Buying fresh Blue Crabs on Panhandle

[klyde]

Hello all, I just found this fourm.
    I live in South Alabama just off 331, 99 miles from the coast. We are originally from Maryland and when I was a kid we used to catch crabs from a row boat in Chase Maryland we never had any traps just string and fish heads for bait tied off all sides of the boat, using a chicken wire dip net. I dont ever remember bringng in less than 5-10 dozen per trip, with 4 people dipping.
  Anyway, there is no place to buy fresh crabs around here that I know of. So the wife and I ocasonally drive to Panama City Beach or Deston area in search of a place to buy some live blue crabs, which has been very hit and miss. Can someone recommend some places to buy with a phone number so we can call and make sure they save some for us? Private email probley would be best for the phone number.
  Another question, what is the best way to keep crabs for consumption at a later date. We have tried steaming, cleaning and freezing them in the shell, but they dont save good.

thanks
larrylwill@gmailREMOVE THIS.com

[Crabcruncher]

In Panama city, try Buddy Gandys. They have them every day. They usually come in around noon. 1.99 lb. You pick what you want out of crate. Good deal. Phone# 850-784-0663

CC

[classicbobb]

Crabs for sale in ocean springs mississippi im from maryland,starting a new business here call THE CRABPOT we sale live or steamed crabs the maryland, also shrimp and crab traps phone 228-826-2856

[ncshellfish]

I currently live in Wilmington, NC but i used to live on 331 in Freeport Fl.  I would peddle crabs on the side of the road. I did not do well selling but the crabs were spectacular. I shedded soft crabs as big as 1 lb. each. Oh, try goat feathers  on i think grayton beach, i used to sell them a few crabs. When the time was right, great crabbing off the 331 bridge, giant crabs, Good luck, Brad

[DocSmith]

I drive Hwy 331 from Hwy 98 through Freeport about every three weeks, but I rarely see anyone crabbing off the causeway or bridge, but sometimes there is a trawler docked alongside the road.  I do see a lot of large clusters of sticks off to the east, which I assume are fish traps or holding pens of some sort.  Did you use pots, traps, or handlines?

Doc

[ncshellfish]

I used traps. I did not do well because the other crabbers had the handful of restaurants that used crabs locally and the alternative was carrying them all the way to Panama City. I was set up to shed softcrabs and managed a trickle. The crabs were spectacular but just didnot do the volume. The poles off to the east were put there by eglin years ago i was told. They had some sort of radar deflectors on them, and a hadful still do. I enjoyed my time in the Redneck Riveria. Visited friends there last summer.

[R D]

How were you catching your peelers, with pots?? and where did you try at??

[DocSmith]

The sticks look like small trees with the branches cut off and stuck in the bottom - there are bout 50 or so a few feet apart in an approximate circle.  They wouldn't hold a radar reflector. Thanks for the info - I hope things are working out better in Wilmington.

Doc

[Crabcruncher]

Doc

You dont think.....it has to be....Crab Circles...

Awful close to those UFO sightings near your way.

 :laugh:Cc

[R D]

Doc

You dont think.....it has to be....Crab Circles...

Awful close to those UFO sightings near your way.

 :laugh:Cc

Those sightings were at Gulf Breeze weren't they??, 

[ncshellfish]

Not sure about the crab cicles, but the acres of poles almost to the far shore are the remnants of radar reflectors put there by Eglin Airforce Base. Eglin is on the other end of the bay. I was using peeler pots trying to catch walkins. My walkins for the most part showed too little sign. I caught more peelers in the hard crab traps with a two day soak. Too many jimmies around for baiting traps with jimmies. I have lease bottom in SC on a friends lease, where i have 400,000 clams (harvested 170,000 this past winter). Here in Wilmington i work a part time job and nursery baby clams for other people and plan to pursue oyster mariculture. They grow faster and worth more money if sold as singles for the raw bar trade. I enjoyed Florida but more properous where I came from.