Setting up Peeler Crab

We are now reaching a bait which a lot of people won't use because of the time involved adding it to a hook. The rewards are well worth the extra effort and cost (around 70p per crab). Peeler crab are loved by many of the more rarer fish and if you're fed up catching mackerel, garfish etc and want to try for bigger and better fish then peeler crab really is a bait worth all the extra hassle. A lot of people like me use combo's which in include peeler in the mix.

First off you remove the legs, claws and shell so it looks something like this:

Now you hook into it and then hook into it again. You'll notice this bait is very soft and feels like it will come off when you cast. It will so what you need is some elastic string which is available at all tackle shops (see pic below)

You now tightly wrap the elastic string around the crab half a dozen to a dozen times BUT make sure the hook is not obstructed in anyway! If you can't see the hook then the fish won't get hooked! Your final bait should look something like this:

It's best to use this bite when it's live. You can tell the crab is ready when the shell is very loose or already off. If the shell is still firmly attached then you'll need to tap it with the butt of your knife or something similar so it cracks. you then peel the pieces off.

The lungs (orangey yellow colour inside the crab) are poisonous and a lot of people remove the lungs before they attach it to their hooks. It's up to you if you want to do this or not. I've been told if you freeze crab the lungs tend to turn black so this is why people remove them before freezing. I've personally not noticed any difference leaving the lungs on or off when fishing.

(http://www.torbayfishing.com/help-guides/sea-fishing-p2.htm).