Crabs and things we can do with em

OK all

Thinking caps on!
Got and can get all the crabs that I need, bucket full today.
Thing is, they are all hard backs, now I know that! and some others who like myself are or will-be new to collecting there own crabs.

I have over the years, used peelers that I got from the shops with various degrees of success, now that I have a fridge for "live" bait, its time to get my own.

Now as we / I have read on this forum that there is a plentiful supply of peelers coming from Dublin and as I am collecting mine from Carlingford Lough there should be some peelers showing up through them.

I have also been told that if the crab is white under-side it's off no use and will not peel.

Is it true "and anglers never lie" that if the crabs are left in 1/2inch or so of sea water that they will start to molt.

Should we hold a poll on this one.


Dave

Putting crabs in the fridge slows down the peeling process. So you can have them just popping when you want to go fishing.

thing is.:

none of them are ready to pop yet,

I have them in the cupboard keeping them in the dark and warm and damp with sea water. checked every nite.

And NO, as yet the wife has not found them, don't tell her!! or I'm a dead man.


Dave

They should eventually peel in this state so its just a case of when you want to go fishing.

i have a few that still haven' t popped yet after a week and a half in the bucket. i am sure they' ll pop soon enough. most of the other ones have popped within the first week. patience my friend!

Hi Dave
Given that they are all hardbacks & probably male, the best way to induce them to peel is to keep them in a shallow tray of aireated sea water with some light on them. (increased daylight hours resulting in increased water temperatures encourage moulting.)
The "white underside" is no indication of a crabs readiness to moult but many peelers do show a "solidness of colour" to the undercarriage due to the calcification of the shell prior to moulting. A couple of years experience of gathering peelers will soon get you telling the majority of (ready) peelers from early ones, just by lifting and looking at their underside.
Alternativly, those ready to be used will show a separation of the upper shell from the body of the crab at either side of the crab, just under the upper shell. If gently squeezed under the upper shel by the fingers a crab that is ready to be peeled with ease will give slightly under finger pressure. Or you could check by twisting off the last segment of the last leg and gently pulling off the segment. If a complete soft leg segment is left behind, then this is a definate peeler. A "watery" leg segment can be taken but will need "bringing on" by the aforementioned method.
Female peelers are often the easiest to spot as they tend to be "covered" by the male crab during and after the moulting process.
A female peeler is always found "face down" under a male crab and any female found in this position need not be checked as it will invariably be a peeler. If the female crab is found under a male crab and is facing up towards the male then it is either a softback or tinback (in the process of hardening) as this is the only time that they can mate.
Cheers
Bill

Oh that hurt, yip the wife found my crabs.

As I sorted them out, heat got the better off most of them, I found one peeler "nice big-un" set it to one side.

After sorting all the crabs and ducking the frying pan "could have sore that had been chucked" I turned round to freeze my peeler, gone not a singe of it! except for one english springer sitting have a chew, only for the fact that she has morning sickness she would have got a toe in the ass!!!!!!!!!

Any way, rest of crabs into MY fridge in a tray with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of sea water, this was at 1pm.

6hrs later after checking a few traps and found 4 that are about to pop, back to the fridge, bloody water has froze, they are all dead.

Fridge was running at it's lowest setting

[It's not easy]


Dave

Thanks Bill, mb3 George

went down to look at remaining crabs "local name Paddy Parterners"

They are alive
alive, I tell ya! alive!!!!

And it ain't even easter.

As for keeping the buggers in day light, they keep doing a runner, I shall have to rethink their living quarters, maybe even nig the daughters fish tank, hopefully the gold fish won't object.

Wait a min' yes they will! fresh water

sod it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!