When
Maryland’s crab season runs from spring into early winter. Crabs from the Chesapeake are usually plentiful and heavy from late summer into fall. Early in the year, many crabs come from further south.
Sizes
Crab houses sell by size, measured across the shell from point to point. The names (small, medium, large, jumbo, sometimes "extra large") are not standard, and each crab house sets its own sizes and prices, which change daily.
"Heavy" crabs
A heavy crab is full of meat. Crabs that have recently shed their shell are lighter and have less meat. Late-season crabs are often heavier.
Jimmies and sooks
Male crabs are called jimmies and have a narrow, pointed apron. Females, called sooks, have a wider, rounded apron. Most crab houses serve mostly males.
Ordering
- Call ahead and ask what sizes they have today and what they cost.
- Order by the dozen or half dozen.
- Ask whether the crabs are local.
Official sources: Maryland DNR: blue crab
