Ocean City, MD

Virginia Beach, VA

Myrtle Beach, SC

Outer Banks Vacation Guide

Home | Contact Us | Advertise with Us

Find an Outer Banks Hotel...
Book Online - Fast & Easy!

Share your photos, videos, and vacation stories!

Be the first to hear about Hotel Discounts and Special Offers!

by Corolla Classic Vacations

Carolina by the Sea
Oceanfront: Pine Island
Bedrooms: 9 Sleeps: 22

A View to Sea
Oceanside: Ocean Sands
Bedrooms: 7 Sleeps: 18

Waverly
Semi-Oceanfront: Whalehead
Bedrooms: 9 Sleeps: 22

Dune Deck
Oceanside: Ocean Hill
Bedrooms: 7 Sleeps: 16

More...

Outer Banks Message Board

Our Outer Banks message board is a community where anyone can ask questions, share comments, and post recommendations about the Outer Banks. By participating on this message board you acknowledge that you have read and agree to any and all of the conditions in this notice.
Popular Message Board Topics!

General Discussion

Area Information

Where To Eat

Topic: General Information

Message Board Main Page > General Information

Main Topic Post: General Information

Posted By: Guest

Subject: Soft Shell Crabs?

Okay, I know this is going to sound stupid, so if you must make fun, feel free. What is the difference between a soft shell crab and a crab? I see soft shells on the menu and I don't know what it is.

Message Replies:

27066: RE: Soft Shell Crabs?

8/29/2008 7:55:58 AM

Posted By: Guest

You eat the shell with soft shell crabs. My husband got a soft shell crab sandwich at Dirty Dicks...very expensive and not at all good. The shell was not very soft. It is an aquired taste..I personally can't eat them. EWWWW!

27068: RE: Soft Shell Crabs?

8/29/2008 9:10:49 AM

Posted By: local

soft shell crabs are regular crabs that have shed their shells. they only stay with a soft shell for about an hour in the wild, so it's imparitive you catch them and remove them from salt water within that hour or they'll have hard shells again.

it's very hard to be a soft shell crabber,(you hardly get any sleep) and the 'molting season' is rediculously short. that's why they cost so much and are unavailble the rest of time.

PS I know I'm a bad speller, so no jokes about it, please.>:-(

27071: RE: Soft Shell Crabs?

8/29/2008 10:15:56 AM

Posted By: Bank'er

When we get them at the fish markets, I ask them to pick out the softest ones, 'cause they're all in different stages of molting and some of them can be pretty tough. The softest ones are the best for eatin'.

27114: RE: Soft Shell Crabs?

8/29/2008 7:16:20 PM

Posted By: Guest

I copied and pasted my original post in the "Restaurant Experiences" post. Go ahead...laugh away!

"I'm leaving my name blank because I'm still embarassed! Being from the north and in a place where seafood comes at frozen at best I was excited to get fresh crabs. Now keep in mind that something about crab legs creep me out. I prefer lump meat or cakes. I just can't get ovet those giant legs and cracking them. I know it comes from the same creature but it's so much easier to eat without picturing it alive!

Well, I didn't know what soft shell crabs were. One night we ordered from Herons (now closed) We got take out so we could watch the sunset from out dining room. Imagine my surprize when the foil was taken off my plate and there was 3 whole breaded crabs! Little legs and all! I literally have nightmares about those things coming alive and crawling after me. I was so sick I couldn't eat anything but the cole slaw. I'm not sure who ate the crabs, but I couldn't watch. We're coming down in September and I want NOTHING to do with those things again."

28005: RE: Soft Shell Crabs?

9/13/2008 5:24:33 PM

Posted By: Guest

i live in maryland and soft shell's are very popular here and yes i love them. A soft shell crab like said before is a crab that has shed his old shell to grow a new one. a crab can shed as many as 60 time's in his life time. the whole process take's about 24 -36 hr's when the crab first start's to "sluff" another crab will pick the "sluffer" up and protect it from preditor's, after a while it begin's to shed and within 12 hr's of shedding the new shell is hard again. The beggining stage is when the crab's are called peeler's and they make excellent bait for many type's of fish especially Rock's, Drum and Flounder

60369: RE: Soft Shell Crabs?

1/16/2010 6:27:34 PM

Posted By: Guest

softshell crabs have lost their shell and are growing a new one at this time the shell is soft you can eat shell and all.

Post A New Reply

Posted By: (Leave blank for 'Guest')

Subject:

Message:

Please Click Button Once!

You may also be interested in:
Ocean City, MD Message Board
Virginia Beach, VA Message Board
Myrtle Beach, SC Message Board

Google Analytics Alternative