for visiting:

If you would like to submit your tips & tricks or photos please e-mail us at mr.crabbie@verizon.net and we will happily post your suggestions and/or photos for everyone to see. We are currently setting up a photo gallery and forum...thanks

• Small first aid kit with antiseptic. Crabs will pinch and grab in efforts to escape. Large crabs may cause serious cuts to small children. Never leave your kids unattended. Larger crabs aren't toys.
  
  
• Sunscreen and hats are a great idea, so little faces and arms/shoulders don't get burned to a crisp.



• Plenty of cold drinking water for those hot sunny days.



• An extra set of car keys. Purchase one of those magnetic key holders and hide it somewhere under your vehicle. We've seen plenty of people locked out of their vehicles after "PLOP!" Dad's keys just fell into the water or sand.



• A cooler with some ice or a bushel basket and some newspaper to keep your crabs. Keep crabs out of direct sunlight and if your one to put crabs in a bucket of water, be sure to refresh the water frequently.
  
  
• Crabbing gloves or tongs.
Makes culling smaller crabs easier and less painful.


• Clean towels and baby wipes. Even if you don't have a baby, a tub of wipes can make your fishy hands smell better when your eating your sandwich on the shore.



• A camera to take some pictures and a ZipLoc bag to store it in.



• Tell someone where you are going to be.



• Plan for a designated driver if you are going to be consuming adult beverages.



• Don't forget your fishing/crabbing license and identification.



• Take some chairs and a beach umbrella for crabbing from the shore. If your crabbing from a boat get a topper for shade. It will make your day much more relaxing.

• How deep is the water here?



• How fast/treacherous is the tide current?



• If you plan on getting wet, know what lies on the bottom.
  
  
• Water Socks, tennis shoes, sandals are all good ideas for the feet.



• Boat traffic is a good thing to be aware of.



• Permission to crab/fish in any area before trying a spot.

• Crabbing is better as the tide moves and through the slack tide.

• If your crabbing on the flats. Crab in between where the water changes from deep to shallow. Bigger crabs can usually be found nearby holes and trenches.

• Keep your eyes open for crabs hanging around the reeds, pylons, and trees. Bring a crab net with you to scoop up keepers.

• Keeping your bait fresh and full of nice meaty pieces is always a great lure for those hungry crabs.

• Keep your crabs alive! We put our keeper crabs in an old cooler on top of a layer of ice. The cold will cools them and makes them sluggish. Blue Crab keep a pocket of water inside their shells and this allows them to breathe while outside the water. Crabs can be kept alive for quit awhile, if keep in a cold, moist, dark place like your refrigerator or a cool basement. Do not place live crab UNDER the ice. Believe it or not, when the ice melts, the crabs will swallow the fresh water and drown.

• If you use a basket place newspaper, wet towels or wet burlap over the crabs and keep them out of the sun.Or keeping them in a hold tank,( cooler etc.) and changing the salt water on a regular check is always a good way to keep em active and lively.

• Never cook a dead crab. Unless you kill it while cleaning you should never try to cook a dead-as-a-doorknob crab. Unless you want to get sick that is.

• If you go into the water to crab, do not make a lot of commotion. Walk gently. Lot's of thrashing about will scare the big ones away leaving only the tiny robber crabs to pick your bait.

• It is not good to throw your SuperCrabbie trap out too far. In order to close the doors you must raise the leash as vertical as possible. If you pull the leash parallel to the waters surface the doors will not close at the same time and you will lose your catch.

• Use several traps on a long boat dock or pier. Set them at least 10 ft. apart.

• In deeper water (crabbing from a boat) attach a foam float to your leash (add more nylon cord when needed) and set several traps in a straight line allowing a good distance between them. The leash should be extended long enough to let the float rest on the surface allowing enough slack for wave movement without moving the doors below. Too little line will prevent the doors from opening. Too much line will cause your doors to close incorrectly.

• When the crabbing action dies down move to another location! Like fish, crabs can get spooked, move a short distance until you find another concentration of keepers.

• Saving and preserving the habitat is our duty, SO PLEASE, do not leave bottles, cans, fishing line, and other trash on the shore or throw them overboard.



• It is our legacy... to teach our children to respect the great outdoors and the rights of others. Our young crabbers and fishermen will appreciate the advice in years to come.