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Author Topic: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!  (Read 97130 times)

Offline Skillet

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #270 on: August 16, 2012, 08:51:42 AM »
Yep.  I'll keep you posted on the scouting trip plans.
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"The ocean is calling, and I must go."

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Offline DoubleJ

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #271 on: August 16, 2012, 10:19:15 AM »
If I can convince the wife that boiling some water in the house this evening isn't going to heat the house up that much, I might get out to the dock tonight

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #272 on: August 18, 2012, 09:21:41 PM »
Still getting them but it was slower this evening. Still pulled seven for the wife and I. Cant limit everytime I suppose.

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #273 on: August 20, 2012, 07:07:10 AM »
Well, I think my crab season is done. Went out Saturday and had a nice time taking the wife out on the boat. She was a quick learn regarding coming up on a pot and even pulled one at the end of the evening. The thunderstorms in my area never materialized so it was pleasant enough on the water. We left the pots to soak overnight and the the A team, me, brother in law, and his brother went back out yesterday morning. It wasn't slam dunk crabbing like it has been for me but we managed. The wife and I pulled only 7 on Saturday evening and we called it good enough at 12 dungies and 6 red rock on Sunday. Here is a picture of my wife and some of the haul at the family bbq yesterday.

Offline Skillet

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #274 on: August 20, 2012, 10:51:59 AM »
Nice catch, man.  We missed you out there because we were, well, trying to get off the mountain.  Didn't get home 'till 10:30 pm...
But, that let my pots soak another day.  Ended up with 13 keepers in 4 pots.  Not bad, but I agree it is slowing down.



I'll probably go out one more time for crab.  We ought to talk about the upcoming silver season...
KABOOM Count - 1

"The ocean is calling, and I must go."

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
     - Gordon Lightfoot

Offline D-Rock425

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #275 on: August 20, 2012, 11:28:43 AM »
Nice catch.

Offline DoubleJ

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #276 on: August 20, 2012, 11:36:06 AM »
Last night was a mess for me.  I thought I could handle the tide movement and ended up 200 yards down the beach from the dock.  Finally had to drop the pot to get back.  Let the tide go slack and went to go get it again.  Still couldn't get back.  Dropped the pot a second time and swam the raft back to shore.  Went home and got my spool of nine line.  Tied it off to the raft and had my wife spool it out as I swam the raft out.  When I grabbed the bouy, she tied me off to the dock.  Then I used the rope to pull myself back in with the pot.  After 3 hours of this dickery, 0 crabs in the pot.  Pissed doesn't even begin to cover my feelings last night.

The system got too complicated from what was bringing me success so, I have simplified things and it should be better the next few weekends before it closes.

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #277 on: August 20, 2012, 11:38:14 AM »
Sounds like you are pushing it for sure. Saw your review of the crab jell.....eh...worth a shot. I've been soaking my chicken and turkey in the pink Pautzes Fuel and that seems to be helping. However, I agree that your fresh caught flounder and bull heads are even better. That was a nice haul on the red rocks prior to you having a Gilligan moment in the raft.

Offline DoubleJ

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #278 on: August 20, 2012, 11:38:54 AM »
So, what's the deal with the red rocks?  Thought I read somebody say they stay on or near their rock pile and if I don't get the trap near them, they won't travel to get to the bait like dungies.  Is this true?  Do they have territory that they stay at?  If so, it would explain why I have 0 crabs after pulling 10 even though the pot was in the same spot but it wouldn't explain how I got 10 in one pull after putting it in the same spot that the day before I got 2.

Offline DoubleJ

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #279 on: August 20, 2012, 11:40:33 AM »
Sounds like you are pushing it for sure. Saw your review of the crab jell.....eh...worth a shot. I've been soaking my chicken and turkey in the pink Pautzes Fuel and that seems to be helping. However, I agree that your fresh caught flounder and bull heads are even better. That was a nice haul on the red rocks prior to you having a Gilligan moment in the raft.

Gilligan moment for sure.  Lesson learned and the pot is now only 200' into the channel instead of 300'.  That extra 100' put me into some hard charging tidal movement.  200' from the dock is still pretty protected by the bay and easier to navigate

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #280 on: August 20, 2012, 11:57:18 AM »
Next season if things are a little better you are going to have to save up your gas money and make the trip....we'll get you on the crab with a little less work.

Offline Fishstiq

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #281 on: August 20, 2012, 03:23:47 PM »
So, what's the deal with the red rocks?  Thought I read somebody say they stay on or near their rock pile and if I don't get the trap near them, they won't travel to get to the bait like dungies.  Is this true?  Do they have territory that they stay at?  If so, it would explain why I have 0 crabs after pulling 10 even though the pot was in the same spot but it wouldn't explain how I got 10 in one pull after putting it in the same spot that the day before I got 2.

Red rocks are less migratory than dungies for sure.  They tend to stay hidden in "burrows," like rotted out logs and such.  You don't see them out in the open like dungies nearly as frequently.  So in my experience, yeah, you would have to get the pots closer to red rock in order to bait them in.
“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”


― Samuel Adams

Offline DoubleJ

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #282 on: August 20, 2012, 07:30:06 PM »
well, got 5 red rocks tonight including 2 7"ers.  Pics to come.  Can't believe I didn't take measured pics before.  These are big but we've gotten about half a dozen that were bigger so far this year.

Offline DoubleJ

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #283 on: August 20, 2012, 07:33:28 PM »

Offline NRA4LIFE

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Re: Why I love opening day of crab....and the ongoing season!
« Reply #284 on: August 21, 2012, 12:06:42 PM »
Those are some seriously huge reds JJ.  Nice work.
Look man, some times you just gotta roll the dice

 


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