#mdseafood

It wasn't until I moved to Maryland that I learned about the phenomenon of blue crabs. I was amazed at how big of a deal crabs were. Upon first trying, honestly...

Something wasn't right. The highly revered "Maryland crab" MUST taste better than this!! As you can probably guess, I was eating them wrong. I knew not to eat the "mustard" (although some people love that stuff...ick), but nobody told me not the eat the "dead man's fingers", properly, the crabs lungs. So yeah, for a while, crabs were nasty.

Years later I was taught how to properly pick and eat crabs. Uhm...yeah...THEY'RE DELICIOUS!! Hot and steamy crabs piled with the unique blend of spices, some apple cider vinegar on the side, and an ICE COLD BEER. It's a meal quite common to those in the Mid-Atlantic region, let alone in my household. My mouth is watering just thinking about this.

The only downfall of this tasty treat can be the price. Maryland blue crabs are always a market price item, directly influenced by the watermans harvest in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. (Blue crabs are also found in the Southeas United States, spanning all coastal regions to include Texas. But we're talking about MD here.)  In my expereinces, a dozen of NICE sized male crabs have cost me an average of $35-$40. Sure, you can find some cheaper, and you CAN EASILY pay more. I've seen a bushel of #1 male crabs sell for over $175.00. That's a lot of money. Prices are ALWAYS jacked up for summer holidays as well.

In my infinite wisdom and innovation, I found a way to combat these high prices. I catch them myself! Using my kayak, I run a 600' trotline to catch blue crabs. It's not easy, nor is it simple; but it is definitely worth the effort! In 2012 I purchased ZERO crabs from commercial retailers. NONE. For a mere $8-$10 in bait costs, I can catch a bushel of crabs. Boy is it a rewarding feeling.

Not to bore you with any more reading, I'd like to share with you my crabbing pics from 2012. I started kayak crabbing at the end of 2011, so 2012 was my first full season of crabbing. I hope you enjoy the pics!

    I can't wait for the 2013 crabbing season to begin!!!