+/- OT: Green Crabs

[CLAMFARMER]

bring me a bucket of em and i'll have a few guys try them out. If they work, I know a frozen bait distributor I could hook you up with.

-Dylan

What’s yer address? I’ll ship em to ya next week, so you have em before the weekend. Thank YOU!

[CLAMFARMER]

Very interesting thread, Clamfarmer. I've  lobster fished  in Machias Bay for 33 years and we used to have lots of green crabs, but the fishermen killed every one in the traps and now I don't see more than a half dozen a day after hauling 150 traps, although I use the oval escape vents. I assume they are most commonly seen on muddy bottom??

Good luck on finding ways to get rid of them and knock the population down.

They’re right up in the grass somedays. Near shore, along a brook/drain I see well over 20/sq yard. out on the flats, at least 3 or 4.
Muddy bottom seems best for them to hunt on. I see them hunting mud shrimp and mummychogs all the time. You can also see them literally excavating to get down to a softshell clam. They go in and haul out a load of mud in then claw elbow. Patient, they are! Maybe we could put the word out to lobsterman to do em in. I’m sure that would save em some bait.

[saltyshores]

I knew an old lobster fisherman years ago who threw the green crabs in a bucket, smashed them with a brick, then dumped them back in the trap for bait in addition to the herring in the bait bag.

[cap]

any incidental crab catch like that was always added to the redfish trace bait to sweaten it back in the day....

[Santo180]

Apparently they are already on the menu at at least one restuarant.
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/08/07/eat-them-before-they-eat-everything/?hpt=li_mid
Maybe Chef Bun Lai could use more or could refer you to someone else.