Crab Plannin during the blizzard of 003 !

[Kodi]

I just look at it like this.  For the last 3 years we practically didn't have a winter AND we were short on rain.  And the crab harvest was certainly not very good.

This winter we had a bad one and we've gotten a lot of rain/snow over the last 6 or 7 months.

Maybe, just maybe the change will be for the better.  Guess I'm a glass half full person too.

Kodi

[Crabbyboy]

       Well, if your a die hard crabber, ya gotta have hope.

[waterman4456]

   Even though i don't think the drough plays a direct roll in crab population at least not like oysters i am a half full too

[NJ Grasshopper]

Hey guys ........ If all of our glasses are only 'half full' ....... lets tap another keg!!!!!

(Gotta have someting to do while we wait for May).

[Kodi]

I'm all fer tappin' another keg!  And let's make it my favorite....anything cold.

Kodi

[cw4340]

If theres crabs involed it gotta bee coors light!

[Bdc]

Well, this is sure some bad news. Any sign of any die off is bad w/ the way the crab #'s have been over the last 5-7 years. W/ the exception of last year...i had a very good year personally. However, this sure sounds bad. I know most of you won't want to hear this but........ my father tells me of a winter in the 70's that was so brutally cold, that the bays froze over like they did this year.(i think for a longer period of time). My girlfriend's father also tells me of that year....he was a surveyor at that time, and actually walked across the frozen bay. That's a site to imagine. Getting to the point....nj suspended crabbing that season. Now, i'm not sure if it was just for recreational crabbers. I know you commercial watermen out there that have been doing this your whole life remember what i'm talking about and can give an accurate account of this event.......So, there was no rec crabbing that year. The next year, well, my father said he has never seen anything like it. They were done in about 2 hour w/ 2 bushels filled. He said they were pulling up 2-3 crabs at a time in each trap. He said the rattling was incredible in the cages. They were the biggest fattest crabs he'd ever seen. I guess they had alot of time to beef up b/c the previous season was closed. As much as i would've loved to be alive for that....i don't know how i would've gotten through that previous summer w/ no crabbing.I guess we have to find out how significant the damage is before we start thinking if history should repeat itself. It's troubling.

[cw4340]

just gota hope alot of crabsset in deeper water  they w dont take the hit as bad. mother nature takes care of her own keep the faith !

[Kodi]

I remember that winter in the 70's well.  I think it was around 1977 or so...can't remember the exact year.  The bay did indeed freeze over and people were walking across it at the bay bridge.  It was amazing.  I personally didn't do the walk since the idea of 100 foot deep water under me didn't strike me as a good thing.

Can't say as I remember the crabbing season in Maryland being all that different the following summer but I could be wrong.

It was a bad winter that's for sure.  Way back in 1857 there was another really bad winter where the bay froze over again so it's all just mother nature.

Kodi

[Crabbyboy]

       Ya gotta hope for the best!

[jack1747]

That bdc guy looks like a poarcher we been looking for down here.  

[NJ Grasshopper]

He sure don't look like he eats many crabs!!!!