Preparing Crab bait

All good suggestions. I add one extra thing that has made the difference for me:

I soak a sponge in Procure and place it in a bait jar. Figuring that the large amount of Procure scent will be much greater that bait alone. However, with a crab hoop, type 1 or 2, you need to have an actual bait in the trap also, to keep them there, once the Procure has done it’s job. As bait, I use turkey necks in a Promar cage secured to the center of the hoop.
Steve

Lots of good advice and ideas here! Thanks for this! Anyone ever use chicken livers for crab bait? Cheap, seems to put out a lot of smell into the water. Works great for a couple different fish species, maybe for crab too? 

I prefer to prep as well before hand, as one thing that still gets me to feel sea sick is dealing with bait cages on the water.  I do try and do at least one re-bait though if i'm trying for a limit, and fresh bait is defiantly better than spoiled.  I like the promar wire bait bags.  They like a square pouch and are rigid, I use zip ties to secure inside my ambush hoops.  I like to use any trout or rockfish carcasses I've stored up for it, or buy salmon heads.  Last year I tried the Promar crab and shrimp scent stuff and I really couldn't believe how well I did just pouring it on my bait cages.  Going to try it with something like squid in the scent jars and see how it works.  Squid works really well, but it only lasts one soak and have to swap it out.  I never tried catfood, but chicken seems to be a go-to for many.

All good suggestions. I add one extra thing that has made the difference for me:

I soak a sponge in Procure and place it in a bait jar. Figuring that the large amount of Procure scent will be much greater that bait alone. However, with a crab hoop, type 1 or 2, you need to have an actual bait in the trap also, to keep them there, once the Procure has done it’s job. As bait, I use turkey necks in a Promar cage secured to the center of the hoop.
Steve

Been doing this for 2x seasons. Works great.

sounds like I need to stop at Bodega tackle tomorrow and see if they have any procure - sounds like magic.

I've used can's of cat food (mainly stuff that the cats' wouldn't eat or dented cans) and I don't really know that it works - i don't think it has any effect.  The chicken legs zip tied to the cage work great, always find crabs still attacking that when I retrieve.

Love the idea of turkey necks...but have no idea where you get them? we use the turkey necks with the turkey to make the gravy and stuffing.

sounds like I need to stop at Bodega tackle tomorrow and see if they have any procure - sounds like magic.

I've used can's of cat food (mainly stuff that the cats' wouldn't eat or dented cans) and I don't really know that it works - i don't think it has any effect.  The chicken legs zip tied to the cage work great, always find crabs still attacking that when I retrieve.

Love the idea of turkey necks...but have no idea where you get them? we use the turkey necks with the turkey to make the gravy and stuffing.

I think the cat food or wet dog food works too. I used that prior and had pretty good results. I think moomoo did a comparison video a couple years back on different options.

edit: found the video

I think the cat food or wet dog food works too. I used that prior and had pretty good results. I think moomoo did a comparison video a couple years back on different options.

I know, I'd heard good things, so started using it.  But, when I pull up the traps...that is not what the crab are going after - though it may offer some scent.  I've never noticed anything better in my retrieves with our w/o cat food.  And they don't even pick at it when its in the trap.  but that's just my observations, if it's working for others, more power to ya.

Scored chicken leg quarters,anchovies snapped in half and 2 -3 squid snapped in half…….fresh herring if possible 

Turkey is heavily discounted everywhere now so that's a great option as well