# Cotton pickin crabs!



## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

The private lake I fish in has a ton of blue crabs in it. They will strip a trotline of bait in an hour. Had a small throwback about 10" originally that was only about 8" when I pulled it up. They had nipped off the entire tail, most of one eye, and the dorsal fin as well. Had two other keepers with significant damage as well. Depth doesn't matter, 6" from the top (4' deep) or on the bottom.

Is there any bait I can use that the catfish will eat that the crabs won't? I used shrimp, beef heart, 3" shad (whole and halved). 75 hooks stripped clean, only had 5 fish on. Had some of the shad almost gone after only 30 minutes.

Very irritating, I'm about fed up with it.


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## boat_money (May 21, 2004)

get you some chicken necks and a net and have yourself a crab boil...


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## ATE_UP_FISHERMAN (Jun 25, 2004)

looks like you should be setting out crab traps..


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## Two Headed Dog (Jun 4, 2009)

*Bummer*

Better them than you. Think back to Ian Fleming's Dr. No and Honey Chile Rider and the threat of the land crabs. But I'm with the other 2Cooler, get out there and decimate the crab population to enable future fishing sucess and give me a PM and I'll hook up with you and help you eat'em. I'll even bring your beverage of choice.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

Crab traps are in order, try using the smaller crabs for bait.


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## cajunasian (Mar 7, 2007)

live fresh blue crabs can be sold for some big bucks right now. You may be sitting on a pot of gold right there and just don't know it.....


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## KIKO (Oct 24, 2006)

Zote soap as bait will do the job you need. But crabs will also eat the catfish once caught in the trotline is left out long. Trap as many crabs as possible first.


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## Wading Wonder (Apr 18, 2010)

Use live redfish or black drum. That way your bait will eat the crabs instead of the other way around.




P.S. Please don't really try this as it will get you in more trouble than the crabs.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

The crabs are tearing us up in the river also. Cannot keep a bait on the bottom.


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## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

I've tried crabbing, both with traps and necks, and never had a whole lot of success. Very weird. Might be time to try again.


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## dbullard (Feb 13, 2008)

call Shadslinger over he loves crabs!!!


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## Djmccomb (Feb 18, 2010)

*Where are the blue crabs? We will come catch them!*

Hi! My fiancee LOVES catching and EATING crabs as she is from Maryland where blue crabs are the best thing since sliced bread! She loves to catch them. What private lake are you catching the crabs at? She would love to come catch some crabs! We would love to eliminate your problem!
Thanks!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Crabs? where?


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

When I was having that problem several years ago I learned to keep the boat off the bottom. I had my best luck if the bait using live perch and only about 3'-4' of deep.


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## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

Sounds like a crab catching party / boil is in order !


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

can we seine them?


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## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

shadslinger said:


> can we seine them?


Doubt it. It's 1200 acres with not much more than 50 running feet without a stump.

Depth doesn't help, they work the lines over from topwater all the way down.

What stores carry Zote? I haven't found it anywhere.


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## mauiredneck (Feb 2, 2006)

Zote is a mexican bar soap used for laundry it is pink. I have found it at big lots before I would imagine HEB or any Mexican market would have it. It works great on Channel cats. Just a small piece cut of the block works


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## popo1984 (Apr 2, 2009)

My wife uses that stuff it smells good.


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## troutlover (Aug 16, 2006)

Sounds more like gar to me!


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## bayourat (Jan 7, 2005)

bearintex said:


> Doubt it. It's 1200 acres with not much more than 50 running feet without a stump.
> 
> Depth doesn't help, they work the lines over from topwater all the way down.
> 
> What stores carry Zote? I haven't found it anywhere.


I seen some at the angleton walmart the other day. I know Reck's always carried it also. BTW keep those gators over there and stop sending them my way.:hairout:


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Let a couple of big Ops go in there and soon there will be nothing left but them, then one of them, lol!


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## bearintex (Feb 7, 2006)

bayourat said:


> I seen some at the angleton walmart the other day. I know Reck's always carried it also. BTW keep those gators over there and stop sending them my way.:hairout:


Really? I must have missed it. Was it with the rest of the bar soaps?

I flew over it the other day at about 200 feet, doing a pipeline survey. I bet I saw 200 gators if I saw 1.  And they won;t let us hunt them, instead the company pays to have them removed, go figure.


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

crawfish


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## 1sicpup (Mar 16, 2009)

I flew over it the other day at about 200 feet, doing a pipeline survey. I bet I saw 200 gators if I saw 1.  And they won;t let us hunt them, instead the company pays to have them removed, go figure.


"The" company does alot of things that I do not understand. I just don't see the big picture is what I have been told.


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