Let's go crabbing!
If you have never been crabbing, you are missing a lot of fun!
The common range of the Atlantic Blue Crab is from New England to Texas so try crabbing:
Piers
Docks
Low Bridges
Beaches
Bayous
Rivers
Streams
Gulf of Mexico
Bays
There are many techniques to catching the Blue Crab:
Grab a fishing pole or a string baited with pieces of either raw fish, fish heads, liver, gizzards or a raw chicken neck.
Toss your line in the water and chances are you will catch a crab!
Have a long handled net ready, reel him in slowly, and scoop him up out of the water! Be sure you have a bucket close by to drop him in.
Another fun way to catch crabs is to chase them with a handled dip net on a beach or low tide waters! You'll have to be quick!
If you want a lot of crabs:
Set a crab basket/pot. There are numerous styles of crab baskets/pots. The choices are governed by state laws and then your preference.
A lot of recreational "crabbers" use chicken necks for bait.
The chicken necks are tied inside of the crab basket.
The basket/pot is lowered into the water and depending on where you are crabbing, you may catch one or ten!
To empty the crab basket/pot:
Have a tall plastic bucket or a wood hamper ready.
Open the trap door on the crab basket/pot and gently shake the basket so the crabs fall in the bucket.
Do not fill the bucket with water! The crabs will suffocate as the oxygen
level decreases. Keep the bucket out of the sun and covered with a wet towel.
The other method is to have the bucket full of ice. The ice makes the
Blue Crab go 'dormant.' Live Blue Crabs can also be kept in a refrigerator.
Consult your local authorities for safe handling and consumption of all perishable seafood.
Be sure to check with your local fishing authorities for all applicable saltwater fishing license requirements.