Crabs

[SUFFO]

Has anyone tried using cable ties on crabs claws to prevent them from nipping you when you catch them?

Does it work?

Recommend/not recommend?

Cheers

Suffo

[james1990]

Theres a way of holding crabs so they cant snap ur fingers.

From what iv learnt the trick is to grab there back legs....they can't reach that far back........i wudnt have the balls to try with a mud crab but..........i like my fingers and toes in one peice.

cheers james

[SUFFO]

Theres a way of holding crabs so they cant snap ur fingers.

From what iv learnt the trick is to grab there back legs....they can't reach that far back........i wudnt have the balls to try with a mud crab but..........i like my fingers and toes in one peice.

cheers james

I seem to catch a few on the line and it gets hectic in the boat when no-ones game to pic them up.

Alot of laughs and excitement though.

[alasdair]

James is right grab ONE of the back legs and they can't reach that far round. If you grab two they can sometimes swing round My uncles used to have a lobster/crab boat back home in Scotland and the best way I found to handle them is to not be scared and use a strong fluid movement to take them put of the pot.. When they are out you can place them upside down on your lap and they find it difficult to right themselves. We used to use elastic bands on the lobsters claws so they wouldn't damage each other, the crabs we did't bother. I think your more likely to get nipped trying to put the bands on than anything!! Some people I know used to cut into to soft joint ot the claw and sever the muscle that controls the nipper, not the most humane way and it discolours the flesh, wouldn't recommend it.

Personally I'm more worried about spiked by a flathead, got a bit of a shock when I caught my first one

Its all about confidence

alasdair

[jacob]

What i do is grab the crab by the flippers sometimes they drop them but u can just use 1 leg 1 flipper then, then i give them a hard crack in the face with a rolic they die instantly but hold them over the side of the boat they lose alot of fluit after u do it. This has worked for me for about 15 years and for my dad for about 45 years we always clean them when we get home they always taste great, good luck

not sure if thats how u spell rolic, its what the ors go in

[coastspinna]

"Personally I'm more worried about spiked by a flathead, got a bit of a shock when I caught my first one

Its all about confidence

alasdair"

thats a brave call... flathead spikes just make you bleed... angry mud crabs steal fingers.LOL

besides that you are right a smooth confident grab is much better than lunging at the tasty animal

suffo i'm sure you could use the small electrical ties but i would think they would be slippery and hard to work with....

i know this vid isn' t the clearest but you can get the idea what to do ...go chick go....i need a missus like that .as the vid says... danger

Edited November 20, 2007 by flathead fanatic

[skunga]

Just grab them by the claws(both of them).. pretty simple = if you are controlling them by the claws there isnt much they can do right?

anyway works for me

[daleyboy]

Just grab them by the claws(both of them).. pretty simple = if you are controlling them by the claws there isnt much they can do right?

anyway works for me

Yea i use the same method .. piece of p%$s with the blue swimmers .. but the muddies can give ya a bit of a wrestle at times

[Pelican3]

SUFFO

You talking about Mud crabs or blue swimmers?

Mud Crabs - Let one out of the trap at a time, barefoot on their back, tie up with string. i wouldn't be stuffing around with cable ties and muddies.

Blue Swimmers - I just grab by claws and throw straight on ice. Elastic bands work or cable ties ready to go also work.

don't like either throwing legs/ claws before I cook them, or breaking the shell as I think it impacts the taste a bit.

Goodluck

[coastspinna]

what he said

[alasdair]

Hi guys,

I'm pleased to say that flathead don't worry me any more, but when I first arrived I think I had watched to many "The worlds deadliest...."!! The (aus) was in tears laughing at me when I got spiked first, as I was thinking I wasn't going to make it off the beach before it was all to late!!

Crabs aren't scary, the bigger the claw/spike/venom gland the easier to avoid!!

[Pelican3]

Hi guys,

I'm pleased to say that flathead don't worry me any more, but when I first arrived I think I had watched to many "The worlds deadliest...."!! The (aus) was in tears laughing at me when I got spiked first, as I was thinking I wasn't going to make it off the beach before it was all to late!!

Crabs aren't scary, the bigger the claw/spike/venom gland the easier to avoid!!

You keep telling yourself that till it nips you

[SUFFO]

They just look so dangerous.I usually throw them from net to esky full of ice slushy.

Cheers for the advice guys.