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Tuesday

Let's Go Crabbing!

One of the reasons we love to spend summers on Camano Island (WA) is for the fresh, delicious crab!
Have you ever been crabbing in the Pacific Northwest waters? 
Take a look!


Here's the equipment you'll need PLUS a crabbing license, a boat and...


(most importantly) a buoy!
The buoy is your marker that has your name on it.
This tells other people that this is YOUR crab pot.
Drop your crab pot in waters about 50 feet or more.
Make sure you have plenty of rope for your buoy to float on top of the water.


Wait 12-24 hours or so... then head on back out in the waters to find your buoy.
Pull up your pot and...


Look, You've Got Crab!


Carefully take the crab out of the pot, holding onto the bottom of the shell.
Turn the crab over to see if it's a male.
Female crabs must be thrown back in the water.
(The male underside is narrow and pointy,  the female is rounded, of course.)



If it's a male, it needs to be measured.
This crab measurement tool shows how big the crab must be to keep (over 6-1/4"),
otherwise it goes back in the water to grow bigger.
This one is a keeper!


Throw the keepers in the bucket, we're taking them home!


Back on dry land, wearing gloves, the crab is um...crushed and gutted. 
(I'll spare you the details and pictures.)


An outdoor cooker is ready with boiling water.
Add crab to the boiling water.


Bring water back to a boil and cook for about 7 minutes.
Drain water from crab and serve with cracking tools and melted butter.


What an 'awesome' guy to cook up such a feast!
Mmmm, Heavenly!
Click here for the most delicious crab cakes ever!!

5 comments :

  1. Wow those are some huge crabs!! I bet they were tasty! I've never been crabbing but I have been lobstering in Maine.

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  2. will you feed me crab even if i bring my own lil' crabbies? :)

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  3. Looks delish, but most importantly an adventure! Thanks for sharing Michelle! Love it!

    Jenny Konen-Hadley

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  4. My mouth is drooling right now. Reminds me of the crawfish boils I grew up with in New Orleans. I would be there in a heartbeat for a crab boil if I could - fun post

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  5. This looks like so much fun and I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE fresh crab. I am from VA originally and really miss the Chesapeake Bay Crabs!!! Great post!

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