queensland Mud Crab Bait

[GregN70]

Been trying unsuccessfully to catch a legal Mud crab for a couple years now, and with Christmas coming up I thought i'd have another try at them. Apparently they come in around Yeppoon / Port Alma when conditions are suitable, im just wondering what baits work best? As I've used mullet, whole & half etc, (cut a bit to let juices flow), Chicken frames, mackerel heads & reef fish frames from the seafood shop, Roo tail & even a tin of cat food. But nothing has worked.

Any other suggestions?

[Ed.]

Most of those baits should have worked, I am assuming that you set the pots near or in the mangroves, if you did then maybe time to try a different location, most mangroves up that way should have them. I don't think that Mud crabs are fussy as to what they eat, I have even caught them using a tin of sardines with a couple of small  holes in it as we had run out of bait. The oil and smell leaked out and attracted them to the pot and they really mangled the tin trying to get to the sardines in it.

[LeoB]

Believe it or not even with crabs fresh Bait is best. Golden catfish are a great all round bait and should be pretty easy to come by up your way? Any oily fish is a good bet. Chicken necks or frames are also a good standby. Don’t know why, but have never done as well with reef fish frames as the above two baits, could be coincidental though. 
Cheers Leo

[GregN70]

Thanks LeoB, ive always used ultra fresh high quality baits. Im just starting to think that this area like most in Qld these days is overfished.

[fishingnut]

Got this fella the other day in a heavily worked area on a simple chicken frame there cheap and work well, put in the effort and you will be rewarded 

[GregOug]

I’m in agreement with LeoB. Fresh is always best. I always had the most success with whole mullet myself. I found the bait type was less important than the shape of your funnels. I always made my own pots and a funnel shaped to suit a crab was always more successful. Try to have your funnels start at the base of the pot, not half way up like some I see. Make sure the funnel is very wide and only about one and a half times the height of a large crab. They smell the bait and creep sideways around the pot looking for a way to get at the bait. Funnels shaped as I have described allow them to enter easily, but not to exit again. Good luck!

[fishingnut]

I’d say your in mud crab heaven up there mate, get out to the smaller creeks and less populated spots,also make sure the entry and exits of your pots face the way the tide runs same with dropping them in drains 

[GregN70]

1 hour ago, fishingnut said:

I’d say your in mud crab heaven up there mate, get out to the smaller creeks and less populated spots,also make sure the entry and exits of your pots face the way the tide runs same with dropping them in drains 

Far from crab heaven, to many pros up here, even when you get many many miles away into what you would consider a remote areas the creeks and gutters are just littered with hundreds of pro crabbers pots. Hard to find a spot even some days.

[fishingnut]

Well there’s a reason the pros are there... 

[kmcrosby78]

11 hours ago, GregN70 said:

Far from crab heaven, to many pros up here, even when you get many many miles away into what you would consider a remote areas the creeks and gutters are just littered with hundreds of pro crabbers pots. Hard to find a spot even some days.

Do you get many jennies or undersized bucks in your pot? Does your bait look like it's been chewed at? And do you zip/cable tie the top of your pots? If not, try that to confirm that no one is checking your catch for you .....  

[GregN70]

12 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Do you get many jennies or undersized bucks in your pot? Does your bait look like it's been chewed at? And do you zip/cable tie the top of your pots? If not, try that to confirm that no one is checking your catch for you .....  

Yes, we get heaps of undersized males, and thousands of female crabs. Sometimes 10 big females in each trap. I only zip tie the tops shut if i leave overnight. But don't like doing that, prefer to crab on an incoming tide, both day and night, and work the pots up gutters, creeks, and into shorelines as the tide advances, check every hour or 2. Change baits as it get chewed, i normally use mesh bait bags  to slow down the destruction of my fresh baits.