# Crab Trap; any tips?



## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

So I recently purchased a crab trap online. This June I plan on doing some crabbing for the first time. It seems simple enough, put some meat in the cage and wait. Any tips or suggestions? Any particular kind of bait?


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## Sail/Fish (Nov 23, 2006)

Chicken necks, water may still be too cold for crabs. One day my son and I were fishing, catching nothing but crabs. The next day we came back with crab traps and loaded a tub up. A dnr guy (Georgia) was nice enough to tell us the rules on keepers, so check the local regulations where you will be crabbing. Good luck, crabbing is very laid back.


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

Sail/Fish said:


> Chicken necks, water may still be too cold for crabs. One day my son and I were fishing, catching nothing but crabs. The next day we came back with crab traps and loaded a tub up. A dnr guy (Georgia) was nice enough to tell us the rules on keepers, so check the local regulations where you will be crabbing. Good luck, crabbing is very laid back.


Chicken necks, sounds like a plan. I will be crabbing early June and I have the regulations already printed out. I think my 6 year old nephew will enjoy it. Thanks for the help.


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## Mr. Hand (Jun 15, 2009)

What kind of trap do you have? Some are like cages with openings that the crabs can enter, but have a difficult time getting out, good for deeper water. Others are the kind that you drop in the water with a bait in the middle.. like a collapsible basket, these are good for more shallow water, especially if you are working a dock. Then there is the old string and net method that you would use in the creeks. As for bait, chicken necks or any parts are fine, but they do cost money... fish heads can usually be found free and work great.. a walk on the pier in the afternoon by the fish cleaning station. Crabs must be 5 inches from point to point and you will need a saltwater license. After you catch your crabs, you want to keep them alive until cooking time, I have used two methods.... one is to keep a small camping burner with a pot of boiling water with me and cook them as they are caught then put on ice OR keep a cooler (preferably one with a drain) with ice on the bottom and newspaper or cardboard over the ice... the idea is to keep the crabs cold, but don't let them get in the water. They will live for a few days out of water if kept chilled.


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## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

if its the big cubed basket kind that you leave in one spot for hours, make sure that the rope you have connecting it to your floating marker is long enough so that your float will still be above water when the tide comes in.


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t.../en/common/search/search-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=0

This is the trap I bought. Seemed nice, I don't know much about them. I will have a salt water license (we will be fishing as well), the house we have backs up into the lagoon, so I can cook them right away.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

Sail/Fish said:


> Chicken necks, water may still be too cold for crabs. One day my son and I were fishing, catching nothing but crabs. The next day we came back with crab traps and loaded a tub up. A dnr guy (Georgia) was nice enough to tell us the rules on keepers, so check the local regulations where you will be crabbing. Good luck, crabbing is very laid back.


i cant stay for spring but i know crabs will be active even into december as long as temp stay above 55.

any salt marsh is usually laoded with crabs

i like to use pinfish heads as bait.
5 inch long from tip to tip is the usal regulation- no limit on numbers

on a good summer day 75-100 crabs isnt uncommon.


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Here's a great site for info on blue crabs. 

http://www.bluecrab.info/


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## clinder (Mar 2, 2005)

spadefish.


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## zooqi (Apr 4, 2009)

I did lots of crabbing last summer that I can share some of my info with you when you get here. I like to help you and if you get a hold of me then my son and I don't mind showing you. We get about 50 to 70 crabs in a day and after few days we take a break. We buy ten pounds chicken thighs from wal-mart and us as bait. If we leave it overnight then we mark our traps but if is same day we take the chicken thighs out and put them in container to use the next day. If you want us to show you few spots please let us know. Is fun and kids like it.


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