Crabby (Day 262 of 273)

Remember those stories back in the 1970's about guys wanting to cut their own wood to save money on heating. First its the chainsaw and accessories, then the pickup truck, etc. etc. Bottom line was the divorce settlement. After 5 cords of wood the net expense was roughly $15,000 a cord. We'll I've got a similar deal going with crabs, hopefully no divorce.

It all seemed so simple, primal, and obvious. Crab is good. Crabs live in Puget Sound. We live just off Puget Sound . . . thus I should go crabbing. A few glasses of wine later, and I've got a deal going with Hugh Musser, one of my Kala Point Cooking buddies (that is another story). We found a good used fiberglass crab boat (double hull rowing type) for $300 and split the cost. Now I'm in for $150, but have 1/2 of a boat. Not bad. Got my license that afternoon for $13, since I'm a full time Washington residence for > 6 months now.

We'll you need some crabbing gear. You're not going to get many crabs off the pier with a string and rotten chicken leg. Saw an ad in the local paper--crab pots on sale at Swains. Off I go. A crab pot (cage) is $22, plus 100 ft of leaded line, a sling, bait pot, and bouy. Total bill with tax = $77. Now I'm in for $240, but no crab.

The season opened on Wednesday, July 1, so Hugh and I got out early and dropped our pots in the water, just 100 ft off shore. Pretty easy row, baited them with some salmon parts Hugh got for almost nothing.

Yesterday out we went again, this time to check the pots and enclosed booty. BINGO. Hugh had one rock crab, which is a keeper at >5" across and of any sex. Dungeness are the preferred crab here, but you can only keep males >6 1/4" across. Off we go to check my pot, which is a bit larger than Hugh's: TRIPLE BINGO. 2 male rock crabs (>6") and a female dungeness, which went back in the water. We rebaited the traps and will go out Saturday to check them again. The crabbing season is roughly July 1 to Labor Day and from Wed-Sat only, meaning the traps have to come ashore this next go around.

Hugh didn't think his one crab was going to make a meal, so I got all three (next time he'll get the booty). Boiled them up last night and cleaned them for dinner this weekend. I think the 3 crabs weighed in at 4 pounds (shell and all). So the bottom line for the season so far is $240/4 pounds, for about $60 per pound. But I have bragging rights, dinner, and something to counter Flemings 36" northern Pike, which he snagged off his dock in Canada.

Did I fail to mention that New Day Fisheries in Port Townsend has live Dungeness crab for $6 a pound. Its going to be a long season.

PS. Two more crabs on Sat afternoon for another 3 pounds. Down to $35 a pound for the season so far. Break even point is 40 pounds of crab or about 25 of those little nippers.