Crabs or CRAWFISH: With warmer temperatures moving in, crustaceans move out, into shallow waters
With temperatures reaching the mid 70s, area lake waters have marine activity on the rise. Crawfish begin to migrate out of their deep mud holes into shallow waters to spawn. Crabs also start to move to shallow water to do the same.Regardless of the species in south Louisiana, this means it’s boil time. Talk to 20 locals and you will have 20 ways to boil a crustacean.
This past weekend Casie Dehart and I made a quick crab trip to Lake Pontchartrain. We launched at the Williams Boulevard boat launch next to the Treasure Chest Casion.
At around 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, we headed out to the Parish Canal.
I have 36-drop nets with 9 to 10 feet of cork line. We baited the nets with chicken leg quarters cut in half. After a 10-minute boat ride we reached the canal.
The wind was out of the south, which made the boat ride a smooth trip. We started dropping the nets around 9:30 a.m., 40 to 50 yards apart.
At the end of setting the nets out, we did not waist any time and returned to the first net.
Casie pulled up the first net and had seven crabs in the bottom. She looked at me and said, ” It’s going to be good today Coach Mac!” At the end of the first run, Casie counted 74 crabs in the crab bucket.
Including the first net, we pulled up the nets with the efficiency of the fishermen on the “Deadliest Catch.” It was almost a repeat of the first run.
The crabs were not the big No. 1s we were destined to catch later, but they were of a medium size.
Casie explained to me the price of crawfish was $3 a pound and crabs were also expensive.
The medium size crabs were going to be a boiling feast on this beautiful Sunday. We had perfect morning, weather wise.
The temperature was in the mid 70s and slightly overcast morning. The south wind kept us cool while we crabbed.
On the third run, we decided to cull the last run of medium to large crabs only. We ended the morning with over 12 dozen plus crabs, and Casie was very excited to have crabs this early in the spring.
I arrived home around 12:30 p.m. and began the ritual of unloading and cleaning the boat. It was time to light the burner and boil crabs.
My favorite method of boiling is to add one box of salt and 1/3 of a 16-ounce box of Cayenne pepper.
From overseeing a lot of boils in previous years, there are only two spices anyone will taste in the crabs, salt and pepper.
At this point I add Irish and sweet potatoes, sausage, onions, celery, garlic, carrots and brussel sprouts. And anything my guest would like to eat. I bring the water to a boil, after adding the salt and cayenne, then add the crabs.
When the water returns to a rolling boil, I start my watch and boil for nine minutes. After that, shut the fire off and add some water to the pot.
Also, spraying the water on the outside of the pot. You have to stop the water from continuing to boil. Let the crabs soak for 25 minutes.
After removing the crabs from the pot, turn each crab upside down on the trays or table.
This helps keep the water in the shell, which has the seasonings. Your guest will pick up a crab and feel its weight and think they have a fat crabs.
On my way home Monday afternoon, I stopped at the Shrimp Lot in Westwego. Casie Dehart was right.
Crawfish this past weekend were selling for $3 a pound and crabs for $45 a bushel, which comes out to about six dozen.
According to April Michel at Debbie’s Seafood, ” Prices for crawfish will drop to $2.30 a pound, but crabs will stay the same. These prices will continue until the brown shrimp season in May.
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