|
USING CRAB TRAPS, POTS & LINES TO CATCH BLUE CRABS:
Despite its fearsome appearance and aggressive nature, the blue crab is greatly cherished on the U.S. East Coast. Many gourmets prefer the blue crab's sweet meat over all other locally-caught seafood. This interesting animal is often sought by recreational fishermen and it also supports a considerable commercial fishery.
The blue crab requires both inshore brackish waters and high salinity ocean waters to complete its life cycle. They are common from Massachusetts to Texas and a few have been reported as far north as Nova Scotia and as far south as Uruguay. The Chesapeake Bay, North Carolina and Louisiana support the largest blue crab fisheries.
Although other small swimming crabs in this family (Portunidae) occur locally, only the blue crab is of significant commercial or recreational importance. The blue crab's scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, translates to "savory beautiful swimmer."
The most common type of commercial fishing gear is the crab pot which is a cubical wire trap with two or four entrance funnels. The pot has two chambers, a lower chamber which has the entrance funnels and the bait well and an upper chamber that is separated from the lower chamber by a wire partition that has two holes. The blue crab's natural reaction to confinement is to swim upward.
In doing so, they move into the upper chamber, thereby reducing their chances for escape. The crab pot was first introduced in Chesapeake Bay in about 1936, but was not widely used in other regions until the late 1950's.
Recreational blue crab fishermen employ several fishing gears and methods. Be sure to check the local State Regulations where you intend to crab for license requirements and catch limits. Whether fishing from a dock or boat, recreational crab pots should have a marked float and enough line
to prevent the float from being submerged at high tide. Recreational crabbers should also be careful not to leave a pot in an area that would expose the pot and crabs at low tide. Pots should be checked daily and catches can often be doubled if the pots are checked twice per day. To remove crabs, pull the wire apart and shake the crabs into a tub or bucket. Some stubborn crabs may have
to be dislodged with a stick. Remember that crabs can pinch, so be very careful about putting your hand in a pot.
Drop nets and collapsible traps, usually baited with chicken necks or bunker, can be fished from docks and bridges. Another effective recreational method called "dipping" or "hand-lining" requires a long-handled dip net, several yards of string and bait. The bait, usually a chicken neck or fish head, is tied to the string and thrown into the water away from the bank. Once a tug is felt, the crabber pulls the bait and crab
close enough to be quickly dipped from the water and placed into a waiting bucket. The beginner should be cautious when handling a blue crab since the pinch of the powerful claws can be extremely painful. Always approach from the rear when picking up a crab. An experienced crabber can quickly grab the base of one of its swimming
legs while holding the claws down with some object. Should a crab get a hold on a finger, it is usually best not to pull it off. First, try letting it hang; many times the crab will release and drop. If the crab will not release, use the free hand to immobilize the other claw and slowly bend the offending claw backward until the crab releases it.
Crabs can be caught during all twelve months, but become inactive in winter when water temperature falls below 50-55° F. As temperatures rise in the Spring, catch rates increase rapidly. The best time of year to harvest large, heavy crabs is usually from August to December, depending on the region. Mature females are typically near the ocean, but large males are most common in the rivers, creeks and back bays. |
