#88: Crabbing at the Docks

It's a summertime tradition in Babylon Village: families heading to the dock, nets and flashlights in hand, to scoop up some crabs off the docks. Whether you use a net or a trap, conventional wisdom holds that crabbing season really starts to heat up in July and peaks in August and September.

The Fire Island Avenue docks have been a popular spot for dock-side crabbing and the endeavor can easily turn into an all-day affair, with many families setting up lawn chair camps and combining fishing, eating and chatting with crabbing. Net scooping works best after dark, by using a flashlight to locate the crabs that come to the surface.

Blue crabs are a tasty summer dinnertime treat, simply steamed with seasonings. Make sure not to eat any dead crabs and to be extra safe pregnant women and young kids might want to avoid eating the yellow substance inside the claws. And remember, throw those females back so that the species can keep thriving.

Happy catching (and eating)!

Come back next week for suggestion #87. Click here for the rest of the countdown.

Category: Sport and recreation
Season: Summer through early fall
Note: The Village of Babylon requires a permit to crab off of the docks. You can obtain a permit from Village Hall. The permit costs $5 for village residents and $50 for non-residents.