11-9-2011 HMB Dungeness Crab
Just got home from delivering my catch! Got to Pillar Point Marina, met with the skipper in the parking lot at noon. That's right noon, was feeling lazy...Bahaha! He was cleaning up to go home, after the morning outing with another buddy of ours. Since this was my first official day out for the season, he said he would grab the bait and take me out to the nearest string to pull some crab for me to take home. He wouldn't just give me some of his off the boat, he had to make me work for mine! So I put on my gear, loaded up Kolohe and we cast off. Damn am I rusty after missing last season. My Little Pitter's first crabbing and salt water adventure too.
Beautiful day on the water maybe 1 ft swell at low tide with a breeze at most. Have to love crabbing in a long sleeve T-shirt! Just as we pass the fish and game warden 3 miles out...we pass our target pot #7. We bring her about and I hook my first pot of the season off the port side. Grab a hold of my long awaited first line and slap her in the block.This one was all me! Hit the power on the winch and a coiling monkey I become. Minutes later I spot some color from the depths, parting way through the jellyfish. With an all too familiar splash, pot #7 swings my way. I grabbed her with all my might, crippled arm and all, as I flick off the power to the winch. Tug the pot onto the rail and swing the line off the block. Bam...my first pot of the season. Skipper thows the boat into neutral to come back and help me carry the pot over to the table. She fished for 19 male keepers, 2-3 1/2 pound range. I grabbed my catch, rebaited and waited on the rail. We came about once more, as I wait for the skipper to give the drop signal, to replace # 7 back in line. Funny, we just pulled one pot for me and we turned around and parked in the berth! I spent more time cleaning the deck then I did fishing today! GRRR!
