Had a heck of a nite gigging.....

[WestEndAngler]

I could have collected a bucket full of stone crab claws over last few days. What is the secret to finding a soft shell crab. I have tried going during a full moon on a special month of the year when they are reported to be most prevalent etc. Never saw one! They all had hard shells. I have researched etc. Has anyone ever stumbled across a soft shell blue crab? How long do they molt? When?

[Stinging Bee]

Re: Had a heck of a nite gigging.....

When I snatch em up it usually results in a scenario as in your profile pic

[Little Boat]

Good stuff, Burly. So does stingin Bee pen them down with his boot and then pick up by the rear and chuck'em in the ice box?

Thanks for leaving the females. A few more females surviving means a whole bunch more of males in the next couple years.

[burly]

And little boat we only go after the males also!

[burly]

He's right all males. No gig needed walkin the marsh. Stinging bees crazy arse just picks em up. I'll be sure and video it next time. I on the other hand put one barb in the middle of em! Clean em at the truck and put em on ice. Never got sick off crabs before and I've waited to clean em the next afternoon even. Easier to clean em if they been on ice an hour. Not as frisky

[Little Boat]

Just curious. Did you gig the crabs? I would assume that killed them & I've always heard & read that crabs must be alive when cleaned or cooked or a poison is immediately released into thei meat.

It is my understanding that there is nasty bacteria in the crab's entrails, when the crab dies, the bacteria will start multiplying rapidly and that's where the toxins come from. If the crab is gigged, I'd think it should be cleaned fairly quickly, like maybe within an hour. Rip the shell off, wash the guts out, and then put the body on ice. or refrigerate. They'll easily keep at least 24 hours like that, probably much longer.

I'm thinking all the poison hoopla may be a little overstated. Probably not as bad as it is made out to be. Still, I'm not willing to push very far beyond the conventional wisdom. Does anyone know anyone who got sick off of bad crabs?

[Little Boat]

I've come to greatly respect Little Boats prowess in his observation and analytical skills. I still use his mapping study to locate productive fishing areas.

That makes my day, Ole K. I appreciate that.

[Little Boat]

Root Canal is correct, the females will have some orange or red on the claws. In the photo, I don't see a bit of orange anywhere.

I'm not quite sure on the timing of migrations, but the females spend more time out in the Gulf than the males do. Almost all of the crabs I've been gettin' up in the marshes have been males. Just a small pre-pubescent female every now and then. When I do get a large female, I always throw them back, egg sponge or not

[Oleander Kayaker]

Ok man. How can you tell the crabs are male? They've already been cleaned and you can't see the underside.

I've come to greatly respect Little Boats prowess in his observation and analytical skills. I still use his mapping study to locate productive fishing areas.

[gus12343]

na na na nice

[CrabbyAggie]

Just curious. Did you gig the crabs? I would assume that killed them & I've always heard & read that crabs must be alive when cleaned or cooked or a poison is immediately released into thei meat.

[Root Canal]

Quite a haul. Hope the hand is OK.

Female crabs have RED at the tips of the claws. Male are ALL blue.

[RockFish11]

Ok man. How can you tell the crabs are male? They've already been cleaned and you can't see the underside.

Yea, What he said!

[Sisco Kid]

Nice

[S-troop]

Great job!