Hi,  Well I can share what I learned from my neighbor Wally.  He said the chicken is fine for bait but it waters out too quick. He doesn't use a wire trap or net basket, he uses big mullet, cut off the head, clean the belly cavity then cut in 3-4 " chunks, he actually debones a couple inches too and hooks through the back on a a 4/0 circle hook tied on to old braid you've replaced or nylon twine.  He has one old spool of braid, and a couple 15" pieces of bamboo to keep the line on and it is handy to pin down an escapee crab too.  He just pulls out about thirty feet of line and tosses it out from the Riverbreeze fishing pier, and secures it to the rail by sliding it under a sliver of wood.  He says the first of the incoming tide is best as the crabs like to feed on the inbound, they will grab the chunk of mullet and run to the end of the line with it so when your line goes taut you know there is one on.  Then you gently tug and keep a steady pace with just enough pull to keep it off the bottom as you see it make sure to keep it on top and use a long handled landing net with woven nylon braid sock to scoop it into, if the legs touch the grass they will drop and burrow.  Throw your crabs in a cooler with a  couple frozen two liter bottles to chill but not drown they have to be kept cool to go into stasis as it makes putting them in the pot easier.  Handle with care, you can grab them where the rear swimmer leg goes into the shell and they can't grab and pinch you, they have the power to pinch through a nail and pierce a finger, so easy does it.  If there is an orange egg sack hanging off the abdomen it is an egg bearing female and must be released.  Note of interest too the females have the red tips on the claws and males don't.

So there is crabbing 101 simply put.  Not much expense to it as any Florida resident can get a free land based saltwater license at the county tag office.   Riverbreeze Pier is located In Volusia County at Riverbreeze Park on the ICW just N of Oak Hill on US 1.  This is the fishing pier and  is approx 12 ft higher than water level, so that is why Wally was using such a long handle.  There are also four boat ramps a nice playground and restroom facilities at the park.  Picnic pavillions with tables are there and grills.  This is the park immediately North of Mosquito Lagoon and is the prime shrimping grounds as the shrimp head for Ponce Inlet off the grass beds in the lagoon,  

Hope this helps to increase the haul, this got me 27 crabs yesterday in just under two hours pull time.  The crab cakes are fantastic.  Bon Appetit, and catchemallup!!

CaptLeeNoga wrote:

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In 1860 the blue crab was named, "Callinectes", meaning “beautiful swimmer.” They are compromised of 10 jointed legs and a shell [carapace]

Interesting Facts on Blue Crabs

Blue crabs are named for their brilliant sapphire-tinted claws; their carapace (shell) is actually mottled brownish in color. The blue crab's scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, means "savory...

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