How to a catch crab
Crabbing Boy
All you need is a crab line (be sure to choose one with a net bag and a weight) and bucket. A long handled net is pretty handy too and they’re all widely available in shops in and around Dartmouth.
The best crab bait is just a bit of bacon or my children opt for the sausage option (slightly easier to break up too).
Simply:
Put the bait in the net bag and lower the line into water till your bait reaches the sea bed.
Leave it for a few minutes, give the line a small tug and if you feel a tug back gently pull the line up.
Use the net to land the crab as soon as you are able – they’re crafty at jumping off - and deposit caught crab in your bucket filled with sea water.
Don’t Forget: Be kind and don’t let the crabs sit in the bucket too long and no more than 10 crabs in a bucket!
Beware: Seagulls - they love a good crab too!
Watch out for: Knotted crab lines – these are any adult’s worst nightmare and can take ages to untangle.
Be sure to wind in the line carefully onto the plastic handle - you don’t want to waste valuable crabbing time!
A few fascinating crabby facts!!!
● Crabs breathe through their legs!
● A group of crabs is called a ‘cast’.
● A crab’s blood is blue due to the copper it contains.
● Crabs wee through small pores by their eyes.
● The crabs you catch in and around Dartmouth are most likely to be Common Shore crabs