Best hooks for crab bait

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:59 am

Hi all, this is my first year of fishing that I have been using a lot of crab baits. I have been using size 4/0 half circle hooks but have been missing takes. I have just ordered some 5/0 sakuma 540 manta hooks and was thinking bout getting some 4/0 mustard viking hooks. Just wondered what type and size of hooks everyone else uses for good presentation for big crab baits.

Cheers!!

Member Joined: Jul 01, 2008 Posts: 28

Hey Captain i tend to use a pennel for big baits or i use bait holders from 2/0 to 5/0 with the baitholders they have barbs on the hook shaft that helps hold the bait. And of course dont forget the bait elastic lol

Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:15 am

Hi m8 welcome to the forum.

It depends on the target species i generally use size 1 to 3/0 hooks. But it depends on personal preference.

Tight lines......Colin

Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:51 pm

Cheers for the advice, I may give baitholder hooks a try. The target species is bass. A lot of the time the bass only hit the bait once so I wanna be sure when they pick the bait up I stand a good chance of setting the hook. I do tend to use pennel rigs for big crab and whole squid baits and a good lashing of elastic to hold it all in place.

Member Joined: Jul 01, 2008 Posts: 28

You could try the pulley rig with a pennel setup should help minimise tackle loss. Anyway good luck

Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:15 pm

Thanks for the advice, I always tend to use pennel pulley with rottom bottom when fishing rocky marks, the half circle hooks are good on these venues as they dont snag up so easy. I've been using paternoster pennel rig over clean ground. Just trying to improve my hook up ratio as I seem to miss as many as I hook lol

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:28 pm

I just tend too use the same hooks for all of my rigs, in size 2 or 1, all mustard power worm hooks, which hold worm, squid, fish or crab baits equally well....... but i have deep pockets and short arms big grin

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:08 pm

varias piggy back hooks impale the crab on the spike at the back of the hook and secure with bait elastic the varias piggy back hook is like a mormal hook but with a small spike on the back to secure crab and squid baits!! big grin

that was a mouthfull