Wichita eagle., 1886-10-12
SPORT OF CATCHING CRABS.

Different Plans Followed by Fishermen.
"Paper Shells" and "Buckrams."
GDo all fishermen follow the same planf"
asked the reporter.
sNo: some bait for them, and in Connect
cut fishermen spear for them in shallow
water with three tined fork lashed to pole
Thousands of crabs are caught every day in
the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and
their creeks with nothing but q scoop net.
Fishermen pole their boat along with these
bed Of the river at the same time. This kind
of grabbing, however, takes smart fisher
man and strong one. Then there are mar
ket crabbers, who use a set line or trawl,
baited with meat. They anchor line nearly
1900 feet long in a tideway, from which
hang several hundred bats. Then starting
with the tide they lift the line over the boat
ard float slowly down its length, gathering in
the crabs as they proceed, which they throw
into barrel When the crab is taken from
the line the bait is again thrown over and
sinks, so that when the fisherman has trav
ersed the length Of his trawl be is ready to
row back and float down again as before,
which he repeats as many times as possible on
that tide. To Gil barrel by this method is
an easy thing in good season"
Il have seen men grabbing, though.e from
the shore, It seemed to me-
That is mud fiat grabbing, and lacks every
essential to sport Besides, it is disagreeable.
A man must wade in soft, shiny mud up to
his knees. Every step he takes he must prod
into each Of his recent footprints with pair
Of wooden tongs. When be feels crab he
pulls it out and drops it into bag or basket.
Trolling is more sport than fat Grabbing. A
reel line is baited and the crab is played IN to
shallow water, where it IS scooped up IN a net.
There is considerable sport in trolling for
crabs, but as rule it is not very successful.
For excitement another plan is to work in
and out among tho spiles Of a bridge and
scoop up the doubles or males and females
that cling to the moss as the tide goes out.
By this plan you get an even number OF
boilers and 'fryers,' as the upper crab Is
always rather a soft SHE'LL paper shelf or
'buckran.''
"What do you mean by paper she'll and
'buckramg"
-Once a month in the summer the crab dis
cards his armor He feels he is growing too
large to still wear the same coat and sets
about getting q new and a larger one, after
making for himself an elastic set Of under
clothing, which covers him from his finger
tips, SO to speak, up to and over his eyeballs.
Meanwhile he assumes q bilious hue, and in
this state proves seductive bait for the angler
in quest OF weakfish or bass. It is not the
flavor that renders him good for bait, but it
is this same tough suit Of underclothing. The
soft or hard crab will not hang to a hook.
When he puts on this Indersuit he is known
as a conner It takes about two days to grow
this inner skin and then the crab becomes
'shedder' In another day he pulls out the
bolt from the rear Of his shell, and firmly
gripping piece of grass OR seaweed, backs
entirely out of his shell. Seemingly it is
painful process, and often while the 'shedder'
is taking off his five pairs of trousers, as it
were, he viii be encouraged and assisted by
sympathizing friends. In this state he is
looked upon as an agreeable accompaniment
to slice OF nicely-browned toast, If rolled in
egg or cracker crumbs, and fried in seething
hot butter or olive OIL If he remains twen-
ty-four hours in the water after crawling
from his too contracted shell his skin absorbs
enough lime to give it stiffness like that Of
writing paper. Then he is known as paper
SHE'LL and in another day his skin becomes
still more tough and he becomes 'buckram'
or 'buckler'" IN. y. Mail and Express.