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Dungeness Crabs: California's Deadliest Catch

npr.org — Dungeness crabs are not only a winter treat; they are also the most valuable catch on the West Coast. More than 400 boats ply the waves in the early winter and lay their crab pots off the coast of California, Oregon and Washington.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 3, 2009

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  • BassMastr, on 01/03/2009, -1/+25I have no idea why but I am totally addicted to "world's deadliest catch" and I know I'm not the only one. I mean if you've seen one day of crabbing haven't you seeen them all, right!?!? much less going on 5 seasons!!
  • thesandbender, on 01/03/2009, -0/+24Alaska Deadliest Catch:
    - Sub-zero temperatures
    - Gail winds
    - Ice packs
    - Little daylight (arctic winter)
    - All these factors make support/rescue questionable if something does go wrong.

    California Deadliest Catch:
    - We have to get a whole lot of boats out of the same port.

    If nothing else... something as simple as ice over can topple and sink an Alaska fisherman... California fisherman have no worries about that.

    Open seas fishing is always dangerous... but fishing the Bearing Strait in the winter is a whole different animal. All those guys are at least slightly crazy.
  • doublefelix, on 01/03/2009, -0/+23Captain Sig would consider this a vacation.
  • risenphoenixkai, on 01/03/2009, -0/+12Dungeness crabs are tasty little buggers. Used to catch 'em all the time with my stepdad. In the space of an hour, it went from creepy-crawly of the sea to buttery, boiled goodness on my plate. So awesome.
  • KDyneria, on 01/03/2009, -2/+9What part of getting a suntan on the California coast is deadly?
  • twig978, on 01/03/2009, -0/+6Yeah I have watched it. Its interesting. Its is pretty dang dangerous. Now if only they caught politicians.
  • NightflyLester, on 01/03/2009, -1/+7Alaska King crabs tastes like Alpo compared to Dungeness
  • wracker92, on 01/03/2009, -0/+6<mikerowe>263 miles south-southwest from Shag Harbor, the Northwestern and Captain Sig are digging this article.</mikerowe>
  • jusgreat, on 01/03/2009, -0/+6It's got to be that wave motion... I find myself staring at it and forgetting to blink until a commercial.


  • animefx, on 01/03/2009, -0/+5Attack it's weak point for massive damage
  • BassMastr, on 01/03/2009, -0/+5Nah...used them for bait.

    Put a Dem in one and a Rep in another and see which one catches more. America "votes one out" of politics each week from each party. Would be great fun...
  • Nupeper, on 01/03/2009, -0/+5I come from the town they wrote this about, there is no sun tanning on those beaches trust me, they're beautiful, but not southern california beaches at all!
  • whoreable, on 01/03/2009, -1/+6Damn, now I am all high and ***** thinking about eating crabs. That ***** is so good.
  • xcvbn, on 01/03/2009, -0/+5pinch me, but i say the story doesnt have legs.
  • tmyprod, on 01/03/2009, -1/+6You could get a mean sunburn.
  • fuckupedoslut, on 01/03/2009, -0/+4No kidding. I actually grew up on the Dungeness River. Seems a joke to hear about Dungeness crabs from California.
  • ordig, on 01/03/2009, -0/+4crab whiskey soup is one of the tastiest things i have ever eaten. Probably because of the whiskey.
  • AmazingSteve, on 01/03/2009, -0/+4It takes giant brass balls to fish Crab in Alaska. The Bering Sea is no ***** joke on the best of days.
  • Noquar, on 01/03/2009, -1/+4Going to disagree. King Crab, when it is fresh, and not frozen in a warehouse for a while, and properly cooked is some of the sweetest and most succulent seafood out there, especially with some nice drawn butter.
  • Ctibko, on 01/03/2009, -0/+3die.....
  • Burrito, on 01/03/2009, -0/+3As a native Californian, I can safely say we are all pussies. The thing is, I'd rather be a pussy than standing on the deck of The Northwestern.
  • OrangeTide, on 01/03/2009, -0/+3I get dungeness because i can't afford Alaskan king crab.
  • Sefus, on 01/03/2009, -1/+4Blue Crabs are much better and safer to catch, imho.
  • callmevil, on 01/03/2009, -1/+4wow.. now that was an underwhelming read.. i felt like i just got rickrolled into reading that..
  • itisme1760, on 01/03/2009, -1/+4YUMMM!!! I love driving up to Reno and eat at Eldorado's Buffet where they have plentiful amounts of Dungeness Crabs :)
  • mrroarke, on 01/03/2009, -0/+3Hahaha! "Deadliest catch!" Yeah I guess with those bone-chilling 55ºF waters and winds gusting up to 25mph, it must be treacherous! I think the mercury-laced fish in SF bay are a much deadlier catch.
  • trendygamer, on 01/03/2009, -0/+3On a steel horse I ride.
  • BleedingHeadKen, on 01/03/2009, -0/+3I won't eat turkey because it has the word "turk" in it, and that's like cannibalism. Also, butter is bad because it has "butt" in it.

    What a weird way to make culinary decisions.
  • plaguepony, on 01/03/2009, -1/+3I don't know, I seem to catch crabs all the time
  • deadsenator, on 01/03/2009, -0/+2You do not go inland for crab. Turn right back around, head west on 80 and do not stop until you reach Pier 45.
  • CrushThemTorg, on 01/04/2009, -0/+2I'm writing the W3C and demanding that a mikerowe tag be added for the cases where we want the browser to interpret thing in Mike Rowe's voice.
    I think that would either involve dramatic music, flying feces or QVC.
  • fuckupedoslut, on 01/03/2009, -0/+2Massive seafood connoisseur, as you so put it, and yet you think Dungeness is better than Alaskan? You sir, are talking out of your ass. Alaskan King crab is light sweet and buttery--Dungeness is not. I say this not only as a lifelong Western Washington native that grew up on the Dungeness River and sold Dungeness year round as a seafood vendor and apprentice meat cutter for a health food grocery store, but also as someone who simply loves to eat crab. I eat both regularly and there is no question that Alaskan King crab, despite all my loyalties to Dungeness, just tastes better. But then, you profess to have eaten Dungeness from San Franciso Bay, so...there ya go.

    There is such a massive taste difference between the two that its actually shocking you'd find Dungeness to be better. Dungeness is good, but saying its better is like saying an old dusty sock is preferable to eating a stick of butter. If Alaskan King crab wasn't massively better in taste, they could not justify the price--deadliest catch or no, Alaska King crab's price will always be high because of the taste and quality NOT JUST how difficult it was to catch.

    Consider yourself schooled by an authentic Seattle dwellin' seafood eatin', fish throwing, crab catching, crab cooking, crab cleaning, crab eating REAL SEAFOOD "CONNOISSEUR".
  • itisme1760, on 01/04/2009, -0/+2Well, I do live in San Francisco. It is too expensive. Why not drive up to Reno where you can have it all you can eat for a good price?
  • NSResponder, on 01/03/2009, -1/+3Just get your crabs from Oregon. The spill didn't get that far.

    -jcr
  • cddict1, on 01/03/2009, -0/+2I love them on discovery.
  • tavallai, on 01/03/2009, -1/+3As a massive seafood connoisseur, I'd say Dungeness is the best crab there is. It may be 50x easier to catch than Alaskan king crab, but it tastes 50x better. Unfortunately, I haven't touched it since the Cosco Busan oil spill in San Francisco Bay. Filter feeders and oil spills don't mix. :(
  • speedk0re, on 01/03/2009, -2/+4Paris Hilton Crabs: California's Deadliest Catch
  • tavallai, on 01/03/2009, -1/+2I try to only eat locally.. Can't wait for my next PNW road trip, I guess!
  • SheilaNoya, on 01/04/2009, -0/+1Never heard of it, but I love crabs and I love whiskey. I had to look up the recipe - It sounds GREAT!

    Here it is for anyone who wants to try it:

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Crab-Whiskey-Soup/Det ...

  • brownsound00, on 01/03/2009, -0/+1that's horrible
  • milkmage, on 11/11/2009, -0/+1if you're looking for an alternative to melted butter...
    heat oil to near boiling and pour it over some grated ginger or chopped green onions...
    add a little salt to taste.

  • jasonsalas, on 01/03/2009, -1/+2all those reality show producers can't be wrong.
  • Visibility, on 01/03/2009, -2/+3California? What about Washington and Oregon fishermen who do the same thing?
  • demoneye, on 01/03/2009, -0/+1Crabbing is awesome. Dungeness crabs are delicious, and so easy to catch. Put some leftover meat in a cage, drop it, wait overnight and you have a fun catch of an incredibly keen meal or a tasty cocktail.

    My family's been crabbing every summer in Seattle's Elliott Bay for as long as I can remember, and even in such an urban bay they're plentiful and tasty.
  • AmazingSteve, on 01/03/2009, -1/+2Who's talking out of their ass now? The ***** taste has nothing to do with the price. Sit down retard.
  • compgeek, on 01/03/2009, -3/+4Captain Sig would be like meh this is easy. now Alaskan King Crab is where the real money is
  • NeoCortex, on 01/03/2009, -5/+5Dungeness Crabs? Sounds like something you catch from S&M.
  • mongqui, on 01/03/2009, -2/+1I wonder how many pokeballs they used to catch all those crabs. Look at Ash sporting some stubble.
  • lowtolerance, on 01/03/2009, -3/+2wasn't there any news today?
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