Some are softshells, some are papershells, and some are hard. I eat them all. The boat moves slowly along, and the crabs are netted. But wait, its not as easy as that. The boat is always on the move, and you have be on target to get your crab.
Some crabs just come flying out of the meadow grass and down the bank.
Some crabs just sit there. You grab them quick. Some crabs hang on at the water line, and some just below. Crab trolling is a lot of fun. I ran in to an old man one day that made and sold traps for some extra income.