hard back crabs

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 11:09 am

hey all, I noticed a discussion on peeler but need some advice on hard back crabs that are not peeling.

I went out on blyth pier on friday and was pulling in a few crabs first time this year that crabs have been around on my hook so to speak.

The lad next to me asked if I wanted to keep it as bait as had probs picking it up was a nasty piece of work this crab ha ha ha or maybe I was a wimp prob be the latter.

Cut a long story short we chucked the crab back in but got me thinking can you use hard back shore crabs that are not peeling as bait and if so are they any good I would just be using the insides minus the shell.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 12:21 pm

Hi, according to my grandson conner, who soaks up anything to do with fishing, hardbacks can be used to catch Wrasse. I've never actually tried them for catching wrasse, nor do i know what size they would need to be, but he has put whole ones on, minus all the extremities. big grin

If i were going to try it, I would use whole small ones. Cheers..Mick

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 12:27 pm

most fish like cod pollack bass and wrasse will take hard backs they are a good bait

Dave big grin

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 1:54 pm

The bass I caught on Friday night had a green hard crab in it's gut about 3 cms across. I was still moving a bit too.
Smuts will also take them.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:22 pm

cheers fella's though must admit I am not really after wrasse etc etc or anything that is able to crush thru the shell of a hard back.

Hence why I was wondering if it is worth splitting the hard back taking the shell off and using its guts so to speak to tempt pollack not really cod now as they are heading out, macky, coley and flatties.

Have always used mussel but was thinking of trying the insides of a hard back crab ties on with baiting elastic. Or maybe a cocktail of mussel and crag guts.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:41 am

Hi, give it a try, the inside of a crab is the same, whether or not its peeling. It should work ok, but might be difficult to put on a hook. It might be better to take them home, take out the insides, and freeze it in guaze, ready to hook on. Cheers..Mick

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:49 am

cool or might tea bag it same sort of thing,

just always like trying new baits especially now the crabs are starting to turn up.

Am I right in thinking to despatch a crab you cut it in half or put a knife thru from behind where the tri-angle / heart shaped part is.

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:02 am

Hmmm, now you got me, ive never bothered to try it, so havnt looked up the method. Cheers...Mick

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:44 am

benbo128 wrote:

cool or might tea bag it same sort of thing,

just always like trying new baits especially now the crabs are starting to turn up.

Am I right in thinking to despatch a crab you cut it in half or put a knife thru from behind where the tri-angle / heart shaped part is.

Found this on a site about cooking crabs, "Killing a Crab is very easy, first turn it onto it's back with it's legs upward. Underneath towards the back of the shell you will see a small pointed flap, lift this flap and you will find a small hole in the shell. Using a small screwdriver pierce down through this hole, with a sharp tap on the top of the screwdriver, until you feel it hit the other side of the shell. Move the handle of the screwdriver sharply towards the back of the shell then withdraw it. Finally turn the Crab right side up and allow it to drain."

The crabs were probably a lot bigger than ones you'de use for bait but I suppose the principle is the same.

Frank

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:50 pm

benbo128 wrote:

Hence why I was wondering if it is worth splitting the hard back taking the shell off and using its guts so to speak to tempt pollack not really cod now as they are heading out, macky, coley and flatties.

.

In a word NO. imho
It is not the fact that the shell is soft that attracts the majority of fish. The scent of a crab that is going through a moult is much is much stronger than that of a hardback. Most of the fish we catch that have eaten hardbacks, the crab is swallowed whole.

I have been using hardbacks for a few years now, crabs of upto about 2 inches are fished whole, bigger ones are cut in half and bound on with elastic. They are the number one bait for large wrasse and trigger fish.
In the time that I have been using them I have never had any by-catch or non-target fish even though the marks that hold the best wrasse also hold pollack ,conger and huss.
Out here pollack seem to like a moving bait so try spinning for them instead.

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:00 pm

cheers guy,

tried blyth harbour today spinning and bang bang bang loads of coley might forget about hard backs and stick with mussel and a spinner he he he

thnx for the info all