Best Crab Bait and where to get them cheap.

Okay, I guess we made fish soup out of all the fish heads that I had in my freezer.   Where can I get some cheap or free bait for crabbing close to HMB?  Which bait is best to use?  I know squid works but I would rather eat them than waste them for bait.

Rey

99 ranch

99 ranch

Would they give me the other fish heads for free?  I know they sell carp, catfish and salmon heads.  Salmon head is at 2.09/lb.  Catfish was only .99 but has anyone tried those?

99 ranch

Catfish was only .99 but has anyone tried those?

I have....Wasn't very good. I think you need something with more oil....someone commented on chicken skin. My guess is there isn't much "scrap" fish coming from an Asian market 

I bet if you ask your local safeway or chain market they may have some scraps

Pare, just use a large can of sardinas and put hole on it with 1 pc quarter legs of chicken and you'll all set!    trust me Bro! it works! 


Kiel

Pare, just use a large can of sardinas and put hole on it with 1 pc quarter legs of chicken and you'll all set!    trust me Bro! it works! 


Kiel

Yo da man bro!  I'm going to try that but I might eat some with some fried garlic rice in the morning before I give it to the crabs.   

Rey

I use 2 bait jars, one with squid and one with mackerel, chovies, or sardines. This is how most commercial guys do it as well.

Chicken back scraps from SF Market (99 Ranch) for .29/lb worked for me.

Ligo and chicken?!?    .  I'm going to try fish sauce on chicken...

Pare, just use a large can of sardinas and put hole on it with 1 pc quarter legs of chicken and you'll all set!    trust me Bro! it works! 


Kiel

Yo da man bro!  I'm going to try that but I might eat some with some fried garlic rice in the morning before I give it to the crabs.   

Rey

Sorry Bro, forgot to respond to your text ; but here goes my 2 cents:

Me and Snapperhead learned from the old skool & commercial crabbers; who use only scent to attract dungies to the pot, not hanging bait.

We use Scotty Bait Jars (or something similiar) with preforations or holes in them to leak out a scent trail; and fill on with chopped squid and the other with chopped bait fish (ie: anchovies, herring, macks, 'dines).

And, while I never have officially discussed it with any crabs I caught in the pot "why they are attracted to an orange jar that smells like rotting seafood", the logic from the OG crabbers was that the crabs were attract by the scent and hanging bait tends not to last as long as the bait in the jar (crabs, sand fleas and other small scavengers tend to eat the hanging bait faster than bait in a jar with small holes). This philisophy IS NOT for Hoop Traps/Nets!

Lastly, you can purchase 25lb bait by the block or bucket from the fish processor at the end of the Pillar Point harbor dock; you might wanna go in on it with 4 people and by one block of squid and one block of anchovies.  You generally can't beat the price per pound when you buy it in bulk; but you need to the freezer space to store it....

Anyways, there's my 10 cents (price went up because I was long winded)......

Happy Crab Hunting....

Glen

Canned dog or cat food. Just put holes in it and your good.

Canned dog or cat food. Just put holes in it and your good.

I think I'll try that Andy.  Seems simple enough.  It will be interesting how long it will last.

kittens

kittens

+1.

kittens