# Caught my dinner!



## thecrabbycaptain (Jul 22, 2018)

Spent the morning honing my fishing skills. I want to be able to provide food once we are off the grid! Look at my catch today 😊😊⚓⛵
#thecrabbycaptainandthesunnysailor


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

Those things are ugly... they are better off eaten 
Ever wonder how hungry the poor soul was who first decided to eat those things? The reward they got for their courage.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Blue crabs are beautiful creatures, especially when covered with a layer of Old Bay Seafood Seasoning and resting comfortably on a newspaper covered table next to a tall pitcher of ice cold beer. 

Gary


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

In light of your username... Cannibalism!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Tasty, but I don’t consider them food, unless someone else picks about 50 of them for me.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Caught my own dinner too ... fresh Atlantic cod. Yum!

Ok, truth be told, a local fisher caught it and gave it too us. I swapped him a fresh baked loaf of bread.


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## troy2000 (Apr 7, 2013)

SailingUphill said:


> Those things are ugly... they are better off eaten
> Ever wonder how hungry the poor soul was who first decided to eat those things? The reward they got for their courage.


Reminds me of the first caveman who ever tried eating a chicken. He did it because someone told him, "tastes just like lizard..."


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

I'm with Minne. Too much fuss if I'm going to DIY. But pretty good as BAIT for larger catches. Or, to distract other diners while I'm tearing into the easier stuff.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

I moved to Maryland 18 years ago after living in Ocean City NJ. It took me a while to understand “ going down the ocean “ since everyone else in the neighboring states went “ to the shore” . I worked in the restaurant business for over 40 years and know the delicacy that a steamed blue crab from the Chessie holds in relation to other species of crab. I also have by living here have learned to appreciate that “ picking crabs” ( the only meal you can die from malnutrition while eating ) is not necessarily about eating the crab eat but is really a regional social experience. 

Neighbors , communities, friends , families have large crab fests here. In NE it’s a clambake which equates. 

Personally I am spoiled by having availability of 1 lb containers of jumbo blue crab from the Chessie daily so I join in the crab fest as to not, well means you anti social&#55357;&#56397;&#55357;&#56397;&#55357;&#56397;&#55358;&#56704;&#55358;&#56704;&#55358;&#56704;&#55357;&#56397;&#55357;&#56397;

Now about the spice Old Bay. It is definately a MD thing where it is eaten on all vegetables, fries, foods , eggs, popcorn, . It sits on many’s tables right next to the salt and pepper. One of the many restaurants that I have , is in the corporate headquarters and the plant of the McCormick Company . This is where Old Bay is “blended “ from 30 other spices.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Averaging about 6-8 >6" dungeness an hour from one trap at anchor. Cooker going full time. Picking as fastas I can considering the consumption of Wine. Input to pint wide mouth jars for later. Off the grid for years. When I went to town it was with a gunny sack of rock cod for my favourite restaurant (ethnic) never a bill.Win/win.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Catching dinner is something that I have enjoyed most of my life. Picking a steamed blue crab, or dungeness, is an art that most folks do not possess. Until I was about 30 years old, I was not very good at picking crabs, but after visiting a crab picking house on Hooper Island, Maryland, and watching an older lady ply her trade at picking them, I learned the secrets to picking crabs. When I'm done picking, and that only takes a few minutes at best, that shell is devoid of all meat. I even have a special knife and some special tools to insure that not a scrap of meat is left behind.

Now, when I'm in the lower reaches of Chesapeake Bay, my dinner target is usually fin fish in the form of bluefish, tautog, croaker, flounder, swelling toad and Spanish mackerel. I'm not at all fond of striped bass, though. And, yes, I will usually place a crab trap baited with a chunk of menhaden or chicken neck next to the boat while I'm anchored, which usually results in a dozen or more big blue crabs. Usually, I will steam them up, pick them clean and make several crab cakes, freezing some for later meals. 

All the best,

Gary


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Gary,

Can’t catch Rockfish and eat them without bringing to shore

From the regs:

It is Illegal: To possess any cut up or filleted striped bass at any time aboard any boat on the tidal waters of Maryland. ... To use eels as bait while fishing for striped bass with hook and line from Dec. 16–May 15, inclusive, in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.

I know of two people fined by DNR $250 for catching, filtering,and eating on the boat.


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

travlin-easy said:


> And, yes, I will usually place a crab trap baited with a chunk of menhaden or chicken neck next to the boat while I'm anchored, which usually results in a dozen or more big blue crabs.
> 
> Gary


Practical question: I presume you use a float, like everybody, rather than attaching the crab pot line to the boat?


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Yes, you must use a float because the swing of the boat would cause the trap to close, thereby preventing it from working properly.

Dave I knew that about striped bass fillet regs - I chaired the Striped Bass Advisory Board for several years when that law was passed. The law was put in place to protect the species from being illegally taken during the Striped Bass Moratorium.

Keep in mind, however, that that particular law is almost impossible to enforce unless someone is actually caught in the act of filleting the fish onboard. Other than DNA, there is no way of determining what species fillets came from. Striped bass fillets resemble redfish, Spanish mackerel, spotted sea trout and other species that frequent Chesapeake Bay. Therefore, once the carcass is disposed of, there is no way of determining which species the fillets came from. Natural Resources Police (NRP) will not likely go to the expense of submitting the tissue for DNA analysis. Additionally, if those fillets are in the frig or freezer, there is no way to determine whether or not they were purchased at Wegmans.

Now, I'm not advocating that someone should break this antiquated law, one I believe should be repealed. The original proposal to the Maryland Legislature was supposed to mimic the shark finning law, which stipulated that no portion of the fish would be onboard without having the entire carcass onboard as well. This law was put in place to prevent shark finning, which is a horrendous practice that still takes place in some parts of the world. 

All the best,

Gary


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

travlin-easy said:


> Yes, you must use a float because the swing of the boat would cause the trap to close, thereby preventing it from working properly.


Thank you. I have one of these large traps, approx 2'x2' that does not close. I very rarely use it and it takes quite a bit of space but maybe I should try to catch dinner while anchoring. Only negative is that I would like crabs for dinner, not for breakfast


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

You could just steam the crabs, then pick the meat and make some crab cakes and refrigerate them for the following night's dinner.

I found a tool online that does an incredible job of getting all the crab meat out of those tiny places. https://www.amazon.com/Hiware-Lobster-Crackers-Picks-10-Piece/dp/B01B7CZ3R4/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_bs_tr_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DHSMDCJ83R9QYZXQA098

Good luck,

Gary


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

travlin-easy said:


> You could just steam the crabs, then pick the meat and make some crab cakes and refrigerate them for the following night's dinner.
> 
> I found a tool online that does an incredible job of getting all the crab meat out of those tiny places. https://www.amazon.com/Hiware-Lobster-Crackers-Picks-10-Piece/dp/B01B7CZ3R4/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_79_bs_tr_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DHSMDCJ83R9QYZXQA098
> 
> ...


Yeah, crab cakes might be a possibility.

Thanks for the link. I actually have these little tools, even for longer than I have been living in Maryland, bought for lobsters. But I am pretty sure I paid more for them, they sure have come down in price!


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## 504530 (Jun 9, 2018)

That's awesome!! I also want to catch my dinner when we head out. I am sailing with an old friend in December down to the Bahamas. I am basically a beginner, both fishing and sailing!


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Most of the fish caught in open ocean areas will be pelagics, tuna, wahoo, mahi, etc..., and they can all be taken while trolling bright colored lures and spoons close to the surface. One of the key ingredients to success, however, is to look for humps and lumps, uprisings from the ocean floor where there are abrupt changes in depth. This is where small fish tend to congregate for protection and to feed, which in turn, attracts larger predators. Also keep a keen eye out for patches of Sargasso Weed, a bright, yellow, tropical, ocean algae that holds a myriad of small critters. This is where you will find mahi lurking in the shadows and looking for an easy meal to pass by. Steer as close as you can to the grass without entangling your prop or rudder and there's a good chance you'll hook up with a hefty mahi, some of which tip the scales at more than 50 pounds. That translates into lots of good eatin! 

If you anchor up among some of the islands for the night, bait up a lightweight spinning outfit with a strip of squid measuring a couple inches long and you'll instantly connect with a flannel mouth grunt. Most of these only measure about 8 to 10 inches long, but the meat is snow white, sweet and flaky, similar to snapper and grouper. 

Hope this helps,

Gary


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Dungeness come with their own picker ,The toe end of leg. Bust them quick in half upside down over a pail edge.Remove gills ,guts and shell.Rinse. Cooks quicker,less mess and more per pot full.Plumbers pliers can handle claws/legs. Don't let them see you dispatching. Good eyesight and they know they're next. Sad..... Folding traps work well enough. Can stow upright lashed to turnbuckles if you don't have a bowsprit net. (where I stow my crab and prawn traps.)


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I love dungeness crabs, and when I lived in Spokane, Washington, they sold them in the grocery stores for .30 cents a pound. Unfortunately, they boiled them on the beach in large caldrons before packing on ice and shipping them to the stores. 

I once stopped at a crab house near Snoqualamie Pass that sold dungeness crabs and asked the owner if he ever tried steaming them with Old Bay Seafood Seasoning. At the time, Old Bay was only available in the mid-Atlantic region and he had never heard of the seasoning. I went home, called my dad and had him ship a half-dozen cans of it to me in Spokane, and the next time I passed that crab house on my way home Seattle I was armed with a can of Old Bay. I talked him into steaming a batch, which took the entire can of Old Bay and the very first words out of his mouth were "Damned, that really smells great!" When the crabs were finished steaming, which took about 45 minutes because of their size, he tried one and said "I gotta use this stuff."

I purchased a half dozen crabs from the crab house that he had just steamed, which was about 25 pounds of crabs, took them home and they were incredible. The following week he had a new sign with big red letters and a painting of a crab saying :Maryland Style Steamed Crabs and the parking lot was jammed full of cars. He was a happy camper. I often wonder if he is still there after all these years. That was 1969.

All the best,

Gary


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Old Bay is an insidious spice which overpowers the delicate taste of crabmeat when not used judiciously. 
Many other areas of the country use similar variations.......and they don’t douse the seafood. Ie. Louisiana.


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## Rezz (Oct 12, 2012)

I think in some parts of Maryland, crab meat is just a vessel with which to get more Old Bay into one's maw. 

That's one reason I enjoy a good crab feast :-D


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

The pickin' should be part of the fun, just like the catching. If not, there are fish markets and there are restaurants. I like them too, depending on my mood.

If you really want to work for a few ounces of protein, let me suggest periwinkles. Very good.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Think I'll stick with the crabs. Tried periwinkle once and also tried whelk the same day - both were pretty salty, chewy and without some sort of Asian, hot dipping sauce, they really didn't have much flavor. Probably the same reason I don't enjoy conch, either. 

Many years ago, I waded the shallows of South Bay, situated behind Virginia's Barrier Islands in the shallows behind Wreck Island where oyster rocks were until about 20 years ago, when disease and overfishing wiped them out. Since then, the oysters have made somewhat of a comeback, but not to the previous levels when there were rocks measuring the size of a football field in the tidal marsh. These oysters spent nearly half their lives out of water, but they were the best tasting oysters I have ever tasted in my entire life. They were huge, some measuring up to 8 inches long, fat, plump, sweet and salty. 

When the weather gets cool enough for the greenies and skeeters to not be very active, I would take the dinghy into Rat Tail creek and pluck oysters from the old pilings where watermen used to have shacks on stilts and live in the marsh while they plied their trade of commercial fishing in the nearby Atlantic and in the deeper waters of the tidal marsh bays. They sold their catch in nearby Oyster, Virginia. Those stilt houses are all gone now, wiped out by hurricanes several years ago.

South Bay is also the northernmost range of tarpon on the Atlantic Coast. There are a handful taken from that location every summer by recreational anglers fishing with cut menhaden for bait.

All the best,

Gary


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Many northern anchorages way too deep for crabs so out with the prawn traps Doesn't take many pulls from 300 ft to get your attention as to the better spots. By fall the catch is considerably down due to the number foreign flagged using power pullers twice a day so the little ones don't have time to escape. Then you notice an increase of squat lobsters which is incidental by catch. Unless you feed your garden fishy brew, about as much nourishment as sucking your fingers while changing the joker valve. Then I see an article in Pacific Y about 'crab paste' Who knew!!! In sandy bays ,low tide, easy to hunt the carnivorous moon snail. At about 3 to 4 inches ,better than periwinkles. In NZ found the green fleshed snails really bitter. Really enjoyed the book Oysters ,,along the same lines as Cod and Salt. and Banana. and Tomato,, Won't be long before the kids will say "Tell us again ,old timer, about being able to eat stuff right out of the ocean' Har har, what a kidder.


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## sailforlife (Sep 14, 2016)

Im Vegan sooooo....

Maybe some seaweed?


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Len, crab paste in this part of the world is called Baiter Meat. I saw this on Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs show while he was picking crabs at Hooper Island. It consists of everything that is usually thrown away, legs, shell, face, gills, etc..., all ground into a fine paste and used for various dishes as a seafood seasoning. YECH!

Gary


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## JoCoSailor (Dec 7, 2015)

Dang wish I found the thread sooner...I just spent 1 1/2 hours picking 3 dozen crabs....shucked a few oysters too


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

It occurs to me that most cultures have their ubiquitous food stuff. Britain ,NZ and Australia have marmalade ,varminte and Vegimite. Canada does maple syrup on everything. That crab paste mixed with garum and slathered on the morning toast could be the next Thing. Would supply all your calcium needs in one fell swoop or plunge ..Aromatic odours filling the neighbourhoods would negate the need for alarum clocks. Get on board this new health craze before it's too late to invest wisely.


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