Captain’s Message: Crab Season Opens … But …
Message from the Cap’n is a compilation of fishing advice, waterman and weather insights, Chesapeake lore, and ordinary malarkey from the folks who keep their feet wet in the Potomac and St. Mary’s rivers.
The Cap’n
The Blue Crab season opened April 1, but the crabs arrive in their own time, which should be soon now that NOAA is reporting surface water temperature in Chesapeake Bay at 58.8 this past weekend. Maryland’s Eyes on the Bay website has temperatures through the entire water column,
Water temperature determines when the crabs come out of the mud. 50-52 degrees Fahrenheit seems to be the magic number. They move slowly at first, picking up the pace as the water continues to warm.
As the bay water temperature rises in the spring above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the Chesapeake Bay Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) shed their shells in their growth process.
Our first “run” of soft crabs in the Lower Potomac traditionally consists of mostly males because they overwintered here. The male crabs seek fresher water in the summertime than the female and migrate toward our headwaters where the water is fresher. As they migrate back down the rivers and bays, they bury in the mud when the water temperature falls to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and lower.
- ********Crabs********
- Sleeping in the Winter buried down
- In the mud, I am always found.
- The colder it gets the deeper I go.
- Resting like nature taught me so
- **
- Awaken in the spring with the water warm
- Crawling around and feeding is the norm.
- 50 degrees is the magic number around
- As to whether I thrive up or down
- ***
- After finding my strength and filling my shell
- I split my britches and continue to dwell.
- Very soft at first and then a paper shell
- And after 30 days I can pinch really well
- ****
- Then I’m ready to find a mate
- Directed by instinct to propagate.
- After which the sook develops a sponge
- Of millions and millions of young to expunge.
- *****
- Salinity and temperature direct crabs forth
- Hotter times make them move north.
- Summer Males seek fresh water with no partner in tow
- Females love it salty and stay down below
- ******
- That’s why our markets reflect where we are
- Maryland’s Basket Trade is fresher by far
- And Virginia’s Picking Trade saltier down low
- As the weather tells the crab where to go.
Legends about the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab
Most famous is the Legend of the Indian Princess, seen on the shell of all crabs. It has been told that the Yeocamico Indians wanted to pay tribute to the “Gods of the Water,” and in doing so their chief painted a picture of an Indian princess on the back shell of a crab and threw it overboard. The gods imprinted all blue crabs henceforth with the beautiful picture. (Let your imagination drift a bit …)
The Indian princess’ arms are at her side. Her dress is high waist-ed, the skirt falls in tiers toward the edge of the shell. Once you see her dress it is easy to see her head near the shell’s hinge.
How to tell when a crab is going to shed its shell
In its growth process, the blue crab will shed its shell about 15 to 18 times and lives about three years. Crabs literally “get too big for their britches” and shed as their process of growth.
Male crabs 5 3/4” inches from point to point are currently are bringing $200 per bushel off the boat. Crabs are running small this year. DNR is keeping a watchful eye on the measure. Females (sooks) are bringing $75-90 per bushel.
Till next time, remember “It’s Our Bay, Let’s Pass It On.”
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