Spider crabs

Member Joined: Aug 22, 2006 Posts: 10

Hi all

I been fishing on the breakwater in holyhead Angelsey, i have had loads of trouble with spider crabs pinching my bait, i have tried lifting my bait of the bottom but they still seem to get to it.

Baits used Mackrel,rag,squid.

Also i have found the best way of catching conger eels is to use a lobster pot, has anyone else experienced this?

Member Joined: Jul 25, 2006 Posts: 52

Hi try using a longer snood on your rig with a few floating beads or a wine cork. The snood should be long enough to keep out of the crabs reach.

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:22 pm

I reckon those spider crabs stand on each others shoulders plus you have to realise that they have very long legs and can reach a long way up in the water. My mate defeated them by using a partially filled bubble float which effectively raised the bait about 2 foot off the bottom. Just raising the bait a few inches off the botton will not defeat them - I know cos I've tried it. Fortunately they are usually only here for a few weeks to breed then wander off to deep water again. By the way, if you think they are up to their tricks, try to hook one if you can for the pot. They are very tasty although a bit more fiddly than our usual crabs.

Member Joined: Aug 22, 2006 Posts: 10

Yes i agree eccles i have tried everything and as you say its almost as if they do stand on top of each other. I tried striking hard into a bite last week which produced a 12inch crabs leg.

Must say they dont seem as keen on the rag worm as they do the mackrel.

Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 10:33 pm

That's cos they are a bit like you and me (LOL) - given a choice, would you rather have rag or mackerel for your supper? Me? - I would rather have spider crab, you can keep the other two.

Member Joined: Aug 22, 2006 Posts: 10

Well i have bought a 3' by 3' crab pott with 8 snags on it that work like a hangmans noose.

Has anyone else used one of these?

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 2:45 pm

We almost hung a bloke at school once for molesting another bloke's sister but that was nearly 50 yrs ago. Haven't tried since, I believe Hanging is now suspended as a legal form of punishment, more's the pity. I can think of a few who ought to be strung up but I am too old fashioned.
Anyway, me and Sean are thinking of getting one or two traps to launch from our boat but you have to know the rules for your sea area otherwise you could be fined heavily: In the Southern Sea area the rules are 1. No more than two crabs or lobsters per day and they must exceed regulation size. 2. No laying pots in designated commercial shellfish areas. 3. No taking of female lobsters at all! The latter is regarded as such a heinous crime (because they add new lobsters to the stocks) that if the Pro's ever see you with one they are liable to lynch you on the spot never mind the fine.

Member Joined: Aug 22, 2006 Posts: 10

Thanks for the info eccles.

The fishing i do is with young people we have no desire to eat anything we catch, we always return our catch.