Fishing Friday

This picture of my son Tom and my nephew JR was taken seven or so years ago on our family's farm in Kentucky. There is a similar picture floating around somewhere of myself and my cousin Jim that was taken when we were about the same age. When I find that picture I will post it. These fish were caught at a pay lake in Bowling Green where we spent an afternoon. The farm where this picture was taken belonged to my Granny and Papaw. My Granny fixes the best catfish dinner and that is where these fellows ended up. My Papaw is the one who taught me how to fish and encouraged my love of the outdoors. I have many wonderful memories of the farm and surrounding area. It is still to cold to fish where I am now, so I am reminiscing about past fishing glories and other fond memories.

Wordless Wednesday

Fishing er Crabbing Friday

Beautiful Swimmers in the cooking pot
No, it isn't time to begin crabbing yet, but I have had a hankering lately for some fresh blue crabs. The latin name is Callinectes sapidus which means beautiful swimmer. I think they shoud be named tasty swimmer. This is about a crabbing trip I made this past summer with my dad and stepson and the picnic we enjoyed afterwards.

Sam (my stepson) and I took my dad crabbing after breakfast today. We loaded up the skiff and headed toward Cambridge. We stopped at the Wawa for some beverages and ice. I had thought we would head out toward Slaughter Creek like Sam and I had done two weeks prior. We had gone out that weekend and caught about ¾ a bushel of smaller crabs with lots of throwbacks. While I was in the store, Sam called his friend Ray C. who said he had done well in the Choptank River recently. I had already started down the road toward Slaughter Creek, but I turned the big red truck around and we launched out of the ramp next to the hospital in Cambridge instead. We ran the boat upriver to the point on the western side just north of the bridge. Someone else was running a trotline in the cove so we headed upriver a little further. We set the trotline in water that ran from 8’ to 12’ deep. We also put out the seven traps we had brought along.

Dad and I with the leftover shells

Dad had only been crabbing once before with Sam a couple of years ago. At that time, it had been too early in the spring and they didn’t raise any crabs. After setting the trotline, we ran back to the first trap we had set out. Dad pulled it up and came face to face with his first blue crab. He seemed to be having a great time. We ran the line five or six times with just a few crabs each time. However, with the crabs we got in the traps, we left with a bushel of big crabs. We had only caught two that were too small, and all but six were nice heavy males. We got back to the house in time to shower and load the burner and steamer pot in the truck to head over to Moton Park for a church picnic. My new steamer was just large enough to hold all the crabs. When they were all nice and red, we spread the paper bags and dumped them out on the table. Every one there enjoyed the surprise and some of the kids got their first taste of crabs. My dad took right to picking. You would not have been able to tell that it was his first time eating crabs. I have to say it was a great day on the water and a better evening at the table with my dad and stepson.

One of the larger crabs that day