Wye Report July 6, 2006

[zamira]

The day started with a 2 hour delay. The weather channel kept changing the forecast from heavy rain to sunshine.  Finally decided to give it a try. Got to the Wye Landing around 8am, all parking lots were taken so had to park along the road. 

First tried around Pickering creek with 2 horseshoe crabs and a 3' baby blue crab.  After 12pm went to Lloyds creek. All commercial crabbers were pretty much gone, a few recreational left soon too. I think everyone thought the weather was too crapy (clouds and occasional rain drops) and the crabs did not bite at all. Around 2pm the sun came out and we caught our first 7' crab. That's when the fun began. Between 2-4.3pm caught about 3/4 bushel, all males and  6.5-8'. Had 20 traps, most crabs were caught in 8-14 feet of water. Water temp was 79 degrees, but wind made it feel a lot colder. At one point I regretted for not throwing sweat pants in a bag.
But when the same came out it turned out to be very pleasant.

While the day was only half good, it turned out to be better for us. First time we crabbed with that many traps and it was a challenge at first maneuvering a 90HP boat around the buyes. Not having anyone around made it easier to practice checking the traps. However another challenge was in a tide. The traps/buyes seemed to move away from the shore and into deeper waters...some turned out to catch us crabs, while others had to be taken back to shallower waters.

We still had lots of fun! Will post pics later...Bed time!
 
here are the pics. we keep crabs in a cooler with ice till we get home, makes it bulky with 2 coolers on a boat but well worth it - all are alive for cooking!

Steamed crabs last night with vinegar, water, and old bay. Had friends over for dinner. I had to use two huge pots to cook 3/4 bushel and have a question to guys who catch 2 bushels. What size pots do you have and is there a pot that would fit a bushel? If so where do you get it? Also, are there places that sell old bay by lbs? (old bay, not salt seasoning mixed with old bay)

[deaddeer]

nic catch i m go'n out agin on sat 2 try the trout line last week i t worked good in 4.30 hours ended with 2 bushel 

[Chesapeake Bay 630]

Nice job

[Krabinator]

Zamira, you can buy a 80 qt pot on ebay or make a steamer from a stainless steel keg....  The Keg is the less expensive way to go but requires a bit of work...  http://www.blue-crab.org/forum/index.php/topic,8545.0.html
Also Costco has 5lb cans of old bay but JO Spice is very popular for cooking crabs around here and is easier to find in volume.  Chesapeake Outdoors carries qt containers of JO and I just bought small bucket of it at Mars supermarket...

[horsefly]

Love the home bottom rack for the crab to sleep on in the pot. You may want check into Harbor Spice company for seasoning. They sell the stuff in 50 lb boxes which is good for about 6 to 9 bu. depended how spicey/coated you like. They make blends for retailers and I think you can buy a standard from them. Sorry I dont have the ph#handy but they're located in Balt. Check on the prices for me too, last I heard it was around $30-40 a box. Not bad I thought. I wish Sams sold in larg bulk like that. Loved the pics. Funny that you use two pots and cook indoors;) My father in-law has a custom made pot that holds two bushels, mine holds a bushel. I bought it at local True Value for about $80.00 and had to add 1" bolts to the strainer. Without out the bolts the bottom layer of crabs would boil and be water logged in a gross layer of crab poo.

[Krabinator]

Harbor Spice Co., Inc.
100 Industry Lane
Forest Hills, MD 21050
410-893-9500


Spices & Seasonings (Industrial)

 
 

[Krabinator]

Oh a couple things... If you are going to use a big honkin pot you probably want to invest in a turkey frier type outdoor burner...  I don't think a regular stove will cut it... Prices will vary but the best I've seen was at walmart for about $25 on clearance...  Ususally sell for about $40 elsewhere....

[Felinis]

You don't have to steam them all at once - do 1/2 bushel, then do the second half while people are eating. Remember that they continue to cook unless removed from the pot.

Do NOT re-use the liquid.

[R D]

Habor Spice works well.just bought # 40,if you clean them first then you don't have to use as much spice and you can fit a lot more in the cooker. 

[TBirdCrabber]

Why can't you reuse the liquid? I use beer and water and reuse it for 3-4 batches most times I get crabs (same night, then toss). Is there a health reason to refresh liquid?

Brian

[zamira]

Thanks for the tips on a pot and spices.  We are amateur crabbers (never used more than 5 traps before, now 20) and one lobster pot used to fit all of our catch...this time had to pull out another one. Thanks god I had some in stock from when I can tomatoes, peaches, plums, etc. (plum jelly is the last thing I canned this week, you can see jars on the right of the stove)

Always use a wooden rack to keep crabs from touching water, mix 1-1 water and vinegar and lots of old bay...I am going to call Harbor Spice and post their prices here later (nobody was in the office when I called now)

[zamira]

Habor Spice works well.just bought # 40,if you clean them first then you don't have to use as much spice and you can fit a lot more in the cooker. 

How do you clean a live crab? Also, we always steamed them live, otherwise they release some kind of a toxin (what I read before) if you cook them not live...any ideas on this?

[R D]

How do you clean a live crab? Also, we always steamed them live, otherwise they release some kind of a toxin (what I read before) if you cook them not live...any ideas on this?

You got to be tough, just kidding we stick them in the freezer or in slush water for a little while to calm them down so you can clean em, i have eat many a dead crab with no ill effects,that said it's because i know how fresh it was, what conditions it was kept in,and i cleaned it

[Joe Crabs]

Good job, it was tough out there persistency pays off.

[zamira]

was not an easy day, that's for sure...but we were happy to catch enough to steam! our best catch so far to be honest.

[Crabbeer]

I gotta tell ya Z, I read your report and it motivated me to head out this afternoon.  Thanks for the report and pics.  I appreciate you sharing info.

[zamira]

I gotta tell ya Z, I read your report and it motivated me to head out this afternoon.  Thanks for the report and pics.  I appreciate you sharing info.

2 hour drive down... we definately were not going home without at least a dozen! 

[sassy]

Zamira, Since you are located on the Gunpowder you may go down Rt 40 to get to the Wye. I get JO spices by the bucket (can't remember the size) at Bay Ace Hardware which is located on Rt 40 between North East and Elkton. They had 2 different kinds, one has more salt in it than the other.
We haven't been out yet this year but hope to go this afternoon if we can convince the kids to go with us.
Sassy

[zamira]

Hi Sassy,

Thanks for the information. Will see if we can stop there on the way back. 

July 17-21 we will be camping at the point lookout. Anyone been crabbing there?

Z

[Miocene]

Nice crabs!

Jo Spice has an outlet store right off the Balt. Beltway. See here for more details: http://www.jospices.com/

[southswell]

Harbor Spice Rules!!!!!! So many different blends! IMHO only

[R D]

And IMHO too, I still sprinkel a little Old Bay just for the smell

[zamira]

what's IMHO?

[R D]

In My Humble Opinion 

[tattoo]

NICE going.