After the catch

[pwake7]

After you guys catch the crabs and say your home with your bushel baket around noon. Whats the best way to keep alive until steaming around 4:00pm. Whats the best way to keep them alive in general

[capt brad]

A towel w/ a bag of ice on top of the basket in the shade, but if you have refrigeration that's a little better seem's that what most people do but I had good luck w/ an ice cooler and a bag of ice on the bottom and the crabs on top.

[rj]

live crabs like to be kept cool,,50-55 deg, & moist, & they also need to have some air, an old refrigerator is ok, if it is a frost free one add some moisture such as a wet blanket, & leave the door cracked so they can have some air.

[SteveL]

When we hit the ramp and load the boat the crabs come into the air conditioned SUV on top of a waterproof surface (tarp, shower curtain, trash bag) to keep the carpet clean. When I get home they come inside the air conditioned house until we cook.

If I am camping and want to hold some overnight they go in a cooler that has cardboard on top of a layer of ice and the crabs go on top of the cardboard. I keep the drain plug open and crack the lid (or use an old cooler that does not seal well on the lid) so that they have air.

I lose very few crabs, however if I get a lot of crabs I try to get off the water and out of the heat as early as possible. I also put a wet towel or burlap over the basket in the boat if its hot and sunny.

[BowMovements]

like above make sure the plug is open on the cooler

[Big Liar]

You guys are all soooo wrong and way off. The best way to keep your crabs alive is that you stop by your local neighborhood bar and store them in the walk-in while you cool off with a few. How could you guys miss this easy question. I lost all faith in ya.

[Johnfishes]

My uncle had a saying about crabs. The sooner you cook the better. Start the pot a boiling and if you are carrying a bushel of crabs to the cooker and one gets loose dont bother to stop and pick him up. He had the same saying about fresh corn on the cob. If you were carrying it out of the field after picking and dropped one dont stop to pick it up.

[Neighbor Dave]

Since I always ice my crabs before steaming ... I would ice them down in a cooler when I got off the water if I was going to steam the same day . My cooler has a rack to raise them above the drain plug. Keep the lid cracked.

And now the controversial comment...I would steam them all.