can not tell from this shot, but I am not doing the ol' fisherman's trick to make it look large- that claw is at the same level as my face NOT pushed out toward the camera in an effort to make it appear larger than it really is (DAD). Next Erin took the same claw for a picture and well things didn't go so well. As I was getting the camera ready I heard a screech and scream and splash. Apparently the claw "gizzed" on Erin and she freaked out and threw the claw over board. Phil - who is allergic to shelfish- had a look of disgust on his face and his reply "Was that the big one?" to which a giggling crew (Erin, Rick and myself) replied yes. I don't think Phil talked for about three minutes because he had worked so hard with that massive strong crab and in two seconds it was back in the sea...
Here are a few more shots from our adventure that day..
Thank you to Phil and Erin for the lessons in the art of crabbing. I can't wait to go again :)
Good luck and well wishes to Steve and Ashley Neff as they welcome a new member to the family. You are both going to be amazing parents! Love you !!
We miss you all - come visit soon
xoxo
R&M
I am not sure your description of crab legs as being spider like, etc. was very "veterinary" type talke:). Especially the "yuck" part.
ReplyDeleteI am not a marine nor spider veterinarian so I think its okay :)
ReplyDelete