Pax Report 4/25/09

crabtracker · April 25, 2009, 08:18:56 PM

First crab of the season, 3ft. water, black & heavy, 5 total, not much but a start. Can you guess where I am?

KALknowsRAE · April 25, 2009, 08:34:12 PM

In ecstasy??

griz · April 25, 2009, 09:21:29 PM

mybe the same spot i was in friday,steamed a small pot full last night.it's getin better each day.

tattoo · April 25, 2009, 09:27:47 PM

Nice catch, WTG,

SSGW · April 25, 2009, 09:31:16 PM

Nice Catch! Making me want to get out more and more!

Lugnut · April 26, 2009, 12:06:49 AM

Quote from: crabtracker on April 25, 2009, 08:18:56 PM
First crab of the season, 3ft. water, black & heavy, 5 total, not much but a start. Can you guess where I am?

Nice to see some so early. Near the benedict bridge?

crabtracker · April 26, 2009, 07:44:44 AM

boatnazi and lugnut are both right.

crabbinspaz · April 26, 2009, 08:01:45 AM

It was nice meeting crabtracker yesterday. What a wonderful day it was. I had to go and give it a try and ended up with 32 crabs + 3 that crabtracker gave me.

crabtracker · April 26, 2009, 08:14:00 AM

glad things picked up for you ,maybe i should have stayed a little later.

Mr. Breeze · April 26, 2009, 08:29:56 AM

Spaz, They look like some really nice crabs. A word of advise.....Don't let crabs remain upside down in your basket. They will die quickly upside down.

dfran · April 26, 2009, 09:03:52 AM

Quote from: Mr. Breeze on April 26, 2009, 08:29:56 AM
Spaz, They look like some really nice crabs. A word of advise.....Don't let crabs remain upside down in your basket. They will die quickly upside down.

Why is that

? Never heard that before

crabster2 · April 26, 2009, 10:24:44 AM

Good advice Rich.

R D · April 26, 2009, 10:53:25 AM

Quote from: dfran on April 26, 2009, 09:03:52 AM
Why is that ? Never heard that before

Just a observation from many years of handling large volumes of crabs,we have found that the ones upside down seem to die more quickly.

Mr. Breeze · April 26, 2009, 12:28:13 PM

Quote from: dfran on April 26, 2009, 09:03:52 AM
Why is that ? Never heard that before

other than occassionally hanging on the trotline upside down,or a female mating, have you ever seen a crab on its back in nature? Next time you're at the ramp, and you have a good catch, take a crab from your basket, and put it in the shallow water upside down. See how long it takes to turn itself right side up. The organs in the crab are designed to function best with the shell up.

Lugnut · April 26, 2009, 12:33:51 PM

Quote from: crabtracker on April 26, 2009, 07:44:44 AM
boatnazi and lugnut are both right.

Ha! Cool

Quote from: crabbinspaz on April 26, 2009, 08:01:45 AM
It was nice meeting crabtracker yesterday. What a wonderful day it was. I had to go and give it a try and ended up with 32 crabs + 3 that crabtracker gave me.

What depth did you find them at? Taking grandpa out Saturday with a trot line. He wants to hit the Point Lookout area though. Got my fingers crossed.

stanski80 · April 26, 2009, 06:09:36 PM

man now i am real jealous of you guys i need to get the traps out of the shed and head out to the river and give it a try

crabbinspaz · April 26, 2009, 11:00:13 PM

when I got there, 9am, the water temp was 66 and low tide, by 2pm still only had 4 crabs and tide was now moving crabs were caught in 4' 5' 6' of water most were at 4' nice heavy crabs and very sweet. Thanks for that advise on the crabs upside down, never heard that but will try and keep close eye on it, never really had any die on me yet. Last year didn't go as much as the year before due to price of gas but down there gas was 1.89 gal so hoping this holds out and I will be able to go as much as I like to. Talked to a guy over the winter and told me to try and steam them upside down and they are great this way. I still will take cleaned before steamed but will not steam the original way with hard shell up, they really get the flavor of the jo in them with the belly up.

Joe~~

CrabmanC27C · April 26, 2009, 11:32:14 PM

Quote from: boatnazi on April 25, 2009, 08:34:12 PM
In ecstasy??

Neat catch.

Lugnut · April 27, 2009, 07:32:54 AM

Quote from: crabbinspaz on April 26, 2009, 11:00:13 PM
when I got there, 9am, the water temp was 66 and low tide, by 2pm still only had 4 crabs and tide was now moving crabs were caught in 4' 5' 6' of water most were at 4' nice heavy crabs and very sweet. Joe~~

Thanks Joe! I have my fingers crossed for this weekend. My girlfriends gramps has never been crabbing before so I'm REALLY hoping for a good haul. Shoot, this is only my second season running a trotline myself! Before this I used topless traps or just chicken necked off a pier.

tattoo · April 27, 2009, 10:11:05 AM

good luck , have a great time , GO GET THEM CRABS