crabbing in delaware

[angler00]

whats the best bait to use when crabbing in delaware using 24"x24" crab pots..
that you let out for 48hrs

any help would be great

 

[jigngrub]

Re: crabbing in delaware

IMO, fresh chicken. Check with the butcher in your local supermarket for backs and necks, they'll be cheap if he doesn't give them to you for free.

 

[dingbat]

Re: crabbing in delaware

The longest you should let a pot sit is over night. Most days a couple of hours of soak does the job. If a couple of hours dosn't do it you need to find a better location. Shallow on an incoming and deep on an outgoing.

The sun hurts their eyes, Early and late are best

For pots, my favoitate bait is menhaden. Chicken parts work good but you end up replacing a lot of bait after soaks. Bull lips work every well but can be hard to find.

 

[angler00]

Re: crabbing in delaware

I am new at this, we put out 6 pots the weekend of thanksgiving around
gulls point I think they used menhaden (bunker) between 3 of us we had 48 keepers. had pots out for 48 hrs.. but from what the other guys told me their season sucked

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: crabbing in delaware

Usually after October the crabs go out to the ocean or bury themselves in the sand and wait for warmer water.
I lived in Md for 20+ years and never had good luck with crabs in the colder months.Friends(watermen/oystering)would bring me dredge crabs in the cold months.Quit smoking and actually CRAVED seafood.Horrible feeling!!!
I now live in Fl and the crabs here are still active but they still slow down in the colder months.
I use Bluefish head/bones and chicken.

 

[giericd]

Re: crabbing in delaware

man i love crab but cant do it here in SW florida, the gators keep tearing up my traps in the creeks and the bull sharks and tiger sharks get them in the bay! I gave up on it. but i still shake my head that so many people swim in these waters, if they only knew!