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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Crabby  (Read 1442 times)

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Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
After surf12foot caught crabs with his fly rod, I decided it was time to bring out the crab trap that I've had all year but have never used.  To be honest, this was my SECOND attempt at a crabbing expedition.  The first expedition was cut short when I arrived at the ramp with lots of bait, the float and bait bag, and all of the other crab-catching paraphernalia, but no trap.  I'd left my crab trap tucked away, safe and sound, in my garage.

This time I had everything with me.  Except the burlap sack to put all the yummy crabs I intended to catch into, so I was grateful that my fishing companion had his burlap sack.  Some people just have their poo-poo in a neat and orderly pile, others don't.  I'm one of the others.

We meandered out, dropped our traps, and proceeded to not catch any salmon.  This isn't a salmon tale, but just let me add that when fishing for salmon, it helps if there are salmon in the water.  Nonetheless, it was a lovely day.  No wind, water like glass, and not even the sad lack of salmon could spoil my mood.  Crab are tasty albeit difficult to eat.  They almost take more effort to get a bite - and a tiny bite at that - than they're worth.  Almost.

We paddled about, casting here and there, catching nothing, but enjoying ourselves until it was time to check the traps.  Thanks to the expert coaching I received, I managed to bring my trap up without going overboard, and Holy cow!  It had a herd of crabs inside!

Female, female, male - legal but smaller than I wanted do he went overboard, too, female... then it was time for the big guy - the really big guy - who stubbornly refused to turn around so I could pluck him from the trap without losing a finger or two.  He had a hold on the bait bag and wasn't letting go, so I reached around him and the next was a legal male.

"Where's that burlap sack?"  "You don't need it yet, just put it down and grab another."  Wait!  Say what?  I'm supposed to put this crab down, between my legs, where he can scramble down to my nethers and do untold damage?  This is a joke, right?

"No, just drop him and get on with it!"

I did as told and the crab instantly made a dash for the gunwale, but I grabbed him in time and set him down in the footwell where he immediately made a dash for my tenders.  Folks, I'm not too proud to admit that I might have squealed, just a little, and pushed myself up, thinking that if the crab wanted my seat that badly, I might need to jump out and let him have it.

That's when my companion, obviously tired of the silliness, started shaking crabs out of my trap and into my lap.  I was so busy trying to keep fingers out of the way that I don't think I had time to squeal, but I remember feeling happy that crab #1 had settled in without incident, and was blocking the path so no other crab could scramble too far towards me.

The big guy was still in the trap and it was time to reach in to get him out.

"So do I just yank on him until I pull off that claw or he decides to let go?  Either option is fine by me, by the way."

"Pull the claw open and get him out!"  Now the irritation was obvious.  I took a deep breath to steady myself, took note of the evil glint in the crab's eye, reached in and voila!  It let go.  Easy as that.  But now I had a giant, mutant crab in my hand,  kicking about and making mousetrap sounds when it snapped it's claws.

A blood-thirsty crab in my left hand, a flock of smaller but equally evil crabs jockeying for position around my privates, and no idea what to do next, so I reached over and grabbed the burlap sack out of my companion's kayak.  Turnabout is fair play - he dumps angry crabs in my lap and I get to snatch his crab sack.

I'll never forget how grateful I was to get the gigantic crab in that sack so I could deal with it's smaller cousins, and I heaved a great sigh of relief when I had the little guys neatly in the burlap sack without suffering a debilitating injury.

I decided, then and there, that crabs really are more work than they're worth and I gave all my crabs to my companion.  That crab trap is safely back in the garage where I should have left it, and I suspect it will remain there either for as long as I live or until someone starts making Kevlar underdrawers.  Crabs in my lap my butt!  They don't do that on "Deadliest Catch".

And that's how crab-trapping career began, and ended.  In my lap!  Sheesh!
« Last Edit: October 05, 2018, 08:09:17 AM by Tinker »
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


hdpwipmonkey

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Cornelius, OR
  • Date Registered: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 1481
Ray
2020 Hobie Outback "Chum Chicken"
2018 Native Titan 10.5 "Battle Barge"
Wilderness Tarpon 100






www.facebook.com/HOWNOC


2016 Junk Jig Challenge
Category - IT’S NOT A DRINKING PROBLEM IF YOU’RE BEING CREATIVE
1st place - The Drunken Bastard


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
It's going to take more than three beers to put that experience behind me.
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


BugNerd

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Seattle
  • Date Registered: Jul 2018
  • Posts: 48


hdpwipmonkey

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Cornelius, OR
  • Date Registered: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 1481
I need to drive down there and fish with you guys sometime.  You two have too much fun to not have it documented on film.   ;D
Ray
2020 Hobie Outback "Chum Chicken"
2018 Native Titan 10.5 "Battle Barge"
Wilderness Tarpon 100






www.facebook.com/HOWNOC


2016 Junk Jig Challenge
Category - IT’S NOT A DRINKING PROBLEM IF YOU’RE BEING CREATIVE
1st place - The Drunken Bastard


Tinker

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Kevin
  • Location: 42.74°N 124.5°W
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3304
I need to drive down there and fish with you guys sometime.  You two have too much fun to not have it documented on film.   ;D

Perhaps we'll see you next year around Sunset Bay AOTD time?  You may as well smush two snails with one rock.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2018, 08:50:47 AM by Tinker »
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


 

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