Page 111 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2021

m any people along the Mississippi Coast enjoy
a good crab meal, but for old-fashioned family fun, catch your own
crustaceans!
People commonly catch crabs in nets
or traps, but some heavy twine, a long- handled scoop net and a few chicken necks can provide hours of inexpensive entertainment for the entire family, plus a great meal. Of course, people could substitute sh heads from previous outdoor adventures or other baits. Crabs eat just about anything, but soft morsels like hot dogs won’t last long in the water with sharp pincers tearing them apart.
“Blue crabs are very common in Mississippi coastal waters from the rivers and bays all the way out to the barrier islands,” explains Rick Burris, deputy director of the O ce of Marine Fisheries in the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. “Crabs can be caught with handlines from the bank near areas
that contain some sort of structure, like concrete rubble, jetties or old pier pilings in the back bays or o the front beaches.
Some popular areas to catch crabs are the numerous public piers located in all three coastal counties.”
To start crabbing with handlines, cut twine into about 10- to 20-foot lengths or enough to reach the bottom with plenty of slack. Tie one end to an immobile or weighty object like a piling or a brick. Tie bait to the other end and toss it into the water. If necessary, attach a small weight to the line, just heavy enough to keep bait on the bottom.
Crabs grab the bait in their claws and attempt to haul it away. When a crab stretches the line, place the net in the water. Pull the line slowly so the crab won’t let go of the bait. Gently lift the line to pull the crab to the surface over the net. Bring the net up from under and behind it because the crab will naturally scoot backwards to escape – right into the net!
Plop the crab into a sturdy container like an ice chest. Cover the top to keep crabs out of direct sunlight, but allow air to circulate in the chest. Add a little water to keep the tasty crustaceans moist, but not submerged. If submerged without
aeration, crabs can consume all available oxygen and die. Crabs can survive long periods out of the water if their gills remain wet.
Highly proli c, blue crabs reproduce
all year long. When reproducing, females carry their eggs and young under their abdomens. The eggs look like berries. In Mississippi, it’s illegal to keep crabs in the “berry stage.”
“There is no season, limit or license requirement for catching crabs with
a handline or a drop net for personal consumption, but just take what you need to feed your family,” Burris emphasizes. “Crabs must be at least ve inches from the tip of one lateral spine across the back of the shell to the tip of the opposite lateral spine to keep.”
Children enjoy pulling in the lines and netting crabs. The armored crustaceans don’t spook easily, so let the youngsters play, make noise and have fun. If they miss a crab or two, don’t chastise them. More crabs will come around. Children only remain small for a short time. Landing good memories far outweighs catching a few more crabs.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
May 2021 | 111