Archive for May, 2010
Crabbing Season is Here
Memorial Day has always marked the beginning of summer for me. And summer always means hard shell blue crabs. Here in Carolina, we have many places to get your crabs. Some just take the easy way – buy them steamed and seasoned. Other people use a variety of methods to catch them – trot lines, nets, or traps. Either way, you can always count on a good meal.
To catch my crabs, I set large pots in the Currituck Sound. As a recreational crabber, I am only allowed five pots. But this number has always produced plenty for us.
I typically bait the pots with chicken backs or small fish. Some commercial crabbers use bull lips or pigs feet. Not sure I am ready for those baits just yet.
I will be checking the pots several times a week so check back for the results and more tips on catching crabs.
Toadfish a Plenty
We started our day at the Daniels Bridge (causeway). We used bloodworms and fresh shrimp with out luck.
The weather and tides were perfect for success – Wrong.
We then moved to the William Baum Bridge – (better known as the Pirates Cove Br.)
Armed with all the “standard fishing tools”, my Dad and I proceeded to the end of the dock. There we caught pinfish and some medium Spot. And to finish the day, I got hooked up into a school of Toadfish. Each cast brought a 3″ fish to the dock. 
I know he was just plan ugly. Ugly or not he was too valuable for me or anyone else to just catch him once.
Tonight, he (or she) is enjoying the freedom of the Albemarle Sound.
Godspeed until we meet again.
Wise Old Anglers
An Angler named Ernest Hemingway once said,
” In hunting you know what you are after”, then he added, “but who can say what you will hook when you fish the saltwater, because the ocean holds fish of the size no one may ever see”.
NCsaltaire 