Busted

[crabberlig]

Coming back in from a Wye crabbing trip on Saturday (10:45 A.M.) their were two female DNR agents checking catches at the ramp. I noticed the one agent right in front of us was on the boat that just recently pulled into the dock. She was taking one crab after another and putting them in her basket. My curiosity got the best of me so I innocently walked over to see what the issue was. Apparently the rec crabber right in front of me had at least 15-20 sooks, probably more because the agent still wasn't done checking.
The guy told me that he didn't know female crabs were illegal to keep. In a way I felt sorry for the guy but at the same time you have to know the laws before you go on the water.
I can only imagine what the fine would be.

[JALOPY]

I feel bad for the guy, but it makes me feel good that regulations are being enforced.
I was there on Sunday and a recc in a rental boat dropped traps up and down either side of my trot line. I didn't mind since I was almost done.
As I was pulling my line in he pulls over and asks how many Females he was allowed to keep. I said none. He gestured to his buddy to start culling. I don't know if he threw them back or not.

[crabby and son]

Ya gotta know before ya go. I might feel bad for an out of Stater and I say might..... but a MD resident should know the rules. So should an out of Stater so maybe I wouldn't feel bad:confused: I know that when some one knowingly breaks the rules, it's worse. I guess it all boils down to " If ya wanna play ya have to pay!"..........Gary

[Offshore12]

Why would someone keep a female crab?

[crabby and son]

Why would someone keep a female crab?

There are some people that can't tell the difference:eek:, some people who don't know better and some people who know and just want crabs. I have never kept females and I have crabbed for 47 years. After they are caught once they will know better:thumbup:...............Gary

[rgminer]

In Maryland, the new law has been reported in the news over and over..if he's a Maryland resident he's been hiding under a rock.

[bebopper]

Was on the Wye yesterday. The state could make alot of money on fines for what goes on over there. The lot was almost full when we got there at 5:10am. We launched and headed out. There were guys already crabbing as we went down the river. There is a legal starting time for both recs and comms. Whetner these guys were recs or comms I don't know but I do know they were crabbing before the allowed time for either group. I mean they were dipping crabs so they had to have dropped their lines way before the legal time.
I experienced the same thing on a Saturday over there about 3 weeks ago. These were mostly recs that time.
In addition, this is the second time I have seen recs fishing traps on Wedsnesday, once at the mouth of the South River and yesterday at the Wye. We didn't have a vhf or cell with us.
I am happy to read the report that they were checking crabs there at least once. But I know the money is there if they'd just put a couple of officers in boats at 5am on the Wye and just wait for the law breakers.

[Bottom Knocker]

why do people keep 12 inch stripers?

[C-Hawk18]

why do people keep 12 inch stripers?

Maybe it's cause they taste better?.....they haven't had much time to accumulate much mercury or many PCB's.

[Meals on reels]

Sounds like the guy probably didnt know any better, but whether he did or didn't the sad part is they are throwing females out in the dumpster again this year on route 4 in Huntingtown after they can't sell them for 4 dozen for $19. You have to wonder who is doing the bigger dis-service to the female population.:confused:

Also for the record I didnt and dont keep females either in the last 32 years of crabbing with the family, however dad always said the females make better crabs and spagetti.:thumbup:

[john pearce]

hell I can tell the difference most times as the line comes up, I just knock them off, sometimes I put them in a different culling basket and dump them away from where I'm crabbing.

[miracleson82]

If you ever bought a pound of crab meat you just enjoyed female crabs!

[Willowsman]

"If you ever bought a pound of crab meat you just enjoyed female crabs!

Or ordered a crabcake in a restaurant.

[27 sailfish]

That could be an expensive mistake - OUCH.

Great to hear DNR checking for females :thumbup:. If it was an honest mistake - they might get cut some slack. Having the basket in plain view sugguests it was.

I heard DNR is getting some money from the Feds to use for more crabbing related checks/enforcement :thumbup:.

[Bug Guy]

Sorry guys, I crab very infrequently (usually with a friend who crabs more - and I'm on the board seeing whats up trying to decide if it's worth a half day to go out Friday if the weather clears), and I know the rules before I go out. I don't feel bad for him at all. Read the book, know the rules, or don't go out. One by mistake and/or accident is one thing. Not taking the time to know the rules (as he admitted) is not an accident, it isn't an excuse, it's ignorant and it's poaching. Sorry, just my opinion.

[gwaud]

I dont see the big deal or maybe someone can help me understand the thing with the female crab. Comm and REC both use trotlines and traps. Both crab the same waters but only 1 can keep the female vs the other.

[Burchbeer]

Big Guy,

Seafood Fest starts Friday at SP.

FYI

[port fisher]

I dont see the big deal or maybe someone can help me understand the thing with the female crab. Comm and REC both use trotlines and traps. Both crab the same waters but only 1 can keep the female vs the other.

gwaud,
Are you from VA or PA?

[MIKE BURGESS]

Seafood Fest is it this Friday Sat Sun ?

[BowMovements]

I dont see the big deal or maybe someone can help me understand the thing with the female crab. Comm and REC both use trotlines and traps. Both crab the same waters but only 1 can keep the female vs the other.

Not myself but other comms. may need the sale of sooks to make ends meet. Recs do not. Recs like to eat a crab cakes, crab dip, crab soup, or any thing else made of crab for retail purchase when they go out. Where do you think that meat comes from? SOOKS. Comms. bring home the meat for that. I don't want to hear you never ordered a crab cake either. :D

[rj]

Seafood Fest is it this Friday Sat Sun ?

Yes

Maryland Seafood Festival - Sept. 11-13, 2009 - Sandy Point Park, Annapolis (http://www.mdseafoodfestival.com/)

[crabberlig]

Bug Guy,

I agree with you for the most part, however, everyone has to agee that the rules are becoming harder and harder to understand. This guy was clearly ignorant of the rules and I know he paid the price.
The other female agent at the dock was checking for undersized crabs on another boat and was hitting pay dirt. I didn't feel sorry for this guy at all. He was complaining they were only a fraction of an inch under and the agent was having nothing to do with it.
Lesson: Know the rules, don't bend them even a little, have a tool that easily measures 5 1/4, don't put them on your cooler to measure. If the points don't touch thow it back, period.
DNR, PLEASE MAKE A EASY TO UNDERSTAND RULE BOOK, PLEASE.

John

[crabres]

if he doesnt know the rules thats his problem and a fraction of an inch ios alot when your talking crabs. ive seen alot of rec. guys keeping females and undersized and it makes me sick . just venting a bit, sorry

[27 sailfish]

I've always cut my measuring stick 1/4 inch bigger then the minimum. This way - there is no chance for one being too small.

I've seen DNR go through an entire bushel - pulling out any that look close. The ones who check a lot of crabbers get a very good eye for it.

It is not worth it to have a short crab in the bunch. Honestly - a just legal crab does not offer a lot of meat anyway. I let them go - hopefully I catch them after they grow bigger later in the year.

Kinda funny but you can tell an area is crabbed hard when just about every crab is almost a keeper.

[Riptide1947]

Just like the lottery..........if you want to play.........you have to pay ! !

I don't feel sorry for the poacher...........ignorance of the law has never been an acceptable excuse.

I just wonder how many times this person has been taking female and undersized crabs, before he got caught ? ? ?

[heimdall]

Just like the lottery..........if you want to play.........you have to pay ! !

I don't feel sorry for the poacher...........ignorance of the law has never been an acceptable excuse.

I just wonder how many times this person has been taking female and undersized crabs, before he got caught ? ? ?

Bingo!!! That is a winning statement.:yes:

[Robert Holsapple]

Lotta good advice here, been crabbing for 25 years and don't keep females either. Also throw males back if they are even close to legal size.

[Rogerv]

Unless you go on line to look at the reg's the book that they are giving when you buy a licence says that crabs must be 5" and that females are legal the Regs changed two years ago to 5.25" after July 15th and no females and they havent updated the pamplet. Not everybody is on the internet. I know about a lot of people that refuse to get a computer because they are afraid of them or think they are too old to learn. I think with a cheap lawyer they could get out of the ticket.