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View Full Version : What is the Best bait for Sand Crabs



Big-D
11-03-2012, 02:54 PM
Hi to all the best crab catchers out there,:)

Doing a trip to Nambucca Heads in two weeks, So i need to know the best bait for sand crabs,and if you would like to share your secrets with me.:PI would be much appreciated.

Cheers Pete,(Big-D) Mums the word.;)

Axl
11-03-2012, 03:22 PM
I've had pots out with whole mullet in a couple and whiting frames in the others and they will go for the whiting before the mullet, grinner are also very good crab bait.

But when I have no whiting frames I simply use whole mullet.

rosco1974
11-03-2012, 03:54 PM
best bait for sandies and muddies by far are tailor frames then i would say fresh whiting frames,mullet and have found the mackeral frames do alright as well

Linedropper
11-03-2012, 04:07 PM
Mullet and whiting frames go good for me.

timddo
11-03-2012, 04:12 PM
Cheapest bait available. Currently mullet at $2 a kg.

Herring are good also

Dignity
11-03-2012, 06:15 PM
Your big toe or your index finger, seems all crabs like them. Whiting, mullet but not reef fish frames as the theory seems to be that they avoid the fish that hunt them even though they are dead. Don't know if it is true but I do know that my pots with Venus Tusk fish frames are generally poor producers so now bury them for the garden. Could be they aren't in a good spot, don't know enough except the fresher the bait the better.

Agrav8_and_Lulu
11-03-2012, 07:46 PM
A couple of weeks ago put 4 pots out, seems to go with the trend with all the other posts. 2 pots whole mullet with the back sliced open got 2 sandies. 2 pots whiting frames and got 2 sandies, take your pick. The pots where only down for 1.5 hours. I've always done better with fresh baits. Usually I only get fresh mullet and that does the job.

robersl
12-03-2012, 06:37 AM
summer whiting frames or whole winter whiting they love just change baits every few hours

hodges4
12-03-2012, 10:21 AM
I see nobody mentioned chicken frames, are they no good. Could explain why I don't do too well using them. I also had great success years ago using rabbits cut up. Don't know what it was about rabbit but it sure attracted crabs.

John

timddo
12-03-2012, 10:23 AM
I heard Ginger CATS are good too

Silent
12-03-2012, 12:57 PM
noticed grinners works well

tunaticer
12-03-2012, 05:23 PM
One bait that has never ever worked for me is a flathead frame, always is untouched.
After doing some reading on mudcrabs I am going to try a mussell cluster next time that has each shell cracked, aparently they are 80-90% of a muddies diet.

Usually I use whiting frames, mullet 1/2's, garfish or squid. Get more bycatch with squid as well as the crabs.

Lucky_Phill
12-03-2012, 05:26 PM
Cheapest bait available. Currently mullet at $2 a kg.

Herring are good also

WHERE ? I need to know where........ that's a fantastic price, considering the best I could do last year ( season ) was 3kgs for $10.

cheers LP

timddo
12-03-2012, 05:45 PM
WHERE ? I need to know where........ that's a fantastic price, considering the best I could do last year ( season ) was 3kgs for $10.

cheers LP

I got it at seafood house durack 2 weeks ago. Got 15 kg in fact

Lucky_Phill
12-03-2012, 10:08 PM
Oh bugga, just re-read it.

Was that whole or fillet, Tim ?

timddo
13-03-2012, 06:48 AM
Whole mullet

Lucky_Phill
13-03-2012, 06:55 AM
bugga........ that puts fillet at + $4.00/kg.

Cheers

Big-D
13-03-2012, 07:04 PM
Thanks Guys for All the Reply's,Timddo I just had to lol about the ginger cats just tops mate.

I think the Whiting will be the best down there it is so sandy.

Cheers Pete, (Big-D)

Captain_Zero
13-03-2012, 07:35 PM
I recently brought a crab pot and have some flathead and bream frames in the freezer which I was intending to use for bait. Reading the above, should I ditch them and get some mullet?

Axl
13-03-2012, 08:34 PM
I recently brought a crab pot and have some flathead and bream frames in the freezer which I was intending to use for bait. Reading the above, should I ditch them and get some mullet?

Dont ditch them try it out first you never know, "If at first you dont succeed try and try agian". Take some fresh bait with you if you have nothing after a few hours replace the bait.

Overnight soaks work the best whilst you certainly can get a feed in a couple of hours its not always guaranteed. When I get in the mood to go crabbing I will leave my pots out for several days checking them each morning and rebaiting where needed.

Dont drop the old bait where you are crabbing of course.

rosco1974
13-03-2012, 09:14 PM
phill,seafood house at capalaba has whole mullet all the time at $2 a kg but it is bait mullet..not real flash for fillets but ok for crab bait..guess you could try filleting them...will let u know when the have them on sale again..i drive past a couple times a week

killitfillit
13-03-2012, 09:19 PM
Blue blubber jelly fish and stingray as well as all the usuals.

Dignity
14-03-2012, 06:32 PM
I recently brought a crab pot and have some flathead and bream frames in the freezer which I was intending to use for bait. Reading the above, should I ditch them and get some mullet?
Bream is fine but I know friends who swear off flathead in their pots, seems to scare them off for some reason but mind you I have caught some snogger flathead in the crab pots.