Going Crabby

South Australia Fishing Reports
Bugatti

Re: Going Crabby

Post by Bugatti » Wed May 06, 2020 7:02 pm

Texas wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 12:45 pm
Looks delicious Bill
I've never been crabbing although, did catch them as a "byproduct" at Sale
Had mud crab in Vanuatu, that was grouse.
Cheers Gra
P.s. When I come over we are using Don's jetty kart
Thanks Tex :tu:

And love ya style, I shall tell Don to save you a spot , , , , between the Blonde and the Brunette :-D

Cheers, Bugs

Bugatti

Re: Going Crabby

Post by Bugatti » Wed May 06, 2020 7:47 pm

Blue wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 7:14 pm
Hey Carman, I could never see what the fuss was about with eating Crab, most of them anyway.
Have trapped and eaten big Muddies in the NT and at least they were big enough to get something out of them, tasty to.
Blue Swimmers and others never seemed to have much in them, maybe that,s why I never “got the crabs”
Enlighten me please.
Blue

Thanks Blue :tu:

Yes, the "Crab thing" is a labour of love, with most of the crab-meat hidden in little crevasses and a hard shell.

But there are a few things at play with Crabs.

Crabs Blue 1.JPG


The Blue Swimmer Crab is a modest sized Crab when you see other larger Crabs out, like the Muddie. The legal minimum size of a Bluey is 11 cm across the Carapace. At that size, I don't think they have a lot of meat in them. I keep them from about 12 cm and up. I'd rather a dozen decent size crabs rather than a quota of 20 just size crabs. The photos of the ones I keep and have put up are 12 cm specimens and larger. The above ones are 13 cm +


Crabs Blue 1a.JPG

Crab flesh is quite gelatinous and if the Crabs are ill kept, the flesh deteriorates quickly. Some may think "Oh, these Crabs are hollow or low on meat" but that can be because of how they have been dispatched & kept. I place keeper Crabs in an ice slurry (black bucket) then after a round of net checks, I transfer them to an esky with ice. This keeps the Crab flesh as pristine as possible AND it makes a big difference to the flesh quality. I also don't keep females (to let them breed) but also they are lighter on flesh being smaller clawed and body.

You can't keep females showing eggs BUT just because they aren't showing eggs, doesn't mean they don't have eggs in them, so another reason to let "legal" females go.

Crabs Blue 5.JPG



This was a blokes efforts of someone on the Jetty, just dumping the Crabs on the Jetty and keeping females. Each to their own but not an ideal way of Crabbing.

Crabs Blue 6.JPG

BUT the part of Crabbing and eating Crabs that can't fully be explained, it can only be experienced to fully understand, is the occasion, the mate-ship, the trip with Dad, as mentioned by some of the replies , , , , not just the food.


Here's a bloke, Ol Max. Hadn't been out for a few years due to ailments, but a little assistance he was out with his mate.

Crabs Blue 2.JPG


Ctaching Crabs himself with his mate , , , , and an annoying Bugatti :-D

Crabs Blue 3.JPG


And here's their haul of Blueys, which would have been extra tasty because of the occasion. And, they only kept the large ones too :-D

Crabs Blue 4.JPG


But in conclusion , , , , these Crab scraps , , , , how can anyone say no to this as berley :-D

Crabs Blue 9.JPG


They are finicky to eat, hard to get at the meat, and it seems you use up more Calories than you consume , , , , BUT a six pack of beers and a six pack of Blueys with a mate, a Dad, the family , , , , that can't be beaten :gj:


Cheers, Bill

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Re: Going Crabby

Post by Blue » Wed May 06, 2020 8:09 pm

Thanks Bill, The overall picture, the whole story, I DO get it.
Blue
To find a fish
You do the miles.
Catch the fish
and earn the smiles.

Lord,allow me to catch a fish, so large that even I,when speaking of it afterwards.........May have no need to lie !!!

Bugatti

Re: Going Crabby

Post by Bugatti » Wed May 06, 2020 8:23 pm

I don't mind peeling my own Crabs , , , , but there's only one way to eat grapes :-D

Grapes.JPG

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