Transporting Your Catch Home

[CrazyStups]

Ive been searching the forum and reading up on transporting your catch home.  It seems there are many methods.  (Wooden bushel basket with wet burlap on top, cooler with ice keeping crabs off the ice, dipping the crabs at the dock before ride home)

Whats the preferred method for a 2.5 hour drive home? 

I have plenty of wooden bushel baskets and I also have a 70quart cooler. 

[Dreampixels]

Place something in you cooler to raise the crabs out of any water that might collect - throw a bag on ice on top of the crabs - close the cooler lid but do not seal it - close it in a way that air can get in and pull the plug on the cooler - they will be as good as they can be.

Oh yea do not allow the road wind to enter the cooler - place it so the direction of wind is into the hinge of the cooler.

[CrazyStups]

Thanks for the reply.  I will do as you suggested.  I have a hard tonneau cover on my truck so they cooler should be out of the wind. 

[Dreampixels]

here is a CAUTION POINT - when you get home and are ready to cook those crabs - should you find some which are limp and appear dead - allow them to warm a bit and watch their face parts - often times the will be very dormate do to the cold temps - especially those right on the ice.

If ya think there are dead ones - remove the apron on those you suspect are dead and cook them - when you find a missing apron while eating them sneak up on it for taste and texture - I have done this many times and have found few uneatable crabs.

Normally my nose knows a bad crab - Ammonia

[botsman]

I like the tip on removing the apron on ones that might be dead, I'll try that one with the next trip, thanks

[CrazyStups]

Thanks for the reply's!  All good advise 

[Ronster]

That's what the site is all about.

[headbanger]

Thank you guys, good help once again, that is what I am here for....  to learn.

[1BadTitan]

I drive from the Narrows up to PA. I keep them in the poly plastic basket. I usually drape a bay water soaked towel overtop and bungee it on. I leave the basket in the lowest part of the boat. Havent had one dead yet.

[KALknowsRAE]

Normally my nose knows a bad crab - Ammonia

If it smells like amonia, leave it alonia.

[flounderpounder]

If it smells like amonia, leave it alonia.

 

if it smells like fish?