It's also interesting to note the many, many different colors that the crabs are found in. The photo of the upside down crabs show 5 variations - and those 5 crabs came out of a cooler with barely a dozen green crabs in it...there was a bunch of whiteleggers in it though:-) So from about a dozen crabs, I found 5 substantially different colored crabs. Their hardness tends to correspond with their coloration - but not the hardness as in post shell shedding terms...just their general hardness. Getting confusing, huh? ;-) All crabs shed their shells when they grow leaving them in a state of ultra vulnerability as they are soft like gumdrops for up to 8 hours afterwards - thus the term Dubs and I use for a fresh shed calico - we call them "gummy bears". Call them "peelurs" cause it'll drive Paul Naj up the wall faster than the fingernails on the chalkboard But the "hardness" I'm referring to that seems tied to their coloration isn't the kinda hardness that changes after shedding - a light green bellied crab is generally very soft as if it's shell is hard but extremely thin. Almost brittle even. The little one in the photo with the nearly white belly looks like every other little one...and yes, they are nice and crunchy at that size...tog will chew them up and spit your hook out before you get done engaging your reel :-) ----------------->>>>>The lighter, pale yellow one in the upper left is going to likely be the softest one in the bunch...your scissors will ease through that crabs without hardly a noise...the hook will settle into the leg sockets without a grimmace...and one good crunch from a big whitechin and your hook will be shiny like a brand new nickel The big orange bellied fella on the left - as Jimmy Dugan would say it's a " big Shark River bunny" :-) Well that big fella is gonna be the hardest, crunchiest crab in this lot and it's gonna put your crab scissors to the test ;-) There's a majority of tog sharpies out there who prefer to only use the brightest orange bellied "bunnies" they can find. That works...sometimes ;-) That's the kind of crab you can put a hook in and expect the crab to still be there after all the pecking and pulling from the choggies. It'll still be there after a couple little tog nibble on it - and it'll be there when "The One" you are after finally comes to investigate what all the commotion is about - and that's a good thing! Not to mention, the bright orange color is more visible than the muted light greens - and tog are very visual feeders. So a hard orange crab gives you a tougher bait to get off the hook...and one I think the tog can see from a further distance...and that doesn't suck ;-)

These 5 different belly colors make clear an interesting green crab characteristic - the different colors don't signify age, size, sex or geographic location. You can find big hard, bright orange crabs...or big almost crunchy pale yellow crabs - in the same place, at the same time :-) The shape of their abdomen is how we determine their sex - the males have a sharp triangle shape...like the big orange bunny on the left. The females have a much rounder abdomen, shaped almost like a beehive...like the burnt orange one and the big cream colored one to the right. Just some more useless facts for yer head ;-)

Above - your toggin' friend, the Atlantic Rock Crab - Cancer irroratus - known locally as the whitelegger. Good lookin' crabs, ain't they? From what I understand, the big ones are very good eating...and I've been catching some absolute monsters. It might be time to boil up some water and see if Crazy Alberto has any idea what he's talking about...cause he'll eat anything and yah learn to be very careful when taking his advice on food :-)