It’s bonanza time for crab lovers!   KYW’s Jay Lloyd reports that a Chesapeake Bay getaway can yield a bumper crop of hardshells — at the year’s lowest prices.

By Jay Lloyd

ST. MICHAELS, Md.  (CBS) — While cracking crabs recently in St. Michaels, I realized that a funny thing happens after Labor Day. The crowds leave the Chesapeake, but according to experience and veteran waterman Chris Lingerman, the crabs couldn’t be better or more plentiful.

“From here on out, this is your best crabs,” he advises.  “They’re fatter, heavier. They’re building up fat for the winter.”

So when those steaming, spiced crabs land on the table, which one do you go for first?

“I’d rather have a heavy crab -– 6 to 6½ inches,” Lingerman says.  “That’s your best crab.”

(A blue claw crab, fresh from the bay. Credit: Jay Lloyd)

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Lingerman buys crabs from 23 boats for his Chester River Seafood, near Rock Hall, Md.  His take-out crab feast is a favorite.

Other top spots include Rock Hall’s Waterman’s Crab House; Chesapeake Landing, at St. Michaels; Harris’ Crab House, on Kent Island; and Mike’s, outside Annapolis.

Enjoy the bounty!

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