Timing for crab quality

[wagonmaster]

Got out in the boat this past weekend (Jan. 27), first time since September. Caught a few good size crabs, but found that most were quite soft in that the legs etc. were maybe 60-70% full of meat. The bodies seemed quite full, but the legs not so much. For those out there that do a fair amount of crabbing, do you find times of year that produce firm, completely developed bodies. I once heard that you should go in months that have an "r" in them, but I have found this not to be the case. I recall catching some of the best crabs in July and August.

 

[bulldog10]

Got out in the boat this past weekend (Jan. 27), first time since September. Caught a few good size crabs, but found that most were quite soft in that the legs etc. were maybe 60-70% full of meat. The bodies seemed quite full, but the legs not so much. For those out there that do a fair amount of crabbing, do you find times of year that produce firm, completely developed bodies. I once heard that you should go in months that have an "r" in them, but I have found this not to be the case. I recall catching some of the best crabs in July and August.

A quick Google search will tell you when crabs molt and the month with a "r" bit is for clams and oysters. Don't wanna be eating them in the warmer months

 

[mbowers]

A quick Google search informed me that the Earth is flat. Also found this on crabs. Sounds like it's not very predictable when adult crab will be soft.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/crab/softshell.html

Data within Puget Sound suggests that while a given area may have one or two "peaks" of molting crab during the year, not all individual crabs adhere strictly to this pattern.

 

[Reeltime]

I just go, you will hit some nice ones out of molting ones, hit it before the commercial starts, always a bonus after salmon
fishing in the winter months , lol there's that big guy that never got caught by the commercial, i got him last week.

 

[Lucky Streak]

Great picture!

 

[Rockfish]

Where we fish them in Sooke the big factor for getting large quality hard shell dungies is not the when you fish, but rather how hard the commercial guys have recently been hammering the area where you put your traps down.

 

[Reeltime]

I used to put my traps down in the same place all the time every year with good results then one day it slowed
down 20 to 0 in the traps IN THE SPOT, thought damn commercial have cleared it out, almost gave up but that's
fishing so i went on the the hunt dropping 2 hour sets and got it dial'd in there out there, just have to move around
one day hot next day not and i'm talking about the big hearty purple backed ones, they seem to like a certain water.

I do this in the winter so i don't have to compete with the commercial and the summer crowed

 

[Oly1]

I used to put my traps down in the same place all the time every year with good results then one day it slowed
down 20 to 0 in the traps IN THE SPOT, thought damn commercial have cleared it out, almost gave up but that's
fishing so i went on the the hunt dropping 2 hour sets and got it dial'd in there out there, just have to move around
one day hot next day not and i'm talking about the big hearty purple backed ones, they seem to like a certain water.

I do this in the winter so i don't have to compete with the commercial and the summer crowed

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Got your picking down to a science I see. Nice work on the packing.

Oly

 

[Reelin In The Years]

I used to put my traps down in the same place all the time every year with good results then one day it slowed
down 20 to 0 in the traps IN THE SPOT, thought damn commercial have cleared it out, almost gave up but that's
fishing so i went on the the hunt dropping 2 hour sets and got it dial'd in there out there, just have to move around
one day hot next day not and i'm talking about the big hearty purple backed ones, they seem to like a certain water.

I do this in the winter so i don't have to compete with the commercial and the summer crowed

View attachment 43143
View attachment 43144

How the heck do you manage to shuck all that crab and not eat it all, while doing it?
Crab and Lucky, nothing much better.

 

[Reeltime]

How the heck do you manage to shuck all that crab and not eat it all, while doing it?
Crab and Lucky, nothing much better.

Haha trust me i'm dying just to put a scoop in my mouth, my wife is right beside doing all the tiny fingers and hard
parts that drive me crazy, i get to do the easy parts and drink beer to keep the mouth busy, it's all worth it on a
weekend, pull a pack out when your craving a Bacon n egg benny topped with dungeness crab and a Youtube homemade
Hollandaise sauce, now i'm hungry!!

 

[Hagar]

Hi Lucky Streak was wondering how you like your boat is that the carmanah , I bought one last year?

 

[Lucky Streak]

I'll PM you

 

[Hagar]

I'll PM you

Did you get my message?