Dungeness Crab - How Sweet It Is!
One of the things we like to do most when we go to Oregon is go crabbing. It is so much fun. It is like opening a surprise package every fifteen minutes! When you crab you need some very important equipment: a chair, a book, a camera, snacks or lunch, a license, a net and bait, a rope, a crab gauge, and a bucket!
Crab nets come in all shapes and sizes. We use the crab rings. They have lasted a long time. I believe we bought them in the 80's when we first took the girls to Oregon. They are well-used!
The bait goes in a container that is secured in the center of the bottom ring. Sea lions like to visit so it must be snug! Ropes are attached to the net and it is tossed off the pier or off of the dock.
While you wait, you have important things to do. You can look at the scenery.
You can play with your camera.
You can take pictures of sea gulls who want to steal bait....or somebody's lunch. On this day, after the sea gull stole somebody's bait...he came back and took his lunch! It isn't a good idea to leave your things unattended.
After fifteen minutes you can pull up the net to see if you have any crabs.
When the net is on the dock, you check the crabs for size and their sex. In Oregon you are only allowed to keep male crabs and they must measure a minimum of 5 3/4 inches across the back, in front of at the last points. I have labeled two crabs in the net below so you can see how to tell males from females. It is the shape on their abdomen. Males have a triangular shaped abdomen and females a broader shaped one.
Any crabs that are not keepers are returned to the water unharmed. The nets are tossed back in and we continue reading, watching scenery, or chatting with fellow crabbers.
Crabbing was excellent this year! We didn't always pull up nets full of crabs, but when it happened, everybody is excited.
Dungeness crab is so sweet! It makes our hard work crabbing worth every minute!!
I am participating in Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.
Terrific shots outdoors.
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos..I have never seen the rings..
ReplyDeleteLook at them:) Great post..makes me want a holiday watching the scenery..the water..the gulls.
Sigh, to live on the coast and go crabbing.
ReplyDeleteYou hit the jackpot, Kate. It's so much fun to pull up the pots and see what's inside. There's nothing better than Dungeness.
ReplyDeleteI've seen dungeness crab in the local Krogers, but they didn't look like these, so I passed. Since I read 4 blogs from people out in the area who post about these fellers, I'm about to decide I need to fly out and try some. Looks like a fun time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat adventure! I love to eat crabs and take photos too just like you.
ReplyDeleteJoyce M
How fun! What an incredible day you out.. thanks so much for sharing these photos they were awesome. hugs ~lynne~
ReplyDeleteI know you may not believe this but, at age 73, gettin' waaay close to 74, I've never even tasted crab. My hubs and kids love crab legs but....NO THANKS. :)))
ReplyDeleteGlad you caught some and had such fun..
xo bj
Oh I miss these so much since we are on the East Coast! I am drooling!
ReplyDeleteWow! Crabs!
ReplyDeleteGreat captures.
I am drooling! It would be an experience for me to go crabbing, it looks so simple and easy!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I've never had the opportunity to try this. I'd feel kind of sorry for the crabs, but I sure wouldn't have any trouble eating them. I like mine with butter. Mmmmm.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun & great photos! We always crabbed with a string, a chicken neck & a net...you are professionals in comparison :-) It was good for hours of entertainment though, especially for the kids :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! Crab is so delicious! wonderful pictures :)
ReplyDeleteMary
That looks like a good time! I love crab, but have never been crabbing!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I LOVE crab!!! I have never been crabbing before. Now, let's not confuse that with crabby. lol! I would absolutely love to try this sometime. Gotta show this to hubby. He will be impressed. Intersting facts about the male and female. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh YUM! I love dungeness crab. I have never gone out crabbing but that seems like so much fun. Since you are not too far away from me :) if you have any left overs send them over :)
ReplyDeleteOh I love crab and crab salad. We don't have much of it in Holland but we ate it in Florida. Yummy
ReplyDeleteI have gone crabbing and clamming too! We clam at the end of our street in the Bay. The gkids love it, so much fun.
ReplyDeleteThose crabs are prob bigger than what we get, you need a ton of ours to make a meal.
Love your pics, new camera? The crab towers ad banana pudding , yum!!!
I've been crabbing for the smaller east coast type of crabs..I love to cook them in tomato sauce as there is not that much meat in them but they flavor the sauce so well. It is a Italian way to prepare the.
ReplyDeleteI'm adicted to crad to "centolla", I don't know the translation in english, but it's similar to crab but bigger and the meat it's more red. It's from the south of Chile (were I lived),
ReplyDeleteAnd I really liked the idea of makings a vinagrete with passion fruit, I've never made it.
Best wishes :)