Crab preparation and hooking peeler crab

[ChaosinDevon]

I have been given the definitive answer to what a "peeler" crab is...... as already mentioned in other posts, it is a crab that is in the process of shedding its outer carapace (shell) or is about to.
The name does not apply to a breed or type of crab, but the stage in the creatures life cycle.
It is also worth noting that I was informed that the bait shops only gather them from the estuaries and not the shores, but I could not find out why.

As for the despatching of live crabs.... I guess thats just a personal thing, how do most anglers deal with large fish they intend keeping ? Personally I have a stainless steel priest to knock them on the head with.

[New-2-Fishing]

oh i see

thank you for that info ChaosinDevon did`nt know that

charlotte

[Drew]

Originally Posted by ChaosinDevon

Personally I have a stainless steel priest to knock them on the head with.

Hi ChaosininDevon,

Does he give them the Last Rites?

Cheers

Drew

[ChaosinDevon]

Hi Drew..... the old ones are the best eh ..... heehee

Nowhere near as bad as the guy at my works who claimed he has a catholic converter fitted to his car !!!...... he meant catalytic converter..... but he did'nt get that far in the conversation..... we were all on the floor in hysterics.

[rorkes drift]

thanks for that will have another go, i have tried it on one occasion amd failed no fish would want to eat that

[Omahayank]

I had an idea of what they might be from the Berkly site seeing the gulp crabs. Now I know. Great bit. Thanx

[big guy]

i all ways remove every piece of shell and deffo the lungs, especially when going for the smaller fish imo.

i think it makes things very messy when you cut them in half before taking the legs off. i prefer to just be quick peeling the crab to kill it quicker but thats just me.

i always use scissors for cutting any bait, they're alot better than knives imo. there never seems to be any left for actually cutting paper or in the kitcen in my house though. maybe because they're all in my fishing box. oops. lol.

[keana]

I find loads of crabs on my beach here in Penarth in the Bristol Channel but none (or very few) ever seem to be peelers. Just green and red hardbacks. if I kept them alive, would they peel in captivity or would they just die? I understand that there is a peeling season but they all seem to be hard in summer too.

Funny that we find hardbacks in the stomachs of gutted fish that we catch but they dont catch fish on a hook.Any ideas why?

[gullyworm]

Originally Posted by keana

I find loads of crabs on my beach here in Penarth in the Bristol Channel but none (or very few) ever seem to be peelers. Just green and red hardbacks. if I kept them alive, would they peel in captivity or would they just die? I understand that there is a peeling season but they all seem to be hard in summer too.

Funny that we find hardbacks in the stomachs of gutted fish that we catch but they dont catch fish on a hook.Any ideas why?

When a crab peels it is very vunerable so it hides its self away.To find peelers youve got to realy poke about under rocks ,in holes etc.
If you tank crabs up and control the water temp you can bring them onto peel but its a lot of bother.
Hardbacks work well in the solent when the smuts are running but i think its the scent and juices that makes peeler such a good bait.

[15yroldcodhead]

cheers for dat always wnted to no how to bait on a peeler crab cheers m8