Crab bait?

[fillet_and_release]

What's your favorite bait? I've been using pellets but it seems like there have to be more productive options.

 

[Lipripper]

Anything but pellets....... That is a expensive low catch option..

Chicken bones if you check them regularly.. Rock cod racks... Grey cod works good... salmon racks... halibut scraps...

Anything but pellets

 

[Hookin'up]

save your salmon heads and frames, or cheap chicken parts in a pinch

 

[Copper Moon]

Prawn heads

 

[Andrew P]

I agree with Copper Moon.

1. Prawn Heads
2. Salmon carcass. Head, skelaton, guts, eggs...and blood are a bonus to get the scent out there.
3. A shot of herring oil will really get the scent out.

 

[trendsetter]

Salmon head with the backbone still attached has been my most successful bait. Pellets do work but you should add some raw fish to increase the scent.

 

[islander55]

i found that using salmon you can have lots of seal problems depending on where you are. but ive found that halibut and lingcod scaps work the best for me

 

[Secretpursuit]

X2 on the halibut and ling cod. Just back from Philips arm, the ling had a stainless trap stuffed with 24. Other three traps salmon had far far fewer.

 

[fillet_and_release]

All good ideas! Will have to see what this weekend brings!

 

[bigdogeh]

always found halibut head and backbone worked best for me. fold it up if it's too big for the trap.... will have to try lingcod sometime...

 

[Klob]

x2 on the Halibut, octopus if you can get it. Any tips on keeping Sunfish out?

 

[finaddict]

Chicken necks and backs, salmon carcasses, all work. The best is to douse whatever it is in herring oil. THAT is a real crab magnet.

 

[deepcover]

I agree with Copper Moon.

1. Prawn Heads
2. Salmon carcass. Head, skelaton, guts, eggs...and blood are a bonus to get the scent out there.
3. A shot of herring oil will really get the scent out.

I've only tried Prawn Heads once and I didn't have any luck. Do you crush them up before putting them in a bait jar, or just chuck them in a bait bag whole?

 

[NautiGirl]

I have switched from fish heads to clams and it seems to catch less rock crab and more males. I did some research over the winter and found some reports saying that male dungeness are more temperature sensitive than female dungies and rock crabs, so fish deeper for them like 75-250ft. Males go shallow in the spring, to breed with the females, then they go deep. That's why the commercial crabbers always set deep. Sandy bottoms. Large male crabs are also capable of crushing and eating clams. I dug some clams, mostly gooeyduck clams and some other and they leave a huge scent trail immediately when fresh and more so if you leave them in a bait jar for long periods or out in the sun. Give them a try- free bait if you have a shovel.

 

[Andrew P]

I've only tried Prawn Heads once and I didn't have any luck. Do you crush them up before putting them in a bait jar, or just chuck them in a bait bag whole?

Prawn heads go nasty pretty darn quick so right after de-heading you want to freeze until ready for trap. I usually put them in a soft mesh bag and give them a good stomp to get the brain juices flowing before putting down. Salmon works great....but I have always had better performance from prawn heads.

Like NautiGirl said, deeper for the males, and this is especially true in the summer vs winter I have found. In the winter in Oak Bay and Sidney area, I have had great luck in as little as 30' while the summer you need to get a bit deeper. That said....Rennie in the summer produces in shallow water...

Like with all fishing....it doesn't matter what your bait is if they aren't there...

 

[islander55]

yes i totaly agree on the deeper sets. i put a trap in 50 feet yestersay and got one barley keeper male, then i found a nice muddy bottom at around 150ft and i got well over 6 keepers all over 6 inches and rock hard.

 

[gonefishin]

lingcod scraps

 

[kanuckle head]

Fish guts in a mesh enclosure, fresh is best
head & backbone to keep um in