There is not one saltwater predator swimming in the Gulf that doesn’t enjoy eating soft crabs. Think about it for a second. Fish that favor crustaceans, like redfish or sheepshead, love them. Fish that normally chase baitfish, like bluefish or mackerel, snap up soft crab without hesitation. And fish that eat both, like flounder or speckled sea trout, rarely pass up a crabby meal. And when that crabby meal is soft-shelled, virtually all species of fish seem to see it as an unusual opportunity to have their cake and eat it too.
Some may speculate that shrimp could rival soft crab, and they have a solid argument to make. Others will note that matching the hatch at any given time can have more importance then choosing any singular bait, and they have a valid point as well. But when you look at the big picture, on the whole it’s tough to claim any other bait is as tempting and as species-nonspecific as the soft crab. If, that is, you keep these critical points in mind:
Aside from a fresh soft crab’s effectiveness, there’s also one big bonus to using them for bait: the leftovers are delicious. Roll them in corn meal and fry ’em up, and the next time you go fishing you may be tempted to set a few aside for later no matter how good the bite is.
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