About CrabsYou had a great day fishing in the surf. You caught a few keepers and you can't wait to get in the kitchen and fix up some delicious fish tacos. But hold up.... what about the appetizer? Or better yet, the crabatizer! Crabbing is a fun activity that everyone in the family can enjoy. It doesn't cost much to do and you really don't need any special skills (except a little patience) in order to accomplish the task. Here's how to get started. How to CrabThe cheapest and perhaps most fun way to catch a crab is by hand. All you need is a string and a chicken neck. Most of the bait shops sell crab hand lines for only a few bucks. This is basically a large, weighted pin that holds the bait attached to a string. While you're in the bait shop, look in the frozen bait section and check for chicken necks. They usually come a few in a package. However, if you caught fish, attaching the fish head to the line will work even better. Crabbing is easiest to do off a dock. All you need to do is lower the bait into the water so it reaches the bottom. Then wait. Sometimes you will notice the crab trying to walk away with your bait. When this happens, slowly pull the up string. When you can see the crab, stop pulling in the line. You don't want to try to pull the crab out of the water. If you do, most times the crab will let go and you'll lose it. Instead, use a net to scoop the crab out of the water. It also helps to have a bucket ready to put your crabs in. If the place you are staying has access to a dock, then you might consider purchasing a crab trap. A crab trap is a wire box with a trap door at the bottom for adding bait. The crab trap will also have holes on each side. These holes are designed so the crab can enter the trap but can not figure out how to escape. Once the bait is in the trap, again fish heads work great, tie the trap to the dock and lower it into the water. Keep in mind that the tides will change. Try to place the trap where it will still be underwater during low tide. Also take into consideration any boat traffic that may be in the waterway. Neither you nor the boat owner will be happy if the trap gets caught up in a prop. Once the trap is set, walk away. Leave it sit over night then check it the next day. This gives the crabs time to find and climb inside the trap. If there are crabs in the trap, you're ready for dinner! If there is only one or two and you want more, make sure you add bait. If there isn't bait in the trap, the crabs will turn on each other. There are several types of crab traps available for purchase. If you are considering purchasing a trap, check out the video above for an explanation of the pros and cons of different crab traps. Where to CrabWhen it comes to finding a place to crab, there are a variety of options to choose from. As mentioned above, if you are staying on Davis Canal or the ICW, you can crab right in your own backyard with a crab trap. However, if you are not, don't worry. There are lots of places to crab with a hand line. For starters you might consider one the Oak Island public accesses to Davis Canal. There is a popular one located at Southeast 40th Street. There is another spot at Northeast 78th Street at East Yacht Drive. Additionally, you might consider crabbing in the ICW. There is a fishing dock at the end of W Oak Island Drive and W Yacht that is great for crabbing. Another option is to drive to the west end of the island and crab on the ICW side. While you're there, you might try a little clamming too. Cooking CrabsCooking crabs is easy. It only takes a few ingredients and about 15 minutes time. There is one 'catch' to cooking crabs; you have to cook them alive. When a crab dies, it starts to decay very rapidly. That doesn't sound very appetizing. To keep crabs alive, place them in a paper bag and then place the bag in the fridge till your ready to cook. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If you want to get fancy, add a beer to the water. For the best tasting crabs, you'll want to season the water. Crab boil is available in the grocery store in both liquid and powder form. Old Bay is another option. Don't be stingy with the Old Bay. Once the water is boiling, drop the live crabs into the pot and cover. This is not for the faint of heart but you can do it. Bring the water back to a boil and cook 10 to 15 minutes. The crabs will turn bright red and float to the top. Sprinkle them with some more Old Bay and serve with a side of dipping butter. Crabbing on Oak Island can be a fun and tasty experience. However, just like all fishing, some regulations apply. There are restrictions on female crabs, crab sizes, and where and how you can use a crab trap. Make sure you know the rules before you start crabbing. And more importantly, don't get pinched!
Fishing on Oak Island, NC
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Ian SandsFish along with Ian Sands of 'Sands in the Surf' on beautiful Oak Island, NC. We’re fishing the surf and surrounding areas targeting everything from puffer, to blues, to black and red drum, to sharpnose and bonnetheads. Archives
February 2021
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