Texas Gulf Coast Fishing

Rigging a Blue Crab for Bait

Blue Crab make a great bait for Bull Reds, Black Drum, and many other offshore reef and bottom species. The annual Drum run starts in late February and the big bruisers can be caught on into June. These big fish are fun to catch and big Black Drum love munching on Blue Crab and here's how to rig them.

First off, you need to decide whether to remove the claws or not. If you're planning on a pot of gumbo or a crab boil later, by all means, break them off and keep them.

Next, flip the crab over and insert the hook from the bottom of the crab in between the rear leg and the one next to it. When pushing the hook through, aim to exit through the top shell where there is a light colored spot. Wiggle the hook back and forth as you work it through the shell so as not to break it or make the hole larger than what is necessary.

 

Tip: Put more scent in the water by taking a pair of pliers and breaking the tips off of the ends of the top shell.