Photo: Get Sum Charters media library. Ocean City bay crabbing. Quick facts
| Goal | Lump & backfin with minimal shell |
| Remove | Apron, top shell, gills (“dead man’s fingers”) |
| Tools | Thumbs, knife tip, claw cracker or mallet |
| Setup | Newspaper, damp towels, trash bowl |
Picking steps
- Twist off the claws and set them aside.
- Flip the crab and lift the apron (pointed on males, wider on females—know what you cooked).
- Pry off the top shell.
- Remove the gills and rinse debris if needed.
- Break the body in half and work each chamber for lump and backfin.
- Crack claws for the long meat strips.
Tips that save meat
- Body meat rewards thumbs more than brute force.
- Do not smash chambers into paste—press and fold.
- Keep a “maybe shell” pile and a clean meat bowl separate.
Prefer someone else to do the work? Many Ocean City seafood restaurants serve picked meat, crab cakes, and steam-your-own
bushels.
