November 1, 2005
I'M FEELING BLUE...
For blue crabs, that is. Fresh caught. I haven't devoured a crab I've fetched with my own hands in years. I make waitstaff bring them to me. And that's no fun.
I like catching crabs. And not body lice, either. Many a childhood memory hoisting the devil beast unto my dock.
Here's a conundrum: I not only used the dread crab trap growing up, meaning the fitful cage you only had to check every other day, but the basket. One ties a chicken neck to the basket, and pulls them up.
There are purists, and you know who you are, who insist the only way to catch a crab is with a piece of string, tied to a chicken neckbone.
And I admire your purity. You fucking Luddites. Fuck that. I crave crab. I'll dynamite a creek for the bastards. Neckbone on a string, indeed.
Although that IS how one teaches the chirrens to crab. Make it a bit hard. After you've caught a dozen or so with stealth, and skill, then one can tell the little fobs how to harvest the fuckers. I think it's only fair to teach the olde wayes.
I crave a blue crab. Always. Hungry. I may go crabbing tonight.
I can remember going crabbing with my Grandma a few blocks from her house on the south shore of Long Island. It was the mid 1950's, and back then you could catch blue crabs in the Great South Bay that were safe to eat and wouldn't grow an extra head on you or make your nuts fall off.
Memories...
Posted by: Elisson at November 1, 2005 10:11 PMIf you go crabbin', and don't take the dynamite, take a 6 1/2 oz. CoCola bottle with you. It makes it easier to hold 'em down while you rip their claws off from behind. Trust me on this one... You'll dig it.
Crabs ... ugly, snappin', sideways-walkin' beasts. Oughta use clowns or gator meat for bait. They're fit for fertilizer.
Posted by: Jim - PRS at November 1, 2005 11:28 PMshe crab soup,,all I am gonna say,,
Posted by: james old guy at November 2, 2005 9:15 AMYou ain't had crab til you've had Alaska king crab.
Posted by: Alaska Kim at November 2, 2005 4:52 PMI learned to crab with a chicken neck and string. Had a standing deal with Mom. I'd clean 'em if she'd make her homemade deviled crab. Still crave 'em to this day. Good luck now I'm gonna have to find some.
Posted by: Dave the wave at November 2, 2005 5:15 PMEvery now and again my sister-in-law will run a trot-line of chicken-bone stringers in the Matanzas Inlet. If we're nice to her, she'll make crab cakes for Thanksgiving. Mmmmmm!
Posted by: Joan of Argghh at November 2, 2005 5:30 PMHmmm... Somehow I suspect nobody has ever managed to catch an Alaskan King Crab with a string... That wound be one hell of a nightmare to let loose in the boat, or on a dock...
Posted by: Tim at November 2, 2005 6:19 PMTim -- Nah, they're harmless. Now dungeness will pinch the hell outta you. But with Kings, I just take a big ax and chop 'em in half. They be dead. And good eating.
Posted by: Alaska Kim at November 3, 2005 11:35 AM