Hermit Crabs

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manchesterangler
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Hermit Crabs

Postby manchesterangler » Mon Nov 14, 2016 5:09 pm

Has anybody tried using hermit crab as a Cod bait on the Mersey?

I didn't manage to get my act together in Summer to ensure a supply of Peelers. Therefore the only options available to me are hermit crabs or crab cart.

Can anybody please offer their pearls of wisdom, thanks

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Steve Duffy
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Steve Duffy » Mon Nov 14, 2016 6:24 pm

I haven't tried hermits but I believe they are very soft and generally on the small side. Cart has a reputation as being a good bait,especially on the east coast but I think its a bit expensive.I think mussels are a good crab substitute giving out plenty of scent.
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby manchesterangler » Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:10 am

Thanks Steve, I gave mussels a go last year over the rough ground marks at Otterspool, Cod Corner and Tunnel Vents. The jury is still out whether they enhanced a Black Lugworm bait or not. I caught odd small Cod on nights where quite a few Cod were caught by anglers using peeler / lug cocktails.

They performed slightly worse than my squid / lug cocktails. To be honest though, I only really had about five serious Cod sessions last year and probably only caught about fou or five fish so not really a thorough testing ;).

I'm messing about with crab cart at the moment.
Two sessions so far and I've caught one cod on cart / lug and three cod on squid / lug. I alternative hook baits during sessions so the cart may be acting as an attractor, no real test unless someone is fishing alongside you.
Dale caught a 45cm Cod on Sunday's winter league match next to me with peeler / lug.
Meanwhile I caught a 34cm Cod on a squid/ lug bait. No one else around us managed to catch a Cod.

It will be interesting to see if I can sort out how to best use crab cart as it is a tricky bait to present.

Cheers

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Steve Duffy
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Steve Duffy » Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:22 am

manchesterangler wrote:Thanks Steve, I gave mussels a go last year over the rough ground marks at Otterspool, Cod Corner and Tunnel Vents. The jury is still out whether they enhanced a Black Lugworm bait or not. I caught odd small Cod on nights where quite a few Cod were caught by anglers using peeler / lug cocktails.

They performed slightly worse than my squid / lug cocktails. To be honest though, I only really had about five serious Cod sessions last year and probably only caught about fou or five fish so not really a thorough testing ;).

I'm messing about with crab cart at the moment.
Two sessions so far and I've caught one cod on cart / lug and three cod on squid / lug. I alternative hook baits during sessions so the cart may be acting as an attractor, no real test unless someone is fishing alongside you.
Dale caught a 45cm Cod on Sunday's winter league match next to me with peeler / lug.
Meanwhile I caught a 34cm Cod on a squid/ lug bait. No one else around us managed to catch a Cod.

It will be interesting to see if I can sort out how to best use crab cart as it is a tricky bait to present.

Cheers


Over on the east coast they make cart sausages using fine mesh tubing and then hook into it as tho it was bait.Probably best fished on a pennel to give better grip.
D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F
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Thats bang out of order !

Species--- Bass,ray,smoothhound,starry smoothhound,plaice,flounder,dab,LSD,huss,whiting,coddling,mackeral,pout,pollock.

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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby willson » Tue Nov 15, 2016 2:11 pm

I did ok with hermits last year. Didn't have a plentiful enough supply to fully try out. When we did it was only cod we caught on them.

manchesterangler
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby manchesterangler » Tue Nov 15, 2016 6:02 pm

Thanks everyone for your posts.

I'm going to carry on working with the crab cart. It's like an ice lolly if you don't mix it with enough binder (bread crumb, coarse fishing grounbaits).
The more binder the less scent trail. Not enough binder and you are working with a highly scented crab lollipop that thaws quickly!
I have tried the finger bandage on batch 1 but too much stuff left in the bandage sausage and not enough scent.
I've added more cart to this first mix but now it thaws quickly :roll: .

Not too worry I've got a plan :D

I'll definitely going to give hermit crabs a fish as an alternate bait to my black lug / crab cart combo.

Thanks again everyone.

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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Dyl » Tue Nov 15, 2016 7:53 pm

I was fishing with cart at the match on Sunday stuffed it into arma mesh with no binder added wrapped the mesh and cart with squid :think: had one Cod early on but this was the first time I've used it :?:
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Ken the PACMAN » Wed Nov 16, 2016 4:14 pm

I have caught Cod on Hermit Crabs in the Mersey,left over Smoothhound bait that was chucked back in the freezer :D
It will never outfish Peeler or Lug for Winter Cod but its a good standby bait certainly if tied with bait elastic and fished whole.
Smoothound on the other hand love them.
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby manchesterangler » Wed Nov 16, 2016 5:33 pm

I think the crab cart has got mileage. Just like any bait it has got to be given time in the water with a hook in it.
Something I have to commit to if I'm going to get the best from this bait.
Easier said than done with a new bait that you haven't built up any confidence with yet.
A chicken and egg scenario :D .
Two cod sessions planned for Tuesday and Wednesday next week, fortunes favour the brave ;) .

I should change the title of this post to crab cart on the Mersey!

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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Steve Duffy » Wed Nov 16, 2016 6:25 pm

I think the crabs will rag it to bits.Up to now it hasn't been a great success for the boat anglers who have been on the cod.I seem to remember its quite expensive to buy.Lug/squid wraps are doing the biz at the moment on the boats.
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AGNB
Thats bang out of order !

Species--- Bass,ray,smoothhound,starry smoothhound,plaice,flounder,dab,LSD,huss,whiting,coddling,mackeral,pout,pollock.

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Hermit Crabs

Postby Godders123 » Wed Nov 16, 2016 6:50 pm

In the past I've used squid parcels, I.e take the head off a squid and clean the insides out, then stuff it with either crab or lug and then sew the end shut with needle and thread. I've never used cart but always thought that this would be a useful way of fishing it.
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Steve Duffy
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Steve Duffy » Wed Nov 16, 2016 8:09 pm

Do something similar Graham except I don't clean out the body. I stuff in what ever I have to hand and then set it up on a big pennel.Before I cast out I stab the body a few times to allow the juices to leech out.
D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F
AGNB
Thats bang out of order !

Species--- Bass,ray,smoothhound,starry smoothhound,plaice,flounder,dab,LSD,huss,whiting,coddling,mackeral,pout,pollock.

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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby iank » Wed Nov 16, 2016 8:49 pm

I've got to say I'm curious about hermit crabs as a regular bait. I've only ever found them after a storm or on big tides and then not lots. I know some in the north east that get them off the potters but is there a scource locally?

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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby Ken the PACMAN » Wed Nov 16, 2016 11:29 pm

I was told that the shrimpers get lots in the nets but you can buy them frozen from Ammo stockists.

Cart is the remains from commercial crab dressing so basically sweepings up from a crab shed,it was used mostly as pot bait and similar.
Neither Cart or Hermits will carry the scent of peeler which is the attraction mainly but Cod being greedy fish will eat most things they happen to find that seems edible.
Anglers often refer to the fact that the Cod in the Mersey almost all contain small hardback crab when gutted but this is partly because it takes a lot longer to digest hard backs than the other main diet items like shrimps and small fish but I have seen people gut a Cod and hook the hardbacks then cast them out but I never saw a Cod caught on one.
The mussel beds in the Mersey are like velcro and are the prime hunting area for Cod so that is where they would find Crabs plus dead mussel,various edible debris from the river but its probably the movement that attracts them.

In Eastern Europe they use live Crabs in a packet like crisps for Wels catfish because the catfish can detect the noise of the crab trying to escape from the packet,never been brave enough to try it for Cod though :D
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Re: Hermit Crabs

Postby iank » Thu Nov 17, 2016 11:22 am

I've only got a small shrimp net but I've never had hermit crabs in any numbers while shrimping locally Ken, I did find a couple in whelk shells washed up while I was out getting some worm this morning so they are there but not enough to be a regular scource of bait for me and I'm too stingy to buy them.

just to follow up your story I know a fella that gets and processes crabs up on the Llyn. When he's doing dressed crabs he doesn't use the bodies or the bottom leg sections, these all go as bait to the lads who put out the whelk pots.

I have wondered for a couple of years about getting enough crabs off him to have a go at cart with the meat from the shell and then eat the claws, legs etc. But am not convinced enough to go to the trouble even though they use it with success up in Yorkshire and as you say, I'd prefer a good stock of peelers. I have seen odd people use it on the boat but I can't say it's been as successful as the usual lug and squid. I guess it's one of those, if enough people use it then it will catch and then more people will use it etc.


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