Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-08-07
POINTS ON GRABBING.
:. so Exciting as Tarpon Fishing, but It 'N S Hos It's Merits.

orabs ever saw one in it's native ele- ,nant. and there are very many others rbo would not know one if they should
 if There is no use denying that tbis delightfully."- favored little animal q fendish-loolzing creature, and his looks do not belle his disposition, for
 e is the most aggressive of all aquatic rome Now, of all of the sports of the Sbesapeal1e, none is more exciting than erabbing when it is done scientifically, For in this, as in every thing else, all de. nends upon how it is done, and to get
 : the true inwardness of grabbing one ,,,,,st learn the ropes. The first thing I'd he considered is the tide, and just here it is perhaps well to say, for the Information of those not already ia miliar with the fact, that crabs are tidewater production and are peculiar to salt waters.
 The proper time to go grabbing is on tbe flood tide, for then the crabs come in the river hungry, and the fun begins if the bait is the proper kind. This is not confined to one particular article, although the best thing Is bird, the head and entrails of a chicken, or, be- ;nq somewhat of cannibalistic turn, they will eat the body of less for innate comrade.
 The bait must be tied to good, stout lines several yards in length, depend ;no upon the depth of the water, since 4be lines must be sufficiently long to @ allow the bait to touch the bottom. Unlike fishing tackle, the crab lines reeuire no angle, but are secured to the sides of the boat by tying to the oar locks or the washboards A sinl1er is necessary adjunct to each line. This sinlzer may be anything from nail to an oyster she'll The latter, which is in popular favor on the eastern shore, has one advantage-it is deceiving from it's weight-making many a small boy stand on tiptoe of expectation as he slowly. and he believes surely, draws in a crab, which proves to be the sinler. Then the vials of wrath are emptied upon the head of the crab which should have been there, but was not It is interesting to watch the way iA which the crabs hold the bait; they do not coquette with it in the manner of their finny neighbors; they grasp it in their claws with firm grip, and feed in the most uneoncerned way It is interesting to feel their vigorous pulling as one slowly hauls the line in. bringing the captive to the surface. Then it is that a second person must be ready with a net to dip him in, for he cannot be jerked or coaxed; he must be taken bodily. This necessity for companionship in grabbing makes it all the more enjoyable and more socia- ble looking than does the lone fisher man who can be so selfshly happy
 The crab net is rather a novel con cern. 1t consists of a long wooden handle, at the end of which is an iron hoop, which supports the netted bag made of macreme cord. The entire art of grabbing depends upon the expert ness with which the dipnet is used, for although the crabs will follow the bait to the surface of the water they let go at the sight of the net. Some dexteritv. then, must be exercised in passing the net under them and throwing them into the boat. What a scrambling time there is then, if any girls are in the party! The sensation caused by the appearance of a mouse Is insignificant in comparison, and justly, for a crab will make himself felt, as well as seen, if he finds the chance
 What is known as a trot line affords rather more enjoyment in grabbing than the usual mode. Instead of fast tening the lines to the boat, two poles are driven down about six or eight yards apart, with 8 strong rope stretched between them. From this rope are suspended as many lines as one may choose, all baited for crab- ping. The occupants of the boat then push backward and forward, examin- ing the lines to see if they have any bites, and, if all things are favorable, they are kept pretty busy hauling in and dipping, as the first line is gener- ally ready by the time the last is left The fashion of grabbing with lines and net is comparatively modern, and IS decidedly an improvement upon the primitive mode of walking around the shore with two-pronged stick, in which the crabs were pinned to the ground when one could accomplish the wonderful feat of sneaking upon them After fixing them with this improvised fork, the sportsman secured the crab by taking hold of his two hind fns This manner of grabbing was certainly not fraught with the present enjoy ment. Soft grabbing, however, is done somewhat in this way, although no fork is used as they can be picked up with the hand without any danger of being bitten. The reason why they cannot be caught like hard crabs is that in their soft state they do not move about much, and have not the strength to hold on to bait with their claws. Perhaps there are those among the readers who do not know that though so different in appearance and flavor, the hard and soft crabs are identical, their relative conditions oelng entirely effected by the tide and the moon. During the three summer months crabs shed at the change of the moon and they are then soft until sew eral tides pass over them, rendering their shells hard again. In the transi- tory state, or when in the process of shedding, they are called busters" rather an appropriate name, as they bust" out of their shells and are as large again almost when they escape Indeed, one can scarcely believe some 1laC El,rxE II.