King or Spider Crab? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

IN2DEEP · 01-22-2014, 08:00 PM

After watching ful-rac's and greg andrew's excellent videos on hoop'n for crabs, I decided to try to target one of those monster crabs.
After seeing that the really large Spider Crabs don't have to get inside of the conical nets because their claws are long enough to just hang on the top ring and reach inside, I decided to give the flat nets a try.

... It worked!!!

This was a male
It looks like the smaller spider crabs are females

MrM · 01-22-2014, 08:08 PM

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude

socal_matt · 01-22-2014, 08:22 PM

Holy SH*********************T!!!!!!!

That's huge!!!

Let us know how it tastes?

Mahigeer · 01-22-2014, 08:35 PM

When using the flat nets, it is best to use the new bait boxes that insure the box is in the middle of the big ring at all times.

That way the catch has to go inside of the net to get to the bait.

If the bait box is attached to the small inside ring, the ring could sit out of center and closer to the edge of the big ring. That permits the catch to eat from the bait box while sitting on the outside of the big ring.

ful-rac · 01-22-2014, 09:02 PM

Very nice! Thats a huge spider for sure!

I had some spider crab last saturday, and it was exellent! So much meat...but so much work... If you dont mind breaking out the sledge hammer to crack'em...you will be rewarded.

IN2DEEP · 01-22-2014, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahigeer

When using the flat nets, it is best to use the new bait boxes that insure the box is in the middle of the big ring at all times.

That way the catch has to go inside of the net to get to the bait.

If the bait box is attached to the small inside ring, the ring could sit out of center and closer to the edge of the big ring. That permits the catch to eat from the bait box while sitting on the outside of the big ring.

Curious. What are the "new" bait boxes?
I do know that the inner ring of the flat nets can settle off center when it lands on the bottom

IN2DEEP · 01-22-2014, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Very nice! Thats a huge spider for sure!

I had some spider crab last saturday, and it was exellent! So much meat...but so much work... If you dont mind breaking out the sledge hammer to crack'em...you will be rewarded.

Yes, eating quality was very good
Different from the rock crabs... more like king crab... well, kind of

Body cavity is loaded with "easy to get to" meat if you can get the shell off!

tunaseeker · 01-22-2014, 09:32 PM

Thats a clean spider crab! Down in SD Bay they are covered in mud.. Very hard to clean. Great job!:cheers1

driftwood · 01-22-2014, 09:35 PM

Hookem and cookem! here's an idea.

FISH11 · 01-22-2014, 09:57 PM

Huuuuuuuuuge Crab. I had no idea we had crabs like that around San Diego. Looked sweet!

vincentek9 · 01-22-2014, 10:18 PM

MASSIVE!!!!!! the meat on them taste real good too.

Gerry · 01-23-2014, 01:24 AM

That is a BIG spider crab. I would get them that size on the goleta pier pretty often. But haven't seen one that size in a while. Great eats, but a lot if work

roadx · 01-23-2014, 08:09 AM

big boy and super clean too.

ful-rac · 01-23-2014, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IN2DEEP

Curious. What are the "new" bait boxes?
I do know that the inner ring of the flat nets can settle off center when it lands on the bottom

I believe he's talking about a bait cage suspender, and no they are not new. They clip to the outer ring, so no matter how the middle ring lands, the bait cage is always centered.

Reel_Fishy · 01-23-2014, 09:53 AM

Holy Moly! That thing looks like it could take a finger off!

Very nice catch.

wiredantz · 01-23-2014, 11:05 AM

meat is soooo good.... but so hard to break open!!!!

oneyedeer · 01-23-2014, 11:50 AM

wow! how did you manage to get that back if those pincher get you they probably break bone

Hondatom · 01-23-2014, 01:13 PM

I have thrown back at least a dozen of those. I always heard that they were not good eating. After watching the Anthony Bourdain clip, The next one is getting eaten! I believe that there in no season on them in the state of California either.

Zed · 01-23-2014, 05:22 PM

Sheep crab. Loxorhynchus grandis
A member of the spider crab family (Majidae).

CKallday71 · 01-23-2014, 06:03 PM

That's proof that the aliens have visited Earth.

01-22-2014, 08:00 PM	#1
IN2DEEP Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 82	King or Spider Crab? After watching ful-rac's and greg andrew's excellent videos on hoop'n for crabs, I decided to try to target one of those monster crabs. After seeing that the really large Spider Crabs don't have to get inside of the conical nets because their claws are long enough to just hang on the top ring and reach inside, I decided to give the flat nets a try. ... It worked!!! This was a male It looks like the smaller spider crabs are females

01-22-2014, 08:08 PM	#2
MrM Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: The Matrix Posts: 643	Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude __________________ -Kevin

01-22-2014, 08:22 PM	#3
socal_matt Cruisin' Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 123	Holy SH*********************T!!!!!!! That's huge!!! Let us know how it tastes? __________________ There's no such thing as overkill, its just called being prepared for the best.

01-22-2014, 09:02 PM	#5
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Very nice! Thats a huge spider for sure! I had some spider crab last saturday, and it was exellent! So much meat...but so much work... If you dont mind breaking out the sledge hammer to crack'em...you will be rewarded. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

01-22-2014, 10:18 PM	#11
vincentek9 MAYNEE-YAK Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: So Cal Posts: 533	MASSIVE!!!!!! the meat on them taste real good too. __________________

01-22-2014, 08:35 PM	#4
Mahigeer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,897	When using the flat nets, it is best to use the new bait boxes that insure the box is in the middle of the big ring at all times. That way the catch has to go inside of the net to get to the bait. If the bait box is attached to the small inside ring, the ring could sit out of center and closer to the edge of the big ring. That permits the catch to eat from the bait box while sitting on the outside of the big ring.

01-22-2014, 09:32 PM	#8
tunaseeker TB Metal Art Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 653	Thats a clean spider crab! Down in SD Bay they are covered in mud.. Very hard to clean. Great job!:cheers1

01-22-2014, 09:35 PM	#9
driftwood Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 1,086	Hookem and cookem! here's an idea.

01-22-2014, 09:57 PM	#10
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	Huuuuuuuuuge Crab. I had no idea we had crabs like that around San Diego. Looked sweet!

01-23-2014, 01:24 AM	#12
Gerry Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 89	That is a BIG spider crab. I would get them that size on the goleta pier pretty often. But haven't seen one that size in a while. Great eats, but a lot if work

01-23-2014, 08:09 AM	#13
roadx . Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,155	big boy and super clean too. __________________

01-23-2014, 09:53 AM	#15
Reel_Fishy Junior Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 7	Holy Moly! That thing looks like it could take a finger off! Very nice catch.

01-23-2014, 11:05 AM	#16
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	meat is soooo good.... but so hard to break open!!!! __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

01-23-2014, 11:50 AM	#17
oneyedeer Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Orange County, ca Posts: 684	wow! how did you manage to get that back if those pincher get you they probably break bone

01-23-2014, 01:13 PM	#18
Hondatom Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 113	I have thrown back at least a dozen of those. I always heard that they were not good eating. After watching the Anthony Bourdain clip, The next one is getting eaten! I believe that there in no season on them in the state of California either.

01-23-2014, 05:22 PM	#19
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Sheep crab. Loxorhynchus grandis A member of the spider crab family (Majidae). __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

01-23-2014, 06:03 PM	#20
CKallday71 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: The 951 Posts: 430	That's proof that the aliens have visited Earth. __________________ I fish therefore I am. Selling cars since 2006. If you love what you do you never WORK a day in your life.