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Because they have a hard, rigid exoskeleton, crabs must periodically molt (shed their shells) in order to grow larger. Such crabs are called "soft shells" and are considered a delicacy. The simplest and cheapest method of crabbing is using string with fish, chicken,turkey neck or other meat as bait. When the crab takes the bait, the string is slowly and carefully pulled up and the crabs scooped into a waiting net or basket. 
The most common method of catching the tasty blue crab is using a crab or drop net.The bait usually turkey neck is tied securely to the bottom of a net. The net is attached to string and lowered into the water until it hits bottom. There it lies flat so the unsuspecting crab will go after the bait.The nets are checked every 15 minutes or so till you have enough crabs 
Commercial fisherman use crab traps or"pots".Bait is placed in the bait-well found inside the trap. After baiting, the trap is attached to a strong line and lowered into the water to rest on the bottom.A float is attached to the other end of the line, marking the trap's location. The trap line is then run every day,there could be as many as 250 to 500 traps per line with some run one day and the rest run the next day to give the traps time to work.
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