Female Blue Crabs (Blue Claws)

Why “Blue Claws”

Female blue crabs have bright orange-red tips on their claws (males’ claws are mostly blue), which is where the nickname comes from. You’ll hear lifelong Marylanders ask for “a bushel of blue claws” and they always mean females.

The body cavity on a female is smaller than a male’s, so the back-fin meat is denser and naturally sweeter. In season, you also get to dig into the orange roe, which is a delicacy in its own right.

What You’re Getting

• Live female blue crabs — sometimes called blue claws, sotooks, or just sooks
• Mixed sizes — typical female catch runs 5-6 inches across the shell
• Hard-shell — not soft-shell, not peelers
• In season, roe-bearing females (roe is the orange paste inside the body cavity)
• Pulled fresh same day

Why Order Females

• Sweeter, denser meat than males of comparable size
• Better for picking parties — easier to manage, more delicate flavor
• In-season roe is a Bay delicacy — fold it back into the meat or eat it straight
• Often a better value than #1 males, dozen for dozen

How to Order

Phone orders only:

1. Quantity — dozens, half-bushel, bushel
2. Pickup or delivery date
3. Whether you specifically want roe-bearing females (we’ll source from the right time of year)

Common Questions

Are females smaller than males? Yes, usually 5-6 inches vs 6+ for #1 males. But the meat-to-shell ratio is comparable.

When is roe season? Roe-bearing females are most abundant late spring through mid-summer in Maryland. Outside that window we can usually still get females, just without consistent roe.

Is the meat different? Yes — slightly sweeter, slightly denser. Most Maryland natives have a strong opinion on males vs females. Try a bushel of each and pick your side.