Tips For Fishing With Soft Crab

Soft crab (or for that matter, any crustacean that has shed) makes an excellent bait for any number of species. Fish not only have an easier time eating it as opposed to hard shell crab, but the crab also puts off a different scent when soft – and you can bet that the fish know and love it. It is, however, a difficult bait to use. It doesn’t stay on the hook well, casting with it is nearly impossible, and even cutting it cleanly can be difficult at times. Don’t let that stop you; these tricks all work well and help you present soft crab to the fish without a problem.

A little bit of elastic thread comes in handy, when fishing softies.

• Bring along some elastic thread. You can wind it around the bait and your hook, and it’ll keep the crab in place. Some people do the same thing with a rubber band, and that may work as well, but elastic thread is odorless so it makes sense to opt for it over rubber.
• Cut the crab into baits separated by knuckles (the spot where the legs and claws join the body). Then, run your hook through the hollow knuckle. This is usually the most rugged spot and you can put your hook through it without ripping or tearing the soft skin of the crab.
• In the case of small crabs, just cut them in half. Then, use the knuckle where the pincer claw joins the body for your hook. It’s the largest and the toughest of them all. If the crabs are sized to be quartered, the swim fin knuckle is also a good one to use.
• Large pincer claws can be used alone, as single baits. Hook through the knuckle joining the front and back segments of the claw, in this case.
• Try to set up your boat or spot to minimize casting. Dropping a soft bait (of any type) and lowering it straight down always minimizes the risk of it ripping free.