GUNPOWDER RIVER SATURDAY

[port fisher]

VERY SLOW morning! Managed 3/4 bushel but worked hard! Talked to a few that came in when I did (11:30) and no one had done very well. Wind and tide was hard to work with.

[Camoboat]

Ditto here on the Gunpowder. It would've helped if I was working with more than 11 traps, but my topless were left in the barn. Duh! Memo to self, print out a full checklist to be used when loading the boat for crabbing. Other downside was that those 2 dozen kept were average to light in weight. No darks, mumbos, etc, just average. They'll be there for awhile yet, just gonna have to bulk up.
On the upside, we got crabs, they are tasty and it beats working. All caught close to Maxwell ± 8 feet.

[port fisher]

I was a good bit out from MP in 9-10'. Nothing under 6'. I had probably 2 dozen 7-8' black rusty's! Nothing really light or white. Had about 1/2 dozen nice fat females. Ate a couple dozen and the rest are for crab cakes later in the winter! I may give it one more try depending on the weather the next couple weeks. I talked to a friend who crabbed the ELK today and he only managed a couple dozen. I think the front and the rain we had played a part today on the upper bay.

[MarkTakacs]

Chalk it up to another year that the upper bay (Middle river to Bush River) is inconsistent and not worth the hassle.

I started crabbing with a trot line on the Bush and it was the Wye of the upper bay............but no more!!!!

Being a productive sportsman is knowing when to move to a new spot...........I moved on several years ago.


Mark

[Capt.Nick]

It depends what you want out of crabbing.I enjoy leaving the house & being back in a few hours with a few dz.The biggest problem with the upper bay is that the season starts late. I'll wait for them to come to me.If It's a bad year..I just don't crab..I'll buy them.

[crabs]

Seems to me some people dont know the gunpowder. I crab there every year and do good. Just have to know the spots. Been getting 2 bushel last 5 times out in september, you say the crabs are not there!!!!!!! Bull SHT. Frank

[doublermaster]

yep been crabbing there entire month of september and getting pleanty everytime. Probably best year for us in a while

[port fisher]

The GP has been veryproductive to me as well this year but after the cold front and rain that went through this week it seems to have dropped off.

Crabs and Doublemaster,
All I was repoting was a bad day on the GP. The tide, wind direction and recent front all played a part in my crabbing Saturday! I love the GP for the same reasons most on the upper bay rec crabbers love it and I only travel south if I can't get the crabs close to home. Let it be known that I have not gone past the GP this year. It is amazing how some TF'ers will not post results to the family all year and then all of the sudden they want to blast other members for a slow day in there back yard. Maybe I was in the wrong spot and that is fine but if you believe it is productive everywhere, all season, no matter where you are the just keep quiet as you have this year and continue your stratigies next year if you don't wish to share. Sorry if I am out of line on this one but I always post my results and if someone has a bad day in an area that I was in I will B-Mail them with where I was.

[doublermaster]

I'm not blasting anyone. Definately agree with you that all those things probably will have an effect on the crabs. I have been reporting you can see my report from friday in the other thread about gp.

[crabs]

You must not look at the forum to much, i post my catch all the time port fisher, I was replying to Mark Takacs report saying the gunpowder is not productive, Had nothing to do with you!!!!!!!! I have slow days too!!!!! Frank

[Dae]

I'm not sure where these guys were crabbing but I'm gussing they were right there at the mouth of Back River.

I got out to the ramp to do some fishin about 9:30am Saturday and 2 crabbers were coming back in. One said he ran a trotline and the other traps. They both have a very full bushel of crabs. When asked if they were #1 males, both confirmed and said most of the crabs running were still males.

Did manage to get a good look at one of bushels and they were big and black! I hope they were black because they were full instead of from the treatment plant up the right. [grin]


- Dae

[Capt.Nick]

They stock crabs in there to eat what doesn't get treated..but the crabbers keep eatin em.It's a form of recycling I guess!