crab for targetting cabezon?

http://www.doalures.com/softshellcrab.htm

I was in the keys for a couple months just over a year ago.
I saw the shrimp D.O.A lure used successfully. me, I was just
discovering one could fish off a kayak and trolling for 2-5lb 'cudas
on the flats, and bridge fishing for mangrove snapper.

maybe the crab would work.

Those are cool, I am pretty sure I could make something simular. I will give it a try.

I am also working on a sanddab soft plastic  

Ooooh, plastic sandab....sweet. How would this be rigged?

Well the first plan is to give it enough body to be used on a standard leadhead jig. Hopefully that will work out.

Sounds cool to me. Bigger the bait, the bigger the ling who'll eat it. SC Allen's fishrap wednesday mentioned a 38lb ling gaffed as it came up clamped to the 12lb'er on the hook. Can you make a 28" rubbertail?    
-Sean from the Doon

Pretty easy to get real crabs along the shore.  I caught one at the weigh-in for my son to run from...

I could make one if I could find a way to heat that much plastic.  

I bought some very real looking 2 inch crabs at Coyote Bait and Tackle. Theres 5 in a pack and they're made by Berkley. I got a ton of bites from some rockfish I havent been able to identify yet. Im going to take a picture of one and post it, maybe somebody could figure it out. They are an orangish brown color with spots. Kind of fat and two little knobs on their heads. They all had little crabs and starfish in their mouths when I brought them up.

I opened up the stomach on the last cab I caught and I found a whole crab in there.

berkley crabs:

http://www.landbigfish.com/tacklestore/showcase.cfm?PID=2937

I wish I had a month or two of my fishing life to waste on trying these
wacky baits in wacky situations like capitola kelp fishing...

But I haven't even caught a legal ling, a salmon or a halibut yet, so I'm
getting ahead of myself a bit here.

When you paddle thick kelp, keep your eyes open for the kelp crabs. Usually can find them right at the surface hanging under a kelp frawn ( leaf) Great for sheephead and cabs and who knows what else.


-Brian

when you see the kelp crabs how do you use them?  In pieces or use the whole thing?

If the whole thing how do you hook it?  How big is to big?  One of the ones I saw was about 4" across.

Thanks,

Bill

whole, and smaller would probably be the call.

In the keys they like them 'silver dollar size'. They hook them through the side of the shell so on the retrieve they go sideways, which is how they move. match the hook size to the bait size, live bait, octopus or circle.
point of hook should be exposed.

vic dunaway suggests removing claws first.

maybe a lead head with a weed guard would work for our less finicky fish.

How are you proposing to catch these kelp crabs?

hey, I have caught legal ling and halibut now (looking at my post above).
salmon next summer!

You can catch the kelp crabs with a small trout net or grab them by hand.

-Brian

Pretty easy to get real crabs along the shore.  I caught one at the weigh-in for my son to run from...

I agree with Josh. I'll be gathering some live crabs of the HMB jetty on my next trip out.....but...shhhhhh....don't tell anyone cause it's my "secret" bait  

Place your orders now ladies and gentlemen.....Uncle Joel will have a sidewalk stand open by the harbor selling "LIVE CRAB FOR BAIT"    

hmmmm...I  wonder how'd they taste deep fried   Chuck - need your feedback