fresh bait in pots

[home cookin']

I keep a couple of crab pots at my pier in Norfolk. Typically I empty and bait them every day and a half. I use either chicken or croakers.

Should I dump out the old bait leftovers or just add new bait to it? It's mighty stanky by then but crabs like stanky stuff. But I heard that bad bait can "poison" the crabs.

[petekilch]

Crabs like FRESH dead stuff.... Some think stinkier the better, not true.

Pete

[Burchbeer]

Out with the old and in with the new every 24-36 hours. IMHO:cool:

Works for me. The old bait, if discarded in the same vacinity, will still lure crabs to your fresh bait. Again, IMHO.

I think most comms that frequent the board will agree but they can speak for themselves.

Me, I am a Chicken Neckka with a little sperience is all.

Fresh is Best!

Crab On!:pp

[27 sailfish]

Without question - rebait with fresh and toss the old away. Fresh bait oozes juice- that attracts crabs. Fish heads are great baits. Tough and ooze goo over a long period.

As the water cools - bait will last longer.

[rgminer]

We have a house in Captain's Cove and we run our 2 per person pots while we are there during the summer. the warm water, little fish and the crabs really do a number on the baits. Sometimes I bait them twice in the same day because the bait just doesn't last. As the water cools I find I don't have to bait as often, but when I do, I always remove the old and put in new. Croaker carcasses are plentiful and that's usually what we use. I have found that the crabs prefer trigger fish over croaker and the trigs last longer...but they aren't as easy to get...