Gary and Mike Silvaggio demonstrate how to catch and measure blue crabs in Indian River Bay near Millsboro, Delaware. They explain how to identify mature females, called "suks," by their apron-shaped underside and pointy shell edges, and why certain females are keepers because they won't grow larger or lay more eggs.
This is the hardest part of both. It's part of the balance. Okay, got it.
See it?
Now it's too small though, I think. Actually, you know what, it's got the big pointy sides.
It's got the big pointy sides. We'll measure this baby. It's got small arms though. They don't have arms, Gary. They have paws. There you go.
What do you think, champion? Let's see. That might be a winner. Let's, let's— we'll wait. Maybe. We'll see. Let's see here. I'm gonna measure it. I don't know.
We'll have to see. Let's lay it out here and see what we got. We've got— uh, uh, uh, uh, I think we got— it's a keeper! It's a keeper!
There you go. There we go. Yeah, see what I mean?
The edges are pointy. Like, if that one had the same shell, we'd be good. Yeah, well, this is a female, a suk. It's a keeper.
A suk. That's why it's got the big pointy sides, right?
No, it's because of the apron underneath. Instead of like a diamond, you know, like a pyramid, that's the other kind versus this kind. This is a mature female. You really don't have to measure this one. If it's allowed, you're allowed to keep it. Because she will never get bigger than this, and she may not bear any more eggs.
That may be part of it too, I'm not sure. There you go, keeper crabs right there. Crabbing up in Delaware with Mike Silvaggio, Indian River Bay, Indian River Bay, Millsboro.
This is Gary's spot. We'll see what he does.
I'm telling you, that first one
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