![]() There is usually a small washout at the base of these piling, especially where the pilings receive current. Old piers and docks will also provide soft shell blue crabs a place to hide. Always check around this debris while soft-shelling. Old buckets or tires in the water offer crabs protection. They will use any type of place to hide while soft. the soft shell blue crabs will hide in grass and around old logs. While soft, the crabs will barely be able to move, making them easy targets for predators. When the crabs move into the shallows to shed, they will be looking for a safe place to hide while in the most vulnerable stage of their adult life. Old tennis shoes are best for this activity. You can also store some bottled water, extra propane tank, bug repellant or ice in the pan and keep it with you.įinally, you must have some protective footwear to keep from getting cuts from sharp shells, rocks, rusted metal or other debris. You now have a lightweight container to transport your bounty. Tie a large enough knot and it won’t slip through the hole. Drill a small hole at one end and run clothesline string in it. Some soft-shell ‘pros’ opt for a container or vessel that can be pulled along as you walk A large plastic dish-washing pan does well in this situation. You can load the bag with crabs and tie it to your belt and out of the water. A small mesh bag with a drawstring is ideal for this. You will need something to carry the soft shell blue crabs as you collect them. The mesh should be fine so that the limp crabs won’t slide out of a standard crab net. Next, you will need a dip net to scoop the crabs. A strong, bright, propane lantern is best. ![]() The first thing you will need is a good light. can often produce success all the way until dawn, after the early shift shell blue crab seekers have gone home. While doing that can be productive, the hours before and after the actual full moon seem to be better. When there is a full moon, there will be crab seekers combing the shallows immediately after dark. The best times to go out in search of soft shell blue crabs are the nights right before and right after the full moon. The lunar cycle plays a roll in when blue crabs start the molting process. For this very short time, almost the entire crab can be consumed, unlike during its normal hard-shell existence. During this limited window, the entire crab’s body will be soft. This temporary condition is known as a soft-shell crab. The activity we are referring to is the pursuit of soft-shell crabs.Ī blue crab, in order to grow larger, is forced to shed its shell periodically and replace it with another that is very soft and flexible that will allow it to grow in size. The nighttime air is quite a difference from the summertime steam you experience on a normal July day. Let’s take a closer look at how this unique creature is harvested and cooked.Įach summer as temperatures rise, sportsmen on Mobile Bay start looking for an activity that is slightly more comfortable. ![]() If you are unfamiliar with this great Gulf Coast delicacy, you really don’t know what you are missing. Looking at a golden brown, fried soft shell blue crab on a dinner plate can bring either curiosity or excitement, depending on who’s looking.
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