[Crabby_84]

Hi , im billy


I just found these boards and im supper pumped.
Im a 19 year old fishing phenom that lives in athens ga right now...I have fished all over the east coast from edgewater maryland all the way down to key west fl.
I noticed a lot of you were really proud of your rockfish so thats cool but i never notice any of you mentioning using soft shell crab for bait...why is that? and with october comming fast i am really supprised. I remember using half a soft shell crab on a carolina rig about 4 years ago in churchton maryland and the stripers were nailing it. Anyway i have now moved to athens for school and now have to drive 4 hours to fish at st. simons or st. marys ga. I love to fish the surf there and i use basically junk. A 10 foot surf rod by shakespear bought at wallmart would some up how good my gear is, but thats not what its about its about experience as u all know.....we got any georgia fishermen here that fish on the coast if so when and where can i meet ya and see your techniques id love to show off my cast net skillz and also my fishing knowledge. REspond at will please~!


-billy

 

[aero993]

crabs

Some people use soft shell some use peeler crabs. I believe, that a peeler is a crab that is about to shed his shell.

 

[FL FISHERMAN]

Same, Same but not really! You have to remeber Crabby the people around here love them crabs.(understatement of the year) I know first hand how well crabs work for bait. The other night I was using jumbo peelers that I scooped and people were looking at me like I just shot their mother! But you are definitely right them rockfish love them peelers! I just think most people are too busy eating them than rather fishing with them.

 

[catman]

Billy, a lot of guys up here in Chesapeake Bay country use crabs for bait but we usually draw the line between peelers and soft shells. Soft crabs are for people to eat, peelers are for the fish. I'd never trade a fried soft crab sandwich to any kind of fish.

Catman.

 

[TRIGGERFISH]

Billy, as catman and our good buddy FLFisherman hee,hee said the soft shell crabs are for eaten. I to used to use them for sea trout bait and then found out what they are really used for eaten,plus if you should use them for rock more than likely you would have to tie them on with a rubber band,thats if your going to cast them way out. If you haven't tryed them(eating) I would recomend you to. Check the South Carolina/Ga. board out to the left that might help you. TRIGGER

 

[shaggy]

Tend to agree, peelers for fishing, hard crabs, but getting ready to sluff out, but, and Anthony showed, when in a pinch, good eating softies must be used, and boy until they worked catching fish, I was regretting giving up a nice soft crab sandwich. That said, caught some of both at the Narrows this AM and will eat (soft for lunch, cut off eyes and mouth and get rid of the "devil" pan fried or deep fried), and peeler in fridge for later this afternoon.

 

[FL FISHERMAN]

Nice! I am starting to really like the narrows. Just wish I didn't have to pay the 2.50 to go over the bridge every time. I figure if I am going to pay that might as well go to the tank. And if I go to the tank I might as well go to A.I. Ain't that how it goes shaggy!

 

[shaggy]

You got it, keep heading east, if nothing else, sharks are a sure bet. Now, if I could just find some FRESH bunker

 

[shaggy]

Dagburn Billy.

Very unhospitable of me, so to make ammends, welcome to the neighborhood (as Mister Rogers would say, okay I'm old "it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood"). Sand will probably kick me off for this one, or Hat will just kick me, but, stuff happens, and usually to me. Welcome aboard!

Bob

 

[Anthony]

To be honest, if I had planned on bringing fish home that day, I would have kept those soft shells to take home. It's just that I wasn't planning on the fishing being so good that day. I didn't even bring my cooler. I had to put my rockfish in Jason's stinky cooler. Next time though I will keep the soft shells and only use the peelers for bait. I can tell from the looks I was getting when I was cutting that huge soft shell crab that people had thought that I had lost it. Also welcome to the board Billy. To bad you live in Georgia, we probably could have met up and done some fishing up here. If you're ever in the area, just let us know.
-Anthony

 

[Crabby_84]

Hey what area is that.....lol i was planning on going up to maryland in oct.....thats my favorite time to go...i love lacing into the big schools of rays on 10lb firewire and fighting the train for like 2 hours lol...seriously.. but yeah what part you all fish at i dont know the nicknames and yes i know what the real purpose of the crabs are ..i lived in a town called churcton (its east of edgewater) for 5 years so yeah im down with using the chicken necks on a string! Im more of a fisherman then a umm eater? I just give the catch to my girlfriend mom or neighbors and let them enjoy it while i check over my tackle and such..........so yeah tell me what is up you all meet up often? Any of you have some skillz?

-billy


***o yeah no offence but if you use one of those ,ghetto, and by ghetto i mean very lame foldem boats or whatever they are tell me and ill be sure too look for your crab eaten body when i am fishing up there!

 

[Anthony]

The chesapeake bay area. Anywhere around annapolis or baltimore and you will find plenty of P&S people.
-Anthony

 

[DOVERPOWER]

Most of us have skills.

Most of us can spell.

 

[SALTSHAKER]

Fishing

Here in NJ they use calico crabs that they rake in the surf. The real dedicated crab fishermen rake em and I believe break off a piece of the claw that tells them if the crab is due to start shedding. I am not sure what it is they look for. But, if it is ready but still hard, they put it in a small pool with sand until it starts to shed, they must remove it quickly or the others will eat it. To my knowledge the crab fishing runs through August to early September. But would not swear to it....

 

[PlankCaster]

Spelling, what a concept. And yes crabby *there be mad skillz up in dis piece homes*. There is a wealth of knowledge to be had here.
Tight lines and popped riggers

 

[Cdog]

***o yeah no offence but if you use one of those ,ghetto, and by ghetto i mean very lame foldem boats or whatever they are tell me and ill be sure too look for your crab eaten body when i am fishing up there!

Am I th only one puzzled by this?

 

[shaggy]

To cdog, nope, and I ain't even all there so you think I could understand.

Saltshaker, break of one of the points of the shell (or at least that is how I do it) if it's a peeler (ready to shed, where you break the point soft shell is there. Also can look at the swimmer legs, and if you know what to look for (hint, I break off a point) you can tell.

 

[Cdog]

shaggy cool I was wondering. As far as peelers if ya just sqeeze under th point an it gives it is a peeler. Th more ya have ta push ta get it ta squish th harder th crab is in my experience. But I can tell ya for a fact peeler don't catch puppy's or black drum. Oh yea an striper too.

 

[catman]

Yup, squeeze the points is the best way to tell. The underside should give. Also the tip of the aporn will start to turn orange...If neither of these signs are present it's still a GREEN crab. Don't let the bait shop guys fool you.

Catman.

 

[SALTSHAKER]

Softies

Thanks for that Shaggy, I knew they looked for something but didn't know what. salt