Hardy, you mention that the larger paddle crabs are good eating. What is the method used for extracting the meat out of these? I have heard the one should use a rolling pin to squeeze the meat out, but that sounds a bit messy with bits of shell getting mixed up with the flesh. It seems as if it would be a very fiddly job, but I presume it must be worth it otherwise people would not be bothered. Up till now I have been cutting the larger crabs in half & using for bait. But if they are tasty (the poor mans crayfish) the fish can go without. Anyway, I am going to give it a go at eating them. 'Pay back' it's called for the times they have cleaned my bait out. So it's just a case of finding the best way to extract the meat.
Jasmine.