Ryan Williams, who picked up the nickname Skeet as a youngster, has been a waterman his whole life.

A Dundalk native, he started crabbing while in middle school working for other crabbers on the weekends and throughout the summers. His grandfather, Reggie Williams, owned Worsters in Millers Island.

“I wanted to be on the water instead of the restaurant,” Williams said. “I wanted to work on the bay. It’s nicer on water than land."

Now his love and passion have become his livelihood. 

Williams opened the doors on his own crab house, Skeet's Crabs, appropriately, on North Point Road in Edgemere last month.

That doesn't mean, however, that he's gotten off the water. All the crabs are caught by Williams, who is intent on keeping everything local, and the crew of the Kathy Marie on the Chesapeake Bay. All the corn comes from Maryland. 

In 2000, Williams, who now lives in Edgemere, bought his boat, the Kathy Marie, and started out catching crabs to sell and steam for friends and family. Eventually, he applied for a commercial crabbing license, and branched out into catering parties and supplying restaurants.

Williams said he started his businesss because he "wanted people to have good crabs without having to deal with the middle man."

“I started with 50 pots. It was what my first license allowed," Williams said. “I’ve been expanding and have a bigger license. I have 900 pots now.”

The expanded license led to the expansion of the business.

“I was looking to open a shop," he explained. "With the growing of the business it was what I had planned. It was time.”

Skeet’s Crabs officially opened its doors on July 7. They're open Thursday thru Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

“I start the season at Thomas Point, south of the Bay Bridge and move up the bay as the crabs migrate north,” Williams said.

He also still services the Island View Waterfront Café in Rocky Point. He steams crabs for them on site, on Wednesdays. But his main focus is growing Skeet’s Crabs.

“Eventually we’ll be open seven days a week," Williams said. "I want to add clams, oysters, shrimp and fish."

Crabs at Skeet’s are steamed with Williams' own seasoning mix, developed over the years, adding a unique flavor. Crabs can also be ordered live.

The soft crabs are homegrown.

Every facet of Skeet’s Crabs is done with an old school, hands on approach. 

“I have a slough box at my house," Williams said. “I keep them in there until the crabs slough. When they’re ready I bring them to the shop to sell.”

It's a true Maryland experience. 

Skeet’s Crabs is located at 7002 North Point Road, 21219. For more information call 443-831-5044.

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