Barnegat Municipal Dock 8-3-24

[NOREAST]

20 ring traps baited with c/n's
Water temperature 80.3- 81.0 degrees
Culled at 5"
Incoming tide
With Mother Nature calling for some heavy winds and possibly thunderstorms, i made the decision to go crabbing. First run of 20 traps we caught around 40 crabs with only 1 being a keeper. That's how the day went, catching hundreds of little guys along with a couple dozen females that went back. Best run was 4-5 keepers. Tossed about a dozen nice size thin shells also. Ended the day with a couple dozen of nice quality crabs. Stopped at the dock and talked to a gentleman who wasn't having much luck with 3 keepers. Gave him around 1 1/2 dozen crabs measuring 4 3/4" - 5". He was very appreciative, and that's why i do it. Captain took a big green-head bite to the back of the leg that created some good conversation about why she doesn't like crabbing this time of year. Keep count on how many time we ran the line, 14 times. Now i know why I'm so tired and the end of a crabbing trip. FYI: locked in at the 4 day Wye party crabbing marathon at the end of September, looking forward to meeting you folks.

[crewstation]

Repeat the above post for 8-4-24.  Caught a gazillion crabs.  Came home with 75.  Probably should have come home with 50 of them, but sometimes you gotta take what the bay gives you.

Ray, so glad to hear that you and Joyce are going to make it down to the Wye gathering.