Anyone use soldier crab for bait?

[ubnt]

While bait fish was no where to find, I saw this little blue creature waving to me. Hard to say no so I grab a handful and sent them out. They got picked quickly but did not catch anything. I wonder if they are good bait?

 

 

[ellicat]

The small ones are good whiting bait and the larger ones will get eaten by flathead and bream. They aren't the number one bait, but worthwhile if you can't get yabbies or worms.

[Bretto77]

Bream love them. But I have found they get picked off easily with a lack of commitment to actually taking the whole thing.

[Bretto77]

I have also wondered how they might go for blue bone?

[ellicat]

14 minutes ago, Bretto77 said:

I have also wondered how they might go for blue bone?

I've heard they do, but the bluebone would need to commit fairly quickly, I'd imagine.

[Bretto77]

35 minutes ago, ellicat said:

I've heard they do, but the bluebone would need to commit fairly quickly, I'd imagine.

Mate of mine in Mackay only uses coral prawns for blue bone. He is sooo annoying that bloke... I swear he could fill the bath tub and then pull a fish out of it with a handline....

[mangajack]

The small black juvenile soldier crabs are gun baits for whiting in the shallows.

The big blue ones make great berley to bring the whiting close together.

[charlie.hans.fishing]

I should give these a go as bait at a spot I know where they're always around!

[ubnt]

1 hour ago, mangajack said:

The small black juvenile soldier crabs are gun baits for whiting in the shallows.

The big blue ones make great berley to bring the whiting close together.

That's quite true. I found the juvenile one under rocks and get bites very quickly. However you need very small hooks.

[mangajack]

3 hours ago, ubnt said:

That's quite true. I found the juvenile one under rocks and get bites very quickly. However you need very small hooks.

I whack 4 or 5 of them onto a #4 truturn hook.