Crab bait

[halibuthitman]

It seems Ive heard a lot of comments on here on how something is only good for crab bait or how sad it is for something to become crab bait, strange... I use the best possible bait I can come up with.. fresh herring, razers, sablefish or lingcod and especially chum salmon. If its freezer burned or opened and dried out it would never go in one of my crab pots.... anyone else like this? or am I the only moron running a four star restraunt for these picky little spiders?

 

[SNDSLGR]

I am just getting started this year. But so far its been nothing but nice shad, salmon carcs and left over herring. Running low on the good stuff so I will probly be resorting to dumpster diving at the docks or just using chicken this weekend.

I am thinking you may have access to a few items the rest of us dont. I want to try and make a chum with left over herring, sand shrimp etc... Think one of those hand crank meat grinders would work on fish heads?

 

[Jmiddlestadt]

I've only ever used fresh chicken drumsticks....seems to work great for me in newport!

 

[The Nothing]

...am I the only moron running a four star restraunt for these picky little spiders?

Suppose so. I work in seafood, so I toss all the nearly-rotting flounder (some of my favorite bait) into the freezer for bait. Plenty of salmon carcasses as well. Because it's bait, it just gets lumped into a plastic bag and into -30F. Plenty of freezer burn. Same goes with sardines.

 

[fishnquest]

I never thought of them as being picky. Maybe thats why I don't often get lots in the 4 traps I have. I use old bait, fish carcass, freezer burn stuff, junk like that. I've never gone out of my way to make it anything special.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

I just started crabbing but i always heard to use old rotten stuff. So I started saving meat that spoiled and leftover bait like sand shrimp and herring. Last time i used a whole chicken that had gotten freezer burnt so i took it out a few days in advance. filled my pots with rotten chicken, rotten hamburger, and some leftover sand shrimp i let sit out for a few days. seem to work out all right for me. now i have a bucket in my freezer to put fish guts/carcasses and spoiled meat to save for crabbing. but I guess i could go out and buy a fillet mingon and still catch crab just seems a little bit spendy when you can save up bait for free. also i heard diesel soaks rags are the best bait.

 

[fishnquest]

diesel soaked rags?

diesel soaked rags?

I just started crabbing but i always heard to use old rotten stuff. So I started saving meat that spoiled and leftover bait like sand shrimp and herring. Last time i used a whole chicken that had gotten freezer burnt so i took it out a few days in advance. filled my pots with rotten chicken, rotten hamburger, and some leftover sand shrimp i let sit out for a few days. seem to work out all right for me. now i have a bucket in my freezer to put fish guts/carcasses and spoiled meat to save for crabbing. but I guess i could go out and buy a fillet mingon and still catch crab just seems a little bit spendy when you can save up bait for free. also i heard diesel soaked rags are the best bait.

ick

 

[kirkster]

dont forget the squid

dont forget the squid

I worked on several commercial crab boats out of newport. and we ran an average of a thousand pots and no matter what was used for bait there was always a bait jar stuffed with squid. The ones we used were stainless steel and about as big as a coke can with several pencil sized holes. you can also get plastic ones from many sporting good stores. The important thing is when you check and rebait your pots always empty the bait jar and clean(very important) It works best to have extra bait jars so your not doing this while trying to rebait.

 

[halibuthitman]

I also worked for over 13 yrs as a commercial guy out of astoria, and rotten bait is simply junk... and purposely putting any petroleum product into any body of water is against state, federal, and international law punishable by up to 5 yrs in prision and a fine of up to 50,000 bucks... for a first offense. I have seen rotten chicken fish, and while it does produce ive never seen a pot with 20 crab come up with it in it, we also have used fresh mink carcasses and plenty of razer clams fresh also.... but crab from the sounds of it will eat anything.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

I know its highly illegal just put the info out there. So what is the best bait in your experience?

 

[halibuthitman]

I use a large mayonaise jar that I drilled about 200 tiny holes in, then drilled a hole throught the cap tied an overhand knot in it on the inside, and put a snap on the outside end. then I use "fresh" herring squid and salmon if I have it mashed up inside until it is stuffed, on a bait pin I hang a piece of fresh fish... I use blackcod, but any fresh fish will do, then I let it sit for at least 4 hrs.... I do pretty good even next to a commercial pot string.... gotta have fresh if you are in bait wars with other pots, and razer clam trimmings or even just the shells put in an empty bait jar is magnum baitage!!

 

[The Nothing]

Sable (blackcod, butterfish, etc) is one of my favorites. It'd have to be pretty far gone before i could send it down as bait. But I can see why is would work so well.

One of my favorite baits, though, is flounder (pacific flounder, dover sole, etc). Also pretty oily for lots of attraction.

 

[novicewila]

we have used any old bait and then throw in a small can of cat food that has fish in it . Puncture a few holes in the can and your good to go!

 

[halibuthitman]

we have used any old bait and then throw in a small can of cat food that has fish in it . Puncture a few holes in the can and your good to go!

Wow, after putting $75 in the truck gas tank, $45 in the boat tank... $400 in pots line and buoys..... a whole day committed, I just don't think Im willing to bank on a can of Friskas.... commercialy for fun we tested 20 brands of cat food, dog food wd-40 bars of irish spring soap bacon and yada yada yada..... Fresh meat or fish is king. I killed a 6x6 bull elk at 300 yards with a 243 winchester .....once, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[kirkster]

we have used any old bait and then throw in a small can of cat food that has fish in it . Puncture a few holes in the can and your good to go!

Ya I'm sure you will get a few crab, But use fresh bait and squid jars and you'll get a lot of crab. I'm not downing your method to each is own. But if cat food and old bait was the ticket all the comercial boats would be using it as well.