Food For Thought:

[chesapeake honker]

this is just from my past experience. i am a commercial watermen and have been crabbing since a child so if you have a different opinion that is find, feel free to speak up

First things first, the only ones who are catching good crabs this time of year (the month of may ) are crab trappers. crabs do not like to hang on to the bait when you are running line in 15- 25 ft of water. yes i have heard of some crabbers using snoods this deep but i do not. yes some potters are doing O.K. but they are only getting about 2-3 bushel a day checking 300 some pots. i have caught a few bushel the second week of may but after a week the crabs are usually gone or shedding and you will throw more back than you will keep.

usually trotliners don't start doing well until the middle of the first week of june. start back in your creeks in shallower water, and stay off the main river for awhile. usally the main river is procuctive around the 3rd week of june. i usually do not start until the first week of june, this is because i do not want to burn myself out running up and down the river looking for crabs because he said she said they caught 4-5 bushel trotlining. if they did catch this many in may on trotline, 99% chance, they are full of ****


Fellars, enjoy the season, be safe and give it a week or two, don't kill yourself now for next to nothing, save your energy. good luck.:thumbup:

[Pinchy03]

Thanks for the write up goodluck this year

[h2oboss]

Hey honker, sage advice no doubt, espcially about the creeks.............. but sometimes you just gotta scratch that itch and give'm a try though :thumbup:

[Rickster]

Thnaks Honker, you were a day late in your post, see my report out of Benedict. Thanks for the write up though.

[rrr]

Ches. Honker, your absolutley right. "The lemon isn't worth the squeeze"

Also, is your bmail working or turned on? I couldn't send you one.

[chesapeake honker]

cant figure out how to turn on p.m. benedict is good the second week of may, but, no sense of renting a slip starting in may when you can only crab a few days that week. if your smart you would be eeling in april and may!! a many of watermen do not attempt to eel and if your selling live eel to the plant, the profit can be better than crabs.

[Butthead]

Me thinks the key to early season crabbing is to lower your expectations.

For example...I am taking a break right now, due to thunderstorms, from baiting 1200' of snoodline to crab the west river tomorrow. I have no illusions of filling multiple baskets with crabs tomorrow. I am merely jonsing to eat some crabs, I know the west is giving up a few, the boat ramp is in my backyard, and If I go catch 3 dozen crabs tomorrow...I will call it a successful trip.

If I have to move the line 4 times to catch 3 dozen, my thoughts on the success may change:nono:

Anyway..good advice CH.

[Burchbeer]

CH,
I buy what you say.

Butthead. Post or bmail what you do. Hope you do/did well.

Its is only going to get better.