The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-08-09
POINTS ON GRABBING.
Not SO Exciting Tarpon Fishing, but 1t
Has Its Merits.

| ment ana there are very many others
| who would not know one if they should
| see it. There is no use DENYING that
this delightfully."- favored little animal
Is Notwithstanding creature, and his
looks do not belle his disposition, for
| he is the most aggressive of all aquatic
game. Now, of all of the sports of the
| Chesapeake, none is more exciting than
| grabbing when it is done scientifically,
for in this, as in everything else all de-
| ponds upon how it is done, and to get
| at the true inwardness of grabbing one
| must learn the ropes. The first thing
! to be considered is the tide, and lust
| here it is perhaps well to say, for the
| information of those not already ia
| miliar with the fact, that crabs are
| a tidewater production and are peculiar
| to salt waters.
The proper time to go grabbing is on
| the 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-
| ing somewhat of cannibalistic turn.
| they will eat the body of a less for
| tunate comrade.
The bait must be tied to good, stout
! lines several yards in length, depend
| ing upon the depth of the water, since
| the lines must be sufficiently long to
| allow the bait to touch the bottom
| Unlike fishing tackle. the crab lines
| require no angle, but are secured to the
sides of the boat by tying to the oar
| locks or the washboards. sinker is a
! necessary adjunct to each line. This
sinker may be anything from a nail to
| an oyster shell. The latter, which is in
| popular favor on the eastern shore. has
one advantage-it is deceiving from its
weight-malling many small boy
| stand on tiptoe of expectation as he
slowly and he believes surely, draws
| in a crab, which proves to be the
| sinker. Then the walls of wrath are
emptied upon the head of the crab
which should have been there. but was
not. 1t is interesting to watch the way
| in 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 unconcerned wav. 1t
| is interesting to feel their vigorous
| pulling as one slowly hauls the line in,
| bringing the captive to the surface
| Then it is that second person must
be ready with net to dip him in, for
| he cannot be ierked or coaXed: he
| must be taken bodily. This necessity
for cOmpanionship in grabbing makes it
al hi
| bic looking than does the lone fisher
man who can be so selfshly happy.
The crab net is rather a novel con-
| Germ. 1t consists of long wooden
| handle. at the end of which is an iron
hoop, which supports the Melted 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 dexterity4
| then. must be exercised in passing Die
| 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 mouse is insignificant
in comparison, and justly, for 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 strong rope
stretched between them. From this
| rope are suspended as many lines as
one may choose, all baited for crab
bling. 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 favora bic,
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 a two-pronged stick, in
which the crabs We're pinned to the
ground when one could accomplish the
wonderful feat of sneal1ing upon them
After fixing them with this improvised
fork, the sportsman secured the crab
by taking hold of his two hind fins.
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
being 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