Kayakfishing Chat - continues

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi Prowler.

 

Yes we get a good few here, the rocks are littered with them.

Normaly around the may june time.

Never tried the meat though.

I understand its good to eat, but only the legs apparently?

A lot get sent over to Spain , or used to.

 

yy

[Prowler]

Hi Speciman,Yakity

just to make sure were talking about the same crab.

http://www.banstead-divers.co.uk/images/RB...er%20crab04.JPG

 

Honestly do youself a favour and try one, this is what you do.

Try and catch a nice sized male our season for them generally runs between late april to late June early july, after that they start changing their shells and aren't worth catching let alone eating.

Females tend to run a lot smaller in size but are every bit as nice especially as they carry the roe which also can be eaten, but nowadays I tend to leave them so they can lay their eggs.

 

Simplest way too cook them is very straight forward.

1 large pan of cold water salted to taste not hot otherwise they will shed their claws making the meat in the caripace watery giving it less of a flavour.

Place the crab in the pot on it's back and bring to the boil, simmer for approx 20-25 minutes.

 

Once cooked run the crab under cold water for a couple of minutes, this cooling effect makes the crabmeat shrink away from the outer shell so when you come to crack it open especially the claws you have a nice solid piece of meat and no bit left behind stuck to the shell.

 

leave to cool and drain by pulling apart slightly the top shell from the bottom of the crab and standing it upright once cooled place in fridge together with ya nice bottle of wine for later or eat it right away with some nice french bread or a cabbage loaf.

 

Thats the simplest way there's obviously lots of recipes that it could be used in.

 

The bits NOT to eat are what we call the "dead man's fingers, these are the feather like tendrils that sit inside the crab and the shell of course unless you got diamons for teeth however this can be crushed up into a fine powder and used in making a nice crab bisque..but thats another recipe .

 

The meat is a lot sweeter than brown crab almost comparable to Crayfish, the chambers inside can be a bit fiddlier than a brown crab but I tell you it's well worth the effort.

 

Sorry for the essay

 

[ 13. March 2005, 05:43 PM: Message edited by: Prowler ]

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Yep thats the ones mate.

We get huge numbers of them here.

Ive just never bothered with them, but after reading your post Ill be dragging a couple out

Thanks for the advice on cooking......so you CAN eat the bodt meat.

Ive cooked and dressed many many browns but never a spider.

 

Im hoping to do some hoop netting this season for crab and lobster.

Havnt been able to find a supplier for the nets in the uk yet.

Might have to have a word with our Newt, see if he could send me over a few.

A lot of the American guys have a lot of fun with them.

Adds a bit of variety to the day

 

YY:)

[SpeciMan]

Prowler excellent info. We get lots of them in the Solent region.. the smoothhound come in shore to gorge on them when the crabs come in to breed from May through to August.

 

I'll give em a go.

 

Plan to do some snorkelling from my Yak when visibility is good so will pick some up if I can.

[SpeciMan]

Yakity I'm planning to go after lobster and other crusteceans too

 

Lobster, prawn, shrimp, crab LOL either make good bait, good eating or both. Have been thinking of making a small crab/lobster pot to fit on the Yak.

 

Prawn nets sound good fun.

 

[ 13. March 2005, 05:51 PM: Message edited by: Speciman ]

[Prowler]

No problem guys, honestly you wont be sorry, some years iv'e seen the bottom covered in them even in heaps.

A lot still get shipped to spain and france from here as they command a better price over there.

 

Here for an average male crab you would expect to pay about 5-6 pounds and people are more than willing to pay those kind of prices.

 

quote:

---

Im hoping to do some hoop netting this season for crab and lobster

---

Aha your next project Yakity Yak , I dont know if you have ever done the same, but I know your wise and worldly so I'm guessing you have.

I used an old bicycle wheel, dont forget to remove the tyre, spokes oh yes and the rest of the bike

 

Get some netting attach it either through the holes where the spokes were or around the rim. To give added protection especially if your going to use it from piers or headlands aswell get the innertube and split it in two (you didnt throw that bit away did you? ) and wrap it around the rim covering the edges of netting saving it from chaffing as you pull it up the rocks,place some weight'N'bait in the bottom and Voil'a.

 

Summers coming, here's one I took today.

http://tinypic.com/view.html?pic=23u32t

 

[ 13. March 2005, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: Prowler ]

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

quote:

---

I used an old bicycle wheel, dont forget to remove the tyre, spokes oh yes and the rest of the bike

---

Youm daaaaaaft u iz.

 

Your right, did try it for shrimps , worked a treat off the docks wall.

But for the " Mistress "......ahem....I wanted somthing less bulky, and lighter.

Should be a bit of fun.

 

Newt came up with a good idea , it entailed using old plastic coke bottles , tie off from the lid a snood , couple of split shot , or simular , bait em up, and let them drift around your fishing area.

When you see the bottle bobbing about , go get your fish , rebait , and carry on

All these things I think are worth a try , just for the fun element.

 

YY

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Sorry mate,

 

Great picture........green me....naaaaaaaa

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi Speciman.

 

Go for it.

Nice bit of supper/bait.

Thought about an old beer crate for the frame of your pot?

Not too big , and easy to pull with a bit of wieght in it.

Sinks well, and drains well too when comming out.

 

YY

[Prowler]

"Thought about an old beer crate for the frame of your pot?"

 

Making sure youv'e emptied it first, if you need a hand give us a shout