Pro tip. Don't put water in your bucket with the crab unless you change it out often. They can use up the oxygen in the water and die on ya. Surprisingly, they will live just fine out of water for a LONG time as long as they are kept cool. When used to run my power boat on warmer days, I would use a bucket with a few small holes in the bottom. Use another bucket to dump new water over them as I crabbed. I would wet them and slowly drain out. Second Pro tip. Steam the crab, not boil. Just put a trivot or something to keep the crab off the bottom of the pot above your liquid. Liquid of choice is 50% filtered water, and 50% dark beer. Get the steam going till the lid is puffing and add your seasoned crab halves. Put the lid back on and wait till the lid is puffing again. Steam 10 mins and put them out and lay them out to cool naturally without rinse. Rinsing will dilute the flavor you just infused them with. Third Pro tip. You can accomplish the same carcass splitting action with your bucket. Just hold the crab upside down with the pinchers held out to the sides of it's body and facing away from you. One swift whack along the edge of the bucket down the center of the back and that crab is split! Go about your cleaning as usual from there. After crabbing since I was a youngster with my parents and grand parents, I have the crabbing method down to where I no longer use a boat/kayak, trap, or bait and can usually limit out, or come damn close to it. Some day when we are sitting around a camp fire again, I will tell you the ways of the Crab Jedi, Captain. Cheers!
Thanks for the tips! I've been crabbing a long time too, and what I do works for me. You're correct that if you leave the crabs in water too long they do worse than if you keep them damp out of water. If it's cool out I usually keep them in water if I'm going to be processing them in less than an hour or so, and I change the water often. Otherwise, I put them in the bottom of a cooler with a wet towel on top of them - they'll last several hours that way. I gotta disagree on the steaming - I've never had as good of luck with that method. It's probably because I don't pay enough attention while cooking them or something, but it's just never worked as well for me. Also, I like some salt in the meat and my method gets salt in the body meat nicely. Different strokes for different folks. I spent a lot of years cracking crab other ways, and they all work, but trust me, if you try the Crack'n'Crab cleaner you won't go back - it's a lot easier than the bucket, the edge of the table, the curb, etc. You should try it! There's a lot of ways to do these things, and I don't think my ways are better than yours, but they work better for me. Cheers!
I would add to your tips, ONLY use straight bay/oceanwater when steaming. Seems like a waste of beer to me ;) tried all different kinds of liquid in my time, but I always come back to straight saltwater from the source. This gives the best flavor and texture IMO.
Interesting. We always clean them live by putting them on their backs, hook our boots on the spines and pull. Pass them on to another person to finish the cleaning.
pretty cool, I'm heading out there to camp in a couple weeks., I hope to finally get a boat by next year. Doubt I would get some crabbing done by the shore though.
That's great! You might be surprised what you can get done from shore. You can huck "Crab Hawk" traps with a fishing rod (or by hand) from shore effectively, and both of the marinas will let you crab off their dock for a fee - and rent you gear and sell you bait if needed. It is kind of a slower time of year than fall and winter, though, right now.
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures I will definitely look into it, I'm going to be staying at the state park across the bay. I want to try and do some fishing too.
Great video! I've never crabbed up that far north. Netarts is my favorite bay for shellfish. Though when I am out fishing T-bay I will usually throw a pot or two in ;) Looks like you had a great time. I've never seen a fire pit quite like that. Where did you get it?
Thanks! Netarts is great, too - I'd like to do more crabbing and clamming there. The portable fire pit is by Solo Stove: www.solostove.com/solo-stove-bonfire/ (not affiliated) - We really enjoy that thing. It's easy to get going and burns hot because of the passive circulation that's built in.
It's an older Gregor center console. The previous owner actually moved the console a bit from its original location. Other than that, it's pretty standard.
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures Thanks for responding. Its surprising how many content creaters fall short there. I'm going to be rv'ing fulltime soon and am trying to figure out what I'm going to use to get me and my 60lb dog out on the water. I went from canoe to kayak to folding boat to a heavy duty inflatable zodiac. I'll be pulling a 35 foot travel trailer so I'm thinking pulling a boat behind that would t really be an option. Do you have any suggestions for me?
@@ReelNautiAdventures Well, I'm primarily a kayak fisherman so I'm biased towards that. It's a flexible way to fish and crab a lot of different types of water and situations. That said, I don't have any first-hand knowledge of working a 60lb dog into the picture. I also fish from my inflatable SUP and it's a lot of fun but more difficult to fish off of and less versatile overall, although I do see a lot of SUP people with dogs onboard. Good luck!
Like the new boat. Its deep! Quite the change from the kayak where if you drop anything its gone forever.
Thanks! It's a lot of fun, but I won't lie: every time I'm in it I feel like I'm cheating on my kayaks :)
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures meh. If u are having fun. Who cares what kind of boat you are in.
Congrats on the big haul o crab! Capt Redbeard does it again!
Thanks! I've really enjoyed your crabbing videos. Anyone reading this should check them out!
That’s rad when Old Lady’s join their Old Men with their fishing/crabbing adventures!
Pro tip. Don't put water in your bucket with the crab unless you change it out often. They can use up the oxygen in the water and die on ya. Surprisingly, they will live just fine out of water for a LONG time as long as they are kept cool. When used to run my power boat on warmer days, I would use a bucket with a few small holes in the bottom. Use another bucket to dump new water over them as I crabbed. I would wet them and slowly drain out.
Second Pro tip. Steam the crab, not boil. Just put a trivot or something to keep the crab off the bottom of the pot above your liquid. Liquid of choice is 50% filtered water, and 50% dark beer. Get the steam going till the lid is puffing and add your seasoned crab halves. Put the lid back on and wait till the lid is puffing again. Steam 10 mins and put them out and lay them out to cool naturally without rinse. Rinsing will dilute the flavor you just infused them with.
Third Pro tip.
You can accomplish the same carcass splitting action with your bucket. Just hold the crab upside down with the pinchers held out to the sides of it's body and facing away from you. One swift whack along the edge of the bucket down the center of the back and that crab is split! Go about your cleaning as usual from there.
After crabbing since I was a youngster with my parents and grand parents, I have the crabbing method down to where I no longer use a boat/kayak, trap, or bait and can usually limit out, or come damn close to it. Some day when we are sitting around a camp fire again, I will tell you the ways of the Crab Jedi, Captain. Cheers!
Thanks for the tips! I've been crabbing a long time too, and what I do works for me. You're correct that if you leave the crabs in water too long they do worse than if you keep them damp out of water. If it's cool out I usually keep them in water if I'm going to be processing them in less than an hour or so, and I change the water often. Otherwise, I put them in the bottom of a cooler with a wet towel on top of them - they'll last several hours that way.
I gotta disagree on the steaming - I've never had as good of luck with that method. It's probably because I don't pay enough attention while cooking them or something, but it's just never worked as well for me. Also, I like some salt in the meat and my method gets salt in the body meat nicely. Different strokes for different folks.
I spent a lot of years cracking crab other ways, and they all work, but trust me, if you try the Crack'n'Crab cleaner you won't go back - it's a lot easier than the bucket, the edge of the table, the curb, etc. You should try it!
There's a lot of ways to do these things, and I don't think my ways are better than yours, but they work better for me. Cheers!
I would add to your tips, ONLY use straight bay/oceanwater when steaming. Seems like a waste of beer to me ;) tried all different kinds of liquid in my time, but I always come back to straight saltwater from the source. This gives the best flavor and texture IMO.
I used to work at Jetty Fishery in the summer, back when when I was a kid. Still love that bay.
That's where we launched from this time - agree, lots of great memories!
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures i use to go there when Kelly was still working there. That family kind of owns the bay now with Kelly owning Briton...lol
I've talked to Kelly a couple of times, seems like a really nice guy.
Interesting. We always clean them live by putting them on their backs, hook our boots on the spines and pull. Pass them on to another person to finish the cleaning.
Yep, lots of ways to get it done.
Star Trek reference. Love it!
AWESOME 👌
Very enjoyable video! Thank you for sharing!💕
Appreciate the comment!
Nice vid
Sending support Tess TV
pretty cool, I'm heading out there to camp in a couple weeks., I hope to finally get a boat by next year. Doubt I would get some crabbing done by the shore though.
That's great! You might be surprised what you can get done from shore. You can huck "Crab Hawk" traps with a fishing rod (or by hand) from shore effectively, and both of the marinas will let you crab off their dock for a fee - and rent you gear and sell you bait if needed. It is kind of a slower time of year than fall and winter, though, right now.
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures I will definitely look into it, I'm going to be staying at the state park across the bay. I want to try and do some fishing too.
I find these enjoyable even though I’ve never done this
Thanks! You should come out sometime with Arthur if you're interested.
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures ooo yes sounds like fun
Great video! I've never crabbed up that far north. Netarts is my favorite bay for shellfish. Though when I am out fishing T-bay I will usually throw a pot or two in ;) Looks like you had a great time. I've never seen a fire pit quite like that. Where did you get it?
Thanks! Netarts is great, too - I'd like to do more crabbing and clamming there. The portable fire pit is by Solo Stove: www.solostove.com/solo-stove-bonfire/ (not affiliated) - We really enjoy that thing. It's easy to get going and burns hot because of the passive circulation that's built in.
Awesome! Thanks for the info. I may have to pick one of these up for sure. I see they're on sale!
Thats a pretty nice setup. What can you tell me about your boat and its setup?
It's an older Gregor center console. The previous owner actually moved the console a bit from its original location. Other than that, it's pretty standard.
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures Thanks for responding. Its surprising how many content creaters fall short there.
I'm going to be rv'ing fulltime soon and am trying to figure out what I'm going to use to get me and my 60lb dog out on the water.
I went from canoe to kayak to folding boat to a heavy duty inflatable zodiac. I'll be pulling a 35 foot travel trailer so I'm thinking pulling a boat behind that would t really be an option.
Do you have any suggestions for me?
@@ReelNautiAdventures Well, I'm primarily a kayak fisherman so I'm biased towards that. It's a flexible way to fish and crab a lot of different types of water and situations. That said, I don't have any first-hand knowledge of working a 60lb dog into the picture. I also fish from my inflatable SUP and it's a lot of fun but more difficult to fish off of and less versatile overall, although I do see a lot of SUP people with dogs onboard. Good luck!
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures much appreciated, thank you.
YUM!!!
"Impulse power" -- LOL!
What boat/model ? Thanks!!!
It's an early 90s Gregor 21' center console. It looks like the closest thing they are making right now is the Ocean 20 or the Pac 18. Cheers!
@@CaptainRedbeardsAdventures awesome rig, much appreciate the info an reply!