Crab question...

[Gerald]

Here is what I do to keep the crabs before cooking them.

I bring plenty of ice with me to keep them cool after catching them. When I get home, I usually transfer the crabs to a 48 qt. ice chest. I then cover them with a wet towel. I put a generous amount of ice on top of the towel.

I then open the drain and put in a piece of cloth or paper towel. This helps keep in the cold air but allows the water to drain out. I put a 2x4 board under the opposite end of the ice chest to allow all the water to flow toward the drain.

I then put the ice chest in a spot that will be out of the sun. This is important to find a cool shady spot to keep the ice chest from getting hot from sitting in the sun. During the hot summer time, I also cover the ice chest with a wet towel.

Check the ice chest and add more ice as needed. I usually don't boil my crabs until the next day and this method will keep them alive for a couple days if needed.

I am not sure if this is true ......but......I have been told that if a crab is stored up-side down, it will die. Also, if a crab is not cold [ie. still moving around] it will "drop" the claws when it is put into the boiling water.

Here are a few pictures. The crabs in the basket are "cull" size after I keep all that are 6"+ tip to tip.