CRABS

[sam-cox]

CRABS

(Grading and Storage)

 

Peeler crabs are one of the best all-round baits an angler can have in the bait bucket.

However they are extremely expensive bait and often cost over a quid each.

In the spring the male crabs start to molt in good numbers. They can be collected buy looking under rocks and weed below the high water mark.

By mid June the males have basically finished molting and the females are on their way. The females can be collected in the same way as the males the only difference being that they are normally found beneath a large male crabs.

 

On returning from your crab collecting the crabs should be graded.

Grade then into jellies and poppers (that should be used ASAP as they do not store well), softies and crinklers (that store reasonably well), decent good peelers (that store very well), and crabs that have just started peeling (that store well).

 

Once graded the decent good peelers should be placed into a shallow tray and covered in damp rack weed then put into the coldest part of a fridge.

The softies and cricklers should be put in the warmest part of the fridge.

The crabs that have only just started peeling should be placed in to a shallow tray and covered in damp rack weed then put into a cool dry place like a shed.

 

By putting the good peelers and the softies into the fridge you have stopped the molting process. When they are cold the crabs metabolism is slowed right down to almost nothing.

 

By placing the crabs that are only just peeling into the shed you are allowing the peeling process to continue. Once the crabs are ready move to the fridge.

 

All the crabs should be given a drink by being put into seawater every day for around 15 minutes.

Holes can be drilled into the bottom of the trays and the crabs sprayed with seawater. But nothing really beats drenching them for 15 minutes.

 

Never leave your crabs in seawater for long, they use up all the oxygen in the water then drawn.!!!

 

ALL DEAD CRABS SHOULD BE REMOVED DAILY.

Edited February 3, 2006 by sam-cox

[tack4]

thanks sam for re posting great info m8 keep it comming

[Scotty T]

Nice post Sam, great information there. I hope this thread can stay alive, and the pathetic moronic 'members' of this forum back off.

 

Scotty

[A Norfolk Boy]

When do you reckon they are best frozen Sam, and do you just pop them in as they are?

[sam-cox]

Personaly I dont freeze my crabs, the method I have discribed lets me keep crabs for 2 months.

However I do have friends that do and a method of freezing was discibed to me the other day that sounded very good.

A thick plate of steel should be placed in the freezer for about a week, the crabs can then be put into a metal tray with the plate of steel in the bottom. This freezes the crabs very quickly. There is no need to remove lungs just freeze alive. My friends catch plenty of hound on these.

 

mods can you correct my spelling while checking my post please,,

[maidstonemike]

Nice post Sam, great information there. I hope this thread can stay alive, and the pathetic moronic 'members' of this forum back off.

 

Scotty

[maidstonemike]

Personaly I dont freeze my crabs, the method I have discribed lets me keep crabs for 2 months.

However I do have friends that do and a method of freezing was discibed to me the other day that sounded very good.

A thick plate of steel should be placed in the freezer for about a week, the crabs can then be put into a metal tray with the plate of steel in the bottom. This freezes the crabs very quickly. There is no need to remove lungs just freeze alive. My friends catch plenty of hound on these.

 

mods can you correct my spelling while checking my post please,,

Sam, have you any room in your freezer? I like the sound of ' freeze alive'. I was thinking of some of the posters on here. We could freeze them alive, very enjoyable, and when they were solid, chop em up for groundbait.

[sam-cox]

I couldnt agree more Mike.

I try to put decent posts up with usfull info that may help other anglers to keep a stock of peeler crabs alive. All I get is a certain hyjacker trying to pee on my strawberries.

If Im wound up aventually I will bite back.

[n4lly]

Great post Sam

 

Saved for referance