Big Northumberland peelers?

[Deans]

Got a bucket full last night in the rock pools after a fishing seshion.

some of them the size of saucers, but they look like a long long way off peeling. (or have they already peeled a while ago)

the other tyne crabs i have pop no bother but these are summit

am i wasting my time or WAT ?

don't own an areated tank


edited- picture further on in thread

[fish fingers]

if you tank them or even in a reasonable size bucket of fresh sea water aerated you be amazed how quick they can pop out of their shells i've had them like bell metal and put them in a tank for half a day come back and they have popped gutted get big softies but i give them to my dad for the boat on the hard ground and he seems to do well with them

[northeast1]

Are they slimmys like or do they have a signs of a formed leg under the shell?

I collected 157 yesterday and had 24 shell in the first could of hours, even got a soft back ths morning that will be going on whole next boat trip out rather than waste it.

[Deans]

Are they slimmys like or do they have a signs of a formed leg under the shell?

I collected 157 yesterday and had 24 shell in the first could of hours, even got a soft back ths morning that will be going on whole next boat trip out rather than waste it.

slimmys mate?

[curtis.dunn]

think he means the white stuff that comes out when you take the segment of leg off

[northeast1]

Yer its when the leg under the old hard shell has not formed yet and you get a "slimmy" bit of leg....it took me 10-12 days to bring them on when at that stage last time.

100 more will do me for the year, i dont often use them as like other baits better.

[Deans]

thanks lads
just wandered if some crabs simply don't pop.

think a purchase of a pump will be the way forward.

..........

[guy]

bought 1 simular to this a couple of weeks ago it brings them on no problem mate
Battery Operated Air Pump

[northeast1]

Thats all i use, air pump with some plastic trays, change the water once every 2 days and check the crabs twice a day for peeling. I up load a pic of my very basic set up Thursday, it can handle 300 at a time.

[Deans]

good crack.

thanks for the link, and thanks for the tips.

........................ would a mains powered pump not be more reliable??

[northeast1]

My so so basic set up that works, out of 157 had 36 peel and 2 die in the last 24hrs....i would not expect to lose anymore from now until they all peel...

[david.northeast]

Where on earth are you collecting these from like coz I was down tynmouth today on the rocks next to the old swimming pool and foun 3 crabs already peeled but the size of your thumb nail and had no luck of finding any more ??

David

[Deans]

you should set up a second business


so is them tubes in the picture teed up to one pump or are they to separate pumps. and i take it the tubes come with the pump, say on a mail order from spotty dog tackle?

is that set up any good for out else?

have heard you can keep white rag like that for months

[northeast1]

Yes i am running two small air pumps out of a fish tank.

Nar i never sell crab it takes to much time collecting them and keeping them until they peel to sell.

Hoping to go and get a 200 more before they have just about finsihed, where i go had a 50/50 split between peelers and already peeler i.e softy or very clean shell's..wont be long until they gone.

[Deans]

yeh., i found a few softys too, nearly mistaken them for poppers but obviously already peeled.

never collected my own, just bought them for years. but now with the prices going up, a bait fridge to go with my freezer would be a good investment.

take it the batteries last a while then?