Pacifica Crabs - 11/07

Late report.  Got an invitation to go out crabbing with Harold "fuzz" and Nate "spinal tap" near Pacifica.  Can't give out launch points or drop zones out of respect for the local crabbers who are very protective of their territory.

Lots of short dungies and tons of rock crabs.  Got near limits of dungies and kept a bunch of the big rockies.

Lots of quality bait was the ticket.  Harold and Nate never have a shortage from their spearo adventures.

I was glad we brought our GPS when the fog rolled in, otherwise we would have lost some traps.

i know thats a late report but as they say better late than never.WOW! What a haul. Those are some interesting traps. I haven't seen those before.We set some pots also but from a boat up by the Russian and the ones that did best had lingcod carcasses. Congrats on the haul. Thats a lot of cookin'.

WTG on the crabs ChuckE! Nice team work you got there.

Jedmo

Great photos of the big haul.   

Whoo! Strong work!

looks good chuck.  i have not kayakcrabbed in a long time, or even been to pacifica.  water looked nice and calm.

Wow!!!

That is the most inspiring crab report I've seen this year.

Thanks,

Jason

WOW!!!  I am impressed!!!!  Way to go.

damn chucke, you seem to have a way of finding the meat. even when noone else is. congrats

Damn.

Damn nice Chuck my tttthoughts for a MBF for Sonoma just dissolved you're on a roll, I'm just Chillin

I need information about rock crabs.......
I understand only the claws are worthwhile.
I understand crabs re-generate their claws.

When you catch a rock crab, d'u pull off the main claws and throw the animal back?

Judd

Well done!!! best looking traps ive seen in a long time.......

Congrats...!!! Awesome Haul...!!

Gue

I need information about rock crabs.......
I understand only the claws are worthwhile.
I understand crabs re-generate their claws.

When you catch a rock crab, d'u pull off the main claws and throw the animal back?

Judd

I don't understand who would do this or why. There is lots of meat in the red rock crabs and not just in the claws. Pulling a crab's claws off renders it defenseless and incapable of feeding. Why would someone do that? Take the whole thing home or put the whole thing back, that's what I say.

It's also illegal, since there is a size limit on rock crabs. If you are in possession of only the claw then the DFG have no way of telling that the crab you pulled them from was legal sized.

There are two types of "rock crab", brown and red. The browns have very big claws with black tips. The body rarely gets beyond 6 inches and has very little meat. I rarely keep them but if I do I generally eat only the claws. In my opinon they don't taste as good as reds or dungies. They are easily the most agressive of the three crab types.

The red rock crabs are brick red, have smaller claws (that are not black-tipped) but get large, 7-8" is not uncommon. .
They have a decent amount of body meat and, in my opinion, taste better than dungies. They are also the most passive of the three crab types.

You'll easily be able to tell the difference between the two if you catch them.

Good luck!