NJ Sad Crab Report

[CaptWilliecrab]

June 15,  003

    Today we crabbed all my favorite spots, all through Dividing Creek,  to the bay to Fortescue to Beaver Dam to Turkey point.   Catch was one 3 inch crab,  and thats it.   I have never been shut out on the creeks in my many years of crabbing.   So, I went to 4 different crab outlets,  no crabs for sale,  none coming in.   There are no crabs in the Bay after a very cold winter.   I am stunned.   However, the pro crabbers tell me the winter did kill a lot of crabs,  but they expect the crabs to make a comeback later in summer,  and no one is panicking.   It was sad though,  instead of a crab feast,  I wound up grilling burgers.  I guess I have been spoiled over my life by being able to catch all the crabs I want,  soon I will be over the shock,  and will go back out when some new crabs move into the creeks.   Capt Williecrab, creek explorer in Southern NJ

[Harriet]

That's so depressing   and my daughter & I really only have every other weekend to get out there!

*weeping*

[eelfisher]

i hear ya willycrab. i had to do the same thing today...hotdogs and hamburgers.

cant catch 'em or find anyone who has them

[Darrell]

I don't know how it goes in the Chesapeake Bay. I was told by a fellow from Reedville that crabbing is off. I do know that the bay area crabhouses have crabs. Tims Rivershore on the Potomac River south of Wash. DC had large crabs this weekend for 42.00 a dozen. Too much rain !

[spinfreak]

No crabs yet???  

I can't believe it. Halfeay through June, and nothing. Hopefully it'll pick up for you guys soon.

BTW WC....this is Steve....My fiance and myself met you a few years ago back in the creeks....I had the gray van, and I e-mailed you last year. Hope all is going well for you.

[Darrell]

I should have said that I was at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at Annapolis last weekend a week ago 6-8-03 for the Bay Swim. I saw many crab pots in shallow water on the western shore side but don't know how it was going. I will have to bring a ring trap on my next trip there to test the waters.

[NJ Grasshopper]

The lack of crabs so far has caused me to go to Tuckerton, Marina and get 20lbs. of Crawfish. ($3.50/lb. in quantities over 20 lb.)

Eric and Gale the owners - real nice people - 609-294-9090. They have a "Mudpuppie" farm in Hacks Neck, Va.

Great tasting - about 20 per lb. so five of us ate approx. 400! Yea .....I had my share plus.