Crabbing

[buzz]

I feel like eating crabs this weekend, but they are so damn expensive.

Time to go crabbing.

The plan is to take the little lady out on the canoe and use some hand lines and collapsible traps. Haven't figured out where yet. Colton's Point, Piney Point, Point Lookout, or Solomons.... haven't quite decided yet. Any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

[Frogsauce]

I've had terrible luck with crabs off Chesapeake beach. Hopefully someone else has had better. luck

[Yak Fish]

I've been itching to get some crabs in my belly too! I usually wait until July in the upper bay. Otherwise I get all smalls. Let us know how you do.

[mweber02]

We looked into getting crabs yesterday. We must have called half a dozen places in Harford Co. $40+ for SMALLS! Medium/Large were around $80. That's just crazy stupid. This might be the year to try hand-lining myself.

[Yak Fish]

We looked into getting crabs yesterday. We must have called half a dozen places in Harford Co. $40+ for SMALLS! Medium/Large were around $80. That's just crazy stupid. This might be the year to try hand-lining myself.

I'll tell ya, after last year, that sounds cheap compared to the effort I put in on a trotline with very few. A half day with a dozen crabs was typical production....way way down from previous years. But they were gigantic.

[Shady]

caught 5 in 2.5 hours today on the Severn. YEEHAW!

[buzz]

I was reading that fresh eels lure the crabs in better than chicken necks.
Does anyone know a place in St. Mary's county that sells fresh eels?

[Shady]

Not sure its worth the extra effort/cost. If they're there you'll get them on chicken, fish, clams, whatever...

Sent from the water.

[buzz]

Just want to increase my odds considering the sad state the crab fishery is in right now.

I've read that when it comes to crab bait eels are #1, followed by cut fish, and then chicken.
So I figured I would get some eels and also bring my cast net to try and collect some spot. I've never bought eels before and wasn't aware they were expensive.

[MetroMan]

Time to place a call to my boy in FL to get some jumbos shipped up!

[dhawk]

so hope i can catch a few soon

[eyedaddy]

What I do is when I go perch fishing we filet them and save the heads and backbone section and freeze in a zip-lock bag till we have enough. We put the head in a crab trap and just use a zip tie through the mouth and tie into the bottom of the trap, the same with the backbone section. the crabs love them and its cheaper than trying to buy bait not to mention you are recycling!

[Pc4sun]

What I do is when I go perch fishing we filet them and save the heads and backbone section and freeze in a zip-lock bag till we have enough. We put the head in a crab trap and just use a zip tie through the mouth and tie into the bottom of the trap, the same with the backbone section. the crabs love them and its cheaper than trying to buy bait not to mention you are recycling!

Mike, great idea! I wish I thought of that last week when I had a bunch of croaker skeletons.

[daolai]

Did you guys purchase the crabbing license for an extra $10/year?

[buzz]

Did you guys purchase the crabbing license for an extra $10/year?

Got mine... but its much cheaper than that for MD residents.
$2 if you have a Bay & Coastal permit and $5 if you don't.

http://dnr.maryland.gov/service/fish...cense.asp#CRAB