Got crabs?

I've decided to catch crabs. Some of tools are pictured above.

The blue claw variety.

I have a little net, three hand lines, and some wisdom from the MasterMachinist. Something about taking tongs unless I want a bloody, fractured finger. And that I have to throw back the females, and anything under 5 inches across. Yes, that was a chuckle to figure out if it's a he-crab or a she-crab: the female apparently has a large apron in the shape of an inverted "V". Or, as MasterMachisist delicately put it: "The women are the big V's." Gotcha.

I thnk the catching part I have figured out. You put some bait like a chickenneck into the clamp, drop it overboard (after tying it off to something) in less than 15 feet of water, and wait. Within a few minutes I should be able to ever-so-gently pull in the line, and then use my net with stealth. You gotta come from underneath them and not too fast, 'cause they do have some intelligence, and it they see it coming, they'll drop the yummy raw chicken and scurry off to find some other filth to eat. Why do I think crabs are so tasty, anyway? Yech!.

Anyway, the cleaning part is more complex bit. Everyone knows how to do it, but no one can explain it. Even the website with pictures weren't much help. My current plan is to steam them for 8 minutes in beer and Old Bay, take them out with tongs, and then start the dissection with an expert at the ready for on the spot coaching and biology insights.

Can't wait!