What About Box Crabs?

[Breakin"even]

Does anyone trap Box Crabs around Nanaimo? I heard they don't fit reg crab traps but I haven't
seen small ones in my traps. I also heard the live deeper than Dungies.

 

[MadJigga]

They come up shallow in the winter. Spearfishers grab them up. They’re supposed to be really tasty!

 

[saanauk]

Are you looking for Brown Box crabs or the Puget Sound King crab box crabs? The ones below are Puget Sound King crab we see diving all the time. They are normally spotted on steep rocky drop offs which would be a hard place to set pots for. Don’t see to many Brown Box crabs.

 

[Breakin"even]

That looks like the one I saw on Utube, I heard they are very tasty but if they hang around structure that
might be why I havent cought any. They must forage for food though, I never put pots near structure before
but they if they are out there it might be worth a try. The guy in the video used a cheap box trap but bent the openings
larger for them to get in, If you can trust he was truthfull or just trying to make money with videos.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

Got these two in normal crab traps two years ago south of Silva bay. To be honest I prefer Dungeness crab

 

[Breakin"even]

They are crazy looking, Why do you prefer Dungeness over the Box crab Marty?

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

I thought the meat wasn’t as sweet as a dungee and it had more intense flavour which wasn’t my taste

 

[Breakin"even]

I found that with Rock Crab, about taste I have not soaked crab pots for awhile now. Most of my
trapping was in Kitimatt and What they call Hadia Guwaii now and we only kept big ones as they where
so plentifull, they tasted amazing. In Nanaimo I set traps on my way to Fingers and cought the odd barely
leagle crab and they had no flavour so I stopped.

 

[Rain City]

I didn't like them. Like Party said they're a more intense flavor.

 

[saanauk]

There is something about their gills or guts that gives them a strong flavor. Key is to catch and clean immediately.

 

[Rain City]

There is something about their gills or guts that gives them a strong flavor. Key is to catch and clean immediately.

Mine stunk when we cleaned them

 

[RiverBoy]

we got into quite a few in knight inlet a few years back. they fit in my conventional crab traps. we were crabbing in over 200 plus feet of water. they were huge; have no idea how they got in. the guy i was with really wanted them so i never tasted it but he said they have a membrane on the meat that needs to be skinned off? cannot personally confirm or deny. i gladly took more dungies as i prefer the safe bet

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

I would like to try them. Diving buddy has told me a spot, I should give them a go. Definitely need to look into the membrane thing.

 

[saanauk]

Kind of interesting what they eat as not what you think of normal crab diet.
Food: The diet of these crabs is mainly sea urchins, barnacles, starfish, especially sunflower stars and brittle stars, sea anemones, and other echinoderms. They capture their prey with their claws, and each claw has a specific use for eating their food. The left claw is used to crush the animal, and then the right claw is for cutting it and finer handling of the food.

 

[tinboatrobb]

These can be found inside the Victoria breakwater. Not in great numbers but they are there.

 

[Breakin"even]

Interesting info. on there diet Saanauk and cleaning immediately is the way to go. The Rock Crab
I cought where strong flavoured so I made a white sauce with wine and parmesan cheese and that helped with the stronger flavour of the Box Crad, served on rice.

 

[eroyd]

A childhood memory and a fascination. One of the Fish & Chip Shops our family frequented way back had a huge one on display on their wall. C & U, Haultain? Too bad they aren't good eating. I always assumed they were like a stubby King Crab.

 

[MadJigga]

I haven’t tried but know many who love them. They look forward to them every year. Hmm

 

[tinboatrobb]

Sea to you fish n chips shelbourne plaza.

 

[Samnjoe]

We have picked a few up diving and they are awesome IMO.
Somewhere between Dungy and lobster.