securing crab bait

[Toni]

I have a crab ring my brother gave me. I bought new rope for it. It has a plastic string (old fish stringer) on the bottom to tie the bait on with. I do have an old steelhead carcass from last year that I was going to use for bait that the string will work to tie it in. After that what should I use?
I have heard that canned cat food is good but how do I secure it? Or turkey which I can tie.
I have seen bait boxes ( they are small) for crab pots.

Should I just keep the strings or should I use something else?

[Pradeep]

Toni -
I personally use chicken in a bait box. Just before putting it into the bait box, I put some slices in the meat (I don't cut the slices off completely from the main piece)so that it can hang a little outside the box. I also zip tie the bait box to the bottom of my cage.

[big fish lite line]

I like to use something that last for a while in addition to the visable bait. preferably I'll have a bait jar with clams, herring, or fish and a fish carcass wired to the bottom of the trap. I use wire or zip ties. make sure to secure your fish carcass through the mouth and or backbone. crab with tear it apart and eat it from the outside of the pot.

[big fish lite line]

wait a minute never mind you are using a ring pot. all that you need is fish or chicken wired to the pot because they will not have long to eat the bait.

[Dave]

I have a crab ring as well. I've tied on the chicken legs with string or 20 pound test mono line, and I have used a bait box like you would use in a pot, which I attached to the ring floor with zip ties. I found the crab were more willing to stick around if they had direct access to the chicken legs. If the bait was in the bait box I found less crab on the ring after the pull which I did every 20 minutes or so. I'd recommend tying on chicken legs with string or 20 pound test mono. You can pierce the meat near the bone and string the legs on before tying them to the ring floor. Just a suggestion. Good luck. Only one more day to wait! Tuesday won't be done with soon enough. Unfortunately I have to wait till Friday to catch some crab but oh well. Good luck everyone. Be safe out there.

[Toni]

If the crab eat the bait, how much will they eat, time wise? Is chicken better than turkey? I was told that turkey it is cheaper. Can crab tell the difference?
Should I put the salmon carcass and chicken on the bottom? Sort of fill the whole bottom of the net and maybe get more crabs at one time?

[curado]

look at pro cure scents and add lots off smell to it try the crab bait pro cure has a friend of mine use it and he catches more crab than with straight bait.

[Dave]

Hi Toni,

I think if you pull the rings every 15 or 20 minutes your bait should last a trip. You can always just take a few extra chicken legs with you in the event that the crab eat all the bait before you limit. I am a firm believer in chicken legs based on my own experience but I am sure there are others who say turkey legs or whatever is better. I've always done great with chicken legs and not as great with other baits. Good luck. I’ll be out there crabbing in the morning. Can't wait!

Dave

[Toni]

Hi Toni,

I think if you pull the rings every 15 or 20 minutes your bait should last a trip. You can always just take a few extra chicken legs with you in the event that the crab eat all the bait before you limit. I am a firm believer in chicken legs based on my own experience but I am sure there are others who say turkey legs or whatever is better. I've always done great with chicken legs and not as great with other baits. Good luck. I’ll be out there crabbing in the morning. Can't wait!

Dave

The only thing that I can think of is the chicken legs are softer. I mean that the meat would be easier for the crabs to get off the bone.

[Toni]

look at pro cure scents and add lots off smell to it try the crab bait pro cure has a friend of mine use it and he catches more crab than with straight bait.

I haven't been able to find any.

[swedefish4life1]

Salmon parts:-$ and mucho grande heads,:-$ tails:-$ , backs and more we gave up on chicken:colors: and turkey :colors: years ago Match the hatch the only chicken I ever caught in the salt was one that earned it!!!:cheers: :bom: :bounce:

Floats 2 if possible and a marker =weighted traps only and rebar works swell, dont use red bricks!:-$

Name, address and phone numbers and beware:-$ the traps are taken and stripped daily in many areas:-$

Set in the correct tides and depths:-$

CRAB ON!

[Mike Carey]

frozen turkey legs have produced well for my friend and I.

[Toni]

Salmon parts:-$ and mucho grande heads,:-$ tails:-$ , backs and more we gave up on chicken:colors: and turkey :colors: years ago Match the hatch the only chicken I ever caught in the salt was one that earned it!!!:cheers: :bom: :bounce:

Floats 2 if possible and a marker =weighted traps only and rebar works swell, dont use red bricks!:-$

Name, address and phone numbers and beware:-$ the traps are taken and stripped daily in many areas:-$

Set in the correct tides and depths:-$

CRAB ON!

I am going to be throwing it from a dock at Dash Point. I was going to attach a weight to the bottom.

[Jake Dogfish]

If you are in a area with seals, or the crab are eating all the bait you can attach the bait to the bottom of the crab ring. Good luck, I have caught several crab fishing at dash point, all red rocks though.

[Toni]

If you are in a area with seals, or the crab are eating all the bait you can attach the bait to the bottom of the crab ring. Good luck, I have caught several crab fishing at dash point, all red rocks though.

I have some cable ties I am going to use.