Crabbing is both a commercial business as well as a family fun activity. Crabbing involves the catching and eating of these succulent crustaceans. The crab most commonly caught and eaten along the East Coast is known as the blue claw crab. There is nothing better than coming home and having a delicious meal of blue claw crabs with the family.

Step 1: Warning

-Crabs have claws and will pinch you. If this happens do not panic. Pull the crab away from you with your other hand until the claw breaks off the crab. The proper way of holding a crab is shown in later steps.

-Crabs have size limits that change annually. Check online or at your local marina to avoid any legal issues that could arise. Check out http://www.scottsbt.com/fishids/regsrecs/regsNJ.htm for more info.

-There are other crabs local to the East Coast such as green crabs and spider crabs. These crabs are not edible and if caught should be released.

-If the crab has an egg sac it must be released by Law.

Step 2: Caution!

If the crab dies before it is cleaned do not eat it! Once dead, a poison is released throughout the crab's body that ruins the meat.

Step 3: Equipment

-Cooler
-Fold up chair
-Bag of Ice (sold at local convenience stores)
-Crab trap
-Bait
-Junk Knife (for bait)
-Snacks for yourself
-Thick Gloves(makes holding crabs easier)
-Net(if using a hand line)

Step 4: Areas for Crabbing

Crabs are found in saltwater. This also includes brackish water also known as tidal water. These areas include saltwater marshes, bays, inlets and the ocean. Crabs also prefer to be near underwater structures such as pilings (usually from docks), bridges and sunken shipwrecks.

Step 5: How to Hold a Crab

1. Put your foot(preferably with a shoe, no flip flops/sandals) on the crab to keep it from moving.
2. With one hand, grab the flipper/last leg of the crab located at its back.
3. Take your foot off the crab and lift it up.
4. It will not be able to pinch you.

Step 6: Types of Bait

Dead Fish-Any type of fish will do as long as it is a reasonable size, usually between 6 inches to 1 foot. A few types of fish commonly used are bunker, snapper blues and sea robins. The fish can be better utilized by cutting it into 2 by 6 inch pieces. Make sure that there are cuts on the fish so that the smell will easily travel through the water.

Hot Dogs-Hot Dogs are not commonly used due to the fact that they are very soft and crabs can easily tear them apart and eat them. The advantage of hotdogs is that they are much cheaper than normal bait so if you are on a budget, hot dogs might be the way to go.

Chicken-Chicken legs are preferred. Chicken is less expensive then fish and is a solid bait. This means that the crabs can’t easily break it up and take it away.

Meat-Any meat can be used. The three above are the most affordable meats to buy as well as the easiest to use.

Step 7: Types of Traps and How to Use Them

Weighted Hand lines/drop lines- This is a rope with a weighted hook on the end. The weight keeps the bait from floating up. Tie the end of the string that doesn’t have the hook on it to something that is secure so that the crab can’t pull the entire line into the water. The bait is securely put on the hook to prevent crabs from taking the bait. Once the bait is on the hook, it is thrown 8 to 12 feet out into the water, usually from a bank. It can also be dropped from the side of a boat in shallow water, as long as the meat reaches them bottom. Wait 5 to 10 minutes or if you see the line begin to move, then very slowly pull in the line. Once the meat comes into view look to see if there is a crab on the meat. If there isn’t, pull that meat out of the water and throw it back out. If there is a crab, pull the line a little closer but make sure to leave the crab 1 to 2 feet under the water. Slowly take a net and lower it into the water behind the crab. Scoop the crab out of the water but be quick because crabs are fast and Waalaa, you have caught a crab.

Box Crab Traps-This trap is made out of a wire like mesh. It has four open sides, a top, a bottom, and for flaps that open and seal off the sides. Strings are attached to flaps and all join at a ring that is located above the trap. A longer string is attached to the ring and when it is pulled it causes the flaps to seal off the sides of the trap.
When crabbing, a piece of meat is placed inside the trap in the middle and tied down. When the crab goes to eat, the sides of the trap will be closed trapping the crap inside with no chance of escape.

Pyramid Crab Traps-This trap is made out of a wire like mesh. It is made from four triangles and a square. One triangle is attached to each side of the square. Strings are attached to the ends of the triangles. The strings join at a ring that is located above the trap. A longer string is attached to the ring and when it is pulled it causes the flaps to seal off the sides of the trap.
When crabbing, a piece of meat is placed inside the trap in the middle and tied down. When the crab goes to eat, the sides of the trap will be closed trapping the crap inside with no chance of escape.

Ring Crab Traps-This trap is either made from wire mesh or string. It is has a circular shape. When lying on the ground it appears flat but when it is picked up, the bottom drops down trapping the crab inside. The bait is usually put in the center of the trap along with some type of weight.

Commercial Crab Traps-In order to use these traps, you must have a license, unless you are using them from on a privately owned dock. These traps are large, usually 2 to 3 feet wide. They are left in the water for many days and can hold large amounts of bait. They are capable of holding dozens of crabs.

Step 8: Cleaning the Crab

-Grab the crab by the claws and back legs.

-Put one point of the shell against a hard surface and pull down

-This will remove the main shell.

-Rip off mouth the area.

-Flip the crab over and remove the flap on the back of the crab.
A skinny flap means male
A large round flap means female

-Clean out guts till only white material remains.

-Prepare as desired

Here is a different way of cleaning them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzUY7Z4t5Ps