Currituck Sound Report July 10 -17, 2022

[LKNGreg]

July 10-17 Annual Vacation to Sanderling – Duck, NC and crabbed in the Currituck Sound.  Best week of crabbing I have had in my life.   Used 5 full pots and one half pot off the dock.  Could not get pots out on Sunday due to storms. 

Set out the 5 pots Monday at 7 am with Chicken as bait in the middle of sound about a 2 mile boat ride.   12 hours later jackpot we have over 20 keepers and 10-12 smaller crabs.  (Blue tote pic).  Head to Bob's bait and tackle in Duck buy another half pot to use one as the crabby condo or holding pen to keep them alive until we steam the group.  Learned that leaving some food in the crabby condo is a good idea and the crabs did not kill each other and could stay about 2 days with about 20 crabs per half pot without issue.
       
Reset pots in about same place and let them soak for 22 hours.  This time 24 keepers with an average size of 6+ inches.   We steam 44 crabs Tuesday evening and realize we only have three people eating crabs and have too many to keep crabbing.  (never had that "problem" before).  Remember reading about Saxon having the same issue and thought that will never happened to me, LOL.
   
We put the crabs in an ice bath, remove top shell, lungs and under apron, then spray them with a hose to clean the digestive track.  Steam for 15 minutes in a large stock pot layering about 10 crabs per pot with a nice old bay coating and cut lemons.
   
Set pots out on Wednesday afternoon this time using white perch and chicken. Let them soak until Friday morning and we have over 35 keeper sized crabs plus 4-5 small crabs.   We throw back all smalls,  any females and or crabs under 6".    This is crazy in previous 2-3 years we would have gladly kept any crab over 5 inches.   We end up with  about 25 nice male crabs 6" or greater.   

Reset pots Friday morning pulled them on Saturday morning and about the same results the day before.   Steam 49 crabs on Saturday evening. 
Overall, we steamed 93 crabs bringing about 4 dozen home that were all steamed on Saturday and shared with family and friends.    Very fortunate and grateful for being able to catch and enjoy so many crabs, the last 3 or 4 years were not as good but always good to be out there. 

[saxon4646]

Way to get on those crabs ! I haven't been in 54-5 weeks here because of truck problems, One thing after another and its NEVER good when any shop has your vehicle for 6 days !!!!!! Going to get back at it ASAP but until then- its AWESOME to hear of a report and especially a good one.

[seabass]

Wow Greg, looks like you hit the mother load. You found the honey hole. Very fine catch, good to see you on the crabs. Thanks for sharing a mighty fine report!


Greg

[Mr. Ray III]

Man I miss seeing pots like that.

[limp1978]

Heading down to duck in two weeks. What are the residential regs down there re pots?

[limp1978]

Greg,
How deep were you crabbing for these?