[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Let um land

They will stay alive for days. Make sure all of them are placed with the backs upward( they will die if upside down, may need to chill them in another ice chest to calm um down) drain plug pulled and tilt the chest so all water drains. Only need to ice the top layer. Can keep crabs for 5-6 days this way.

This is exactly how I keep crabs. Here is something I have saved.

Is it time to catch some crabs?????

When I go crabbing, I only do it from the boat. If I don't have some fish [Trout] heads, I will use whatever is the cheapest chicken....usually leg quarters or cut up a whole chicken.

To make it easier to put the bait on the string, I go the Walmart and buy a pack of metal shower curtain rod holders. I will sharpen the tip some so that it is easier to poke it through the bait. If you just tie the bait onto the string, the crabs will sometimes cut the line while eating and you loose your bait.

I will use several strings long enough to throw the bait 10+ feet away from the boat and have the bait drop down the the bottom. This allows you to cover a larger area. After the bait has been in the water for a little while [30 seconds to a couple minutes, depending on how fast they are coming to the bait] I will slowly....don't jerk the string....pull up the line. When the bait gets close to the surface, I put the dip net in the water…..below the bait/crabs….and scoop them up. It is important to get the net in the water below the bait, or you will not catch all the crabs. A large net with a 4+ foot long handle works best.

If the water is muddy, tie a knot in the line about a foot above the bait. This will give you an "indicator" for when to put the net in the water. Depending on the current, I use a 2 to 8oz weight.

I will also bring a clothes basket [covered with a towel when it is hot] to put all the crabs in. I also bring a 5 gallon bucket and some long “tongs”. I use the tongs to pick out the biggest crabs [6”+ tip to tip] and put them in the 5 gallon bucket. Then after putting 10 to 20 crabs in the bucket.......I count them as I put them into the ice chest and write down how many each bucket had in it.

If you open the ice chest every time you catch a crab..... all your ice will melt very quickly on a hot day. Bring a bucket.

When it is hot, it is important to have lots of ice to keep the crabs cold……and alive. If you don’t have enough ice, some of the crabs will die and the meat will be mushy after you cook the crab.

When the basket gets too many small crabs in it, I pull up the anchor, and take a ride away from this spot to dump the small crabs. That way, I don't keep catching the small crabs over and over again.

Moving water is the best, and don't be afraid to try where the current is really moving.....just need a lot more weight to hold the bait to the bottom.
************************************************** **********

Crabs….How to keep in ice chest 5-09

Keep them cool...

It is best if the ice does not touch the crabs.

Cover the crabs with a wet towel and then put a good layer of ice on top of the towel. Then put the ice chest in the shade, crack open the drain plug and tilt up the opposite end a little so any water will drain out.

Add ice as needed. If you are buying bag ice from the store....it does not last very long before it melts. Ice cubes or small blocks of ice last much longer. If you let all the ice melt, the crabs will go bad in a couple of hours.

It is best if you do this away from the house.....the water will smell some.