# Surf fishing with crabs



## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Does anyone surf fish with crabs? Do you bring them or catch them in the surf?


----------



## jettycowboy47 (Jun 17, 2012)

I 'd like to know as well. They supposedly keep thew unwanted bait stealers ie hardheads from biting as well as the sharks. Do they sell these at bait shops??? How much do sell for??


----------



## yakPIRATE (Jun 23, 2012)

Yes You can get crabs from the bait shop. Alive or dead


----------



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Blue crabs are great bait in the cooler months. I've never done much good with them when the water is warm.

I just buy a dozen live ones from a fish market, not bait house, on the drive down. Most bait houses don't carry eating size blue crabs. Bull reds and bull black drum love them.

During the cold weather months, after the mullet leave the surf, crabs and cut whiting are my go-to baits.


----------



## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

Just like bigfrost said they are good for bullred and big black drum. I've had better luck using cracked crabs Dec-Feb.


----------



## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Is there any go to guide on how to hook 'em or cut em?


----------



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

surfguy said:


> Is there any go to guide on how to hook 'em or cut em?


You can probably do a search on this site, and others, and find dozens of threads, but they are all going to be basically the same.

My method: with large crabs, I cut in half, nose to tail. Break off all the legs, claws and swimmers. Run your circle hook into one leg socket and out another. That's it.

The only variation is that where I buy my crabs, I can usually buy the mediums much cheaper than the larges. I fish the medium crabs whole. Same technique, except that I break off the tips of the shell to let more smell out.

Very simple, very easy.


----------



## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Bigfost, Thanks for the info. I'm told the bull reds love em during low tide but I will probably wait a few months per your advice.


----------



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

I'll probably start trying them again in September. From then until about April, they'll stay in my lineup. Tide stage doesn't make a difference. If you decide to fish through the winter, one thing you will find is that many days the fish don't really get active until after noon. I think the water warms up just enough to make a difference to them.

BTW, I freeze my leftover crabs and usually don't see a big difference in action between fresh and frozen.


----------



## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Beware, they are not fool proof to keep away from hardheads. Hardheads and gafftop will eat them.


----------



## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

It's more common to use bluecrabs in about March and April when the black drum run is on, and we usually fish the channels from a boat. As said, a lot of different fish will hit big crab, like hardheads and slimers.

The Winter Texans often fish for pompano with ghost shrimp, which is actually a small kind of crab and you use a sucker tube to get them out of the sandy surf. There again, I only come up with dink whiting using them. 

I can tell ya that ling love crab, though!


----------



## tomcat102 (Feb 3, 2011)

http://catchingbigfish.net/CRABTIPS.html

This might help.


----------



## fishhawkxxx (Jul 7, 2012)

wonder what size hook that guy on tomcats post is? I use those high dollar black eagle claw in 9/0 and his hook looks much bigger! i use crabs year around, I allways have a couple 0f crabs out with mullet or poggy perch on other lines,couldn't tell ya if winter or summer was better for bait but an 'ol salty told me if fish was bitting it don't matta! I dont have a problem with gafftops but I use the biggest crab I can put on a 9/0 so maybe thats why.


----------



## Rawpower (Jul 4, 2011)




----------



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

That's a good demonstration. I do two things differently than Dog does.

First, instead of pulling the legs and claws off, I use my needle nose pliers to break them off right at the body. Often when you pull them off, a big chunk of meat comes out with them. I like to leave that meat in there for the fish to smell.

Secondly, I leave the shell on. If the bait stealers are bad, they can clean out a crab bait without the shell in minutes. I use a knife and simply cut the crab in half, from the bottom side, with the shell still on.


----------



## Rawpower (Jul 4, 2011)

bigfost said:


> That's a good demonstration. I do two things differently than Dog does.
> 
> First, instead of pulling the legs and claws off, I use my needle nose pliers to break them off right at the body. Often when you pull them off, a big chunk of meat comes out with them. I like to leave that meat in there for the fish to smell.
> 
> Secondly, I leave the shell on. If the bait stealers are bad, they can clean out a crab bait without the shell in minutes. I use a knife and simply cut the crab in half, from the bottom side, with the shell still on.


I really never fish with crab. This fall will be a good time to try it out when the bulls are running. I usually put out a couple of rods with different baits. I think your right about cutting the legs and keeping shell on. Can't wait to try it out. Tight lines!


----------



## setxdargel (Jun 8, 2011)

I just cant stand fishing with them.The only time is when I'm btb for big uglys.I would rather mullet any day. 

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

setxdargel said:


> I just cant stand fishing with them.The only time is when I'm btb for big uglys.I would rather mullet any day.


Just curious. What do you have against them?


----------



## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

setxdargel said:


> I just cant stand fishing with them.The only time is when I'm btb for big uglys.I would rather mullet any day.
> 
> Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2


I'm curious too. Why? What do you fish with when the mullet are gone?


----------



## setxdargel (Jun 8, 2011)

The bait stealers screw with them too much for me.My#1 go to bait are the largest croaker I can find.This is for Bull Reds.Now my buddy Oscar loves them,I'm out.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2


----------

