Hardback Crabs

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:21 am

Most sea-anglers know the merits of 'peeler' and 'softies', but have you ever fished with normal hardbacks?
The contents of fish's stomachs, particularly cod and bass, indicate that hardbacks do make up a large part of their diet. So why are hardbacks not used as much in comparison to 'peelers' and 'softies'.
I have caught wrasse from the rocks using hardbacks, but the crab dies pretty quickly once penetrated by the hook.
If a method could be devised that would allow a hardback to be presented alive it would surely be a 'killer' bait.
Any suggestions on how to surmount this problem?
I have tried an elastic band hitched through the eye of the hook and then tightly wrapped around the crabs body, but it is not perfect.
What about 'superglue'? If the hook could be glued directly to the crab's back or belly it might work, as long as the saltwater didn't soften the glue.
Is there a quick drying strong glue that is sea-proof?

Tight Lines.

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:35 am

I do believe you can buy a battery operated drill used by some people for etching onto glass etc:
You get very tiny drill bits with them as well.
Try drilling a very small hole through the shell of the crab and hooking through that.
At least in theory, the crab should stay alive much longer. :?

Member Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 92 Location: Dorset

Limey

We use hardback crabs for catching big Ballan Wrasse from a boat off Portland and they deffinitely catch the big ones. You mount them on a strong hook size dependent on the crab 3/0's far large crabs 1/0's for smaller ones.

You mount them by pushing the point through the base of their leg sections in and out again making sure the point is clear and not obstructed. This way the crab stays alive.

Often the best ones are velvet swimming crabs but shore crabs also work.

Don't know if they are any good for other fish species.

Ray

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:13 am

RaytheRay wrote:

Limey

We use hardback crabs for catching big Ballan Wrasse from a boat off Portland and they deffinitely catch the big ones. You mount them on a strong hook size dependent on the crab 3/0's far large crabs 1/0's for smaller ones.

You mount them by pushing the point through the base of their leg sections in and out again making sure the point is clear and not obstructed. This way the crab stays alive.

Often the best ones are velvet swimming crabs but shore crabs also work.

Don't know if they are any good for other fish species.

Ray

Thanks for the info Ray......
Handy for us guys who have never used crabs,,,,,, happy

Guest

When I was a kid there used to be a local skipper who would fish half a large hardback for Thornback and Smooth-Hound. He would kill the crab properly first (there's a humane way of doing this with a bent paper clip), then cut it in half with a large knife. Cutting it would mash the shell a bit but he reckoned this was all part of what made it a good bait.

He would use a pennel rig with two large hooks, the top hook would go through the crab by the legs and the second would be secured on the body using enough elastic to keep a regiment's pants up. He maintained that cutting the crab in half put out a good scent trail and brought the fish in, but that you had to rebait every 10 - 15 minutes as the bait washed out in the tide.

I tried it as a kid and although I caught on it, I generally fared better with whole Calamari. He always seemed to do very well on it though, particularly for Smoothies.

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:36 am

when out fishing in my local area,i seen an older guy fishing and went over to chat!!!he was using crab as a bait, he just layed the hook upright on its back and tied it on with lots of bait elastic,he said now you have a live moving bait,,

he used real light spinning gear,with about 2 bullet shots of lead,just to sink the crab, but it still lets in move, about on the sea bed,he was on a jetty so didnt need to cast far,just a nice gentle cast, not to kill the crab,he let the drag off his reel, and it was funny seeing the line moving in the water,when the crab was walking,next minute bang,rod tip was bent over, and he landed a bass, good sized,

it was real good to see,you had to be there, :lol:

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:16 pm

...presumably the risk of snagging increases when the bait (attached by various means to your terminal gear) is wandering around the sea-bed, looking for a place to hide?

Joly