My first Dungy

[Heartsblood]

Thanks again to FC for showing me how, when, what, and where. The "why" is obvious. Fished with a rod, reel, and castable trap baited with nasty chicken. I'm fairly excited about my first catch here. I look forward to more. It's already been a great summer for learning new skills, eating new grinds, making new friends. Good times!

[CP]

Good job!

Now that you’re a veteran crab catcher you may want an easier way to clean and eat them:

Flip the buggers on their back and cut them in half like so (along the line) with a cleaver or good strong knife.



Once cut, grab a half by the legs and claw, pull off the half shell and flick out the guts.  Pick off the gills and it’s clean.  Do the other half and you’re done.  They cook faster when clean and taste better if they aren’t boiled whole.  IMHO anyway.

[h20hunter]

No no no. My way is much better and far superior. I know this becuase I'm online and know everthing!   

First, chuck them on ice while still kicking. Once they slow down grasp one side of legs in one bundle with one hand and brace it down, grasp the lip of the shell with the other and pull that baby up and off. Toss that aside (may want to keep the top shell for measuring if gamie checks). Now, grip both sets of legs, one in each hand and brace your thumbs along the middle line underneathe the crab. Break him in half, swish both halves in fresh seawater to rinse, pull off gills, gender plate, misc gunk, rinse again.

Cook and eat.

[jackmaster]

Damn fine eatn right there

[h20hunter]

Yep, some good color, nice and hard shell. Not those pale ones that make you think of soft shelled 8 inchers that have to go back cause they are full of water instead of meat.

I completely agree with them tasting better when they are cleaned prior to cooking. Go get some more and we'll have a feed.

[JimmyHoffa]

 
You'll be hooked now!

And good on FC with hooking you up with the crabs.

[runamuk]

nonono you split him over a double bladed axe stuck in driftwood on the beach and swish out guts in the saltwater then toss halves into bucket to take up to beach house to boil 

FC that is darn nice of you giving the guy crabs like that 

[C-Money]

So, you can killem then cookem? We buy whole cooked crab and clean them when we get home. I thought they had to be put in the pot alive for some reason.

[runamuk]

So, you can killem then cookem? We buy whole cooked crab and clean them when we get home. I thought they had to be put in the pot alive for some reason.

grew up eating crab and we always whacked em in half on the beach far less mess than cooking whole  havent died yet so assume its ok....I am Norwegian though so who knows  I mean my people eat lutefisk 

[Alchase]

So, you can killem then cookem? We buy whole cooked crab and clean them when we get home. I thought they had to be put in the pot alive for some reason.

So you can hear them scream while trying to climb out of the pot 
 
It is like watching a train wreck, you can't look away!

[lokidog]

If you don't eat them right away.... they seem to last longer in the fridge when you cook them after popping the shell and pulling off the guts and gills.  It also takes less time to cook.

[Heartsblood]

Well this was my second one caught. Two days in a row eating Dungeness for supper. I'm into it! I'm sure after a few more, taking their pictures won't be such a novelty to me...

[gasman]

Thast awsome 

Nothing better then fresh dungee.

I pulled my pots this morning and we had 8 kepers for 3 pots on an over night soak 

Gonna clean um and boil them up in a few min. 

[gotshot]

I am looking to buy my first real boat right now so I can get some of them buggers some day. Congrats.

[gasman]

I am looking to buy my first real boat right now so I can get some of them buggers some day. Congrats.

I use a 14ft aluminum boat and hand load it. We run a 4 horse motor to get us around. I used to use a 12ft aluminum boat and 10ft Livingston yeasr ago.

Don't need much of a boat in the south sound, just stay off the water when you have chop