Hermit Crab?

[sheff82]

Hi all!

I've been thinking about trying out some different baits as my catches so far this year haven't been the best. One bait i'm looking to try is Hermit Crab as i've never used it before. I'd like to collect my own, i reckon a drop net is the way to go baited with some mackerel off a harbour wall. i'm just wondering if you could suggest if this would be the best way and also, how would i go about finding the best area to try?

I was thinking if the drop-net didn't work that i could set some sort of trap but don't know where i can get one and how i could secure to the shore so i can haul it in when needed? Loads of questions, sorry!

Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[big guy]

it's down to local knowledge, and keeping your beady eyes on other people.

there's very limited places to get hermit crabs from in my area. try and chat up a local trawlerman, and have a bottle of scotch or pack of beers to keep him sweet. they'll prob keep you going all summer if you keep them sweet.

[sheff82]

Thanks mate! Thats a good idea!

Looks like i'll be spending the next couple of weeks looking dodgy, hanging around my local harbour :).

[Bootster]

Sheff82, the best ones to speak to are the potters as they'll get loads of them although the trawlers will get them too. We've actually had one on a local site round our way offering them at 20p a pop which is pretty useful. If you've got any whelk guys round your way they'll get hundreds and hundreds, just ask if they can pick them out before boiling them though!

One thing about them is that they peg it almost as soon as they're out of the water so be prepared to freeze them if you get a load. If they're alive getting them out of the shell can be a pain apparently, I've heard that a lighter on the end 'encourages' them to let go and is better than a toffee hammer. Anybody got any better ideas on getting them out of the shell?

[krysb]

bootster
we get our hermits from the local potters in rtn for all the heads + frames + guts that we have left over from filleting
i find that laying them on their backs in the garden with the whole pointing up seems to do the trick when it comes to removing the little sods
if you just try to pull them all you get is a claw or 2
fantastic bait for codling etc when bound into big balls but without claws.
use with claws on for smuts off beach or on boat

hope this helps

krysb

[billfish]

yes ask the potters m8t they get hundreds of them.
the best way 2 get them out is 2 just drop 1 at a time in
a bucket of fresh water & the jump straight out:)

[oldchukka]

pop em into a plastic bag, inflate it [blow into it] put it somewhere warm for a while. --- they will flop out.

[sheff82]

Thanks for all the help guys. I did here that they do die pretty quickly, but i'm planning to try and get them the day i go fishing or maybe the day before...they should keep ok in the fridge overnight without going too bad? Now all i have to do is find a local potter or whelk man. Any hints?
Thanks again!

[solehunter]

Thanks for all the help guys. I did here that they do die pretty quickly, but i'm planning to try and get them the day i go fishing or maybe the day before...they should keep ok in the fridge overnight without going too bad? Now all i have to do is find a local potter or whelk man. Any hints?
Thanks again!
In my experience, go for the welk boats as the crab /lobster fishermen are normally horrified if they see hermits in there pots as it means they are fishing on the wrong ground.
When i worked on a potting boat, the amount i collected wasn't worth bothering with.
Welkers on the otherhand, get loads (i think).

[solehunter]

:oops: :oops: Just phoned a guy who fishes whelk pots and he said they don't get any hermits as they cant climb the pot sides.......DOH!!!:blink:

[sheff82]

Thanks for your help Solehunter. I will have a look tomorrow and see if i can find a friendly crab potter who might be willing to supply me, if not i think i'll try the drop net idea.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

Hermit crabs from your pots make an excellent 'secret' surf bass bait IMHO just as good as a big jelly softie. I have also had good success with sizeable wrasse taken on them from rock marks. I once read that they make a good smoothound bait to. so if you can get some they are worth holding onto.

[sheff82]

Yeah, i've heard the same things...thats why i'm so keen to get a supply for the spring/early summer. I've found out that Ammo do frozen ones so maybe i could use those if i can't get hold of any fresh.

[billfish]

much better fresh m8t, but its just keeping them alive is the hard part:g:

[Lugworm]

Perhaps one bucket/container full of clean seawater and one full of freshwater is the answer. Take them out of the dropnet and keep them in the seawater, taking the required number out for bait when needed, then drop them in the freshwater so they evacuate their homes.

[sheff82]

All i need to do now is to find a spot where they are in residence. Tried on sat for the first time, I might not have put enough bait in the drop net as there wasn't anything in it.

[dene aldbrough]

get yourself palled up with the potters fella good supply and the without the hassle thats where i get minefrom and to get them out like others have said drop them in a bucket of fresh water and they bolt out fo fast you wont belive it
dene

[macky1]

SeanB has had success from the linconshire beaches with hounds on hermit

[sheff82]

get yourself palled up with the potters fella good supply and the without the hassle thats where i get minefrom and to get them out like others have said drop them in a bucket of fresh water and they bolt out fo fast you wont belive it
dene

The problem is I can't get out to find myself any potters what with work and stuff, what would be the best way to get in touch one? I really enjoyed using the drop net last week, got the spinners out at the same time, a nice couple of hours, gonna try again tonight.

[thecornish1]

i get mine brought to me by potters, as they land crab and fish to us. The guy who lands to me gave me around 50-100 a day, so i vacuum pack them and freeze them, great bait for bass, wrasse and bull huss. Just gave him a bottle of bells to keep him happy.

They said that they get most of them in the autumn, but do get a fair few throughout the summer. Ive not tried dropping them in freshwater as i was stupid enough to sit and crack em with a hammer. Not recommened!

try popping down to your local port and chatting to some potters

martin

[sheff82]

My local tackle shop sells them frozen from Ammo, gonna give these a good try over the next few weeks and see what happens. If they're any good i'll be on the look out for a potter for a decent supply.

[kristhefish]

Hi all.
When you use a drop net try a chain all the way round held on with some cable tie's that will keep the net hard on the bottom, gives the little blighters a chance to get in the the net, then make sure you use a nice smelly peice of fish..:secret:

[fishermans friend06]

hi m8 i normally collect hermit crab, i never started useing them until about a year back ive never failed to catch the best thing to do is to collect them on low water and fish the tide back in excellent bait for bass, cod, and rays. (the dogfish dont bother with them for some reason?) use the smaller crab as you would like squid or mackeral when tipping off rag or lug worm, and the larger crab work well on a pennel rig cocktailed with rag lug and either soft or peeler crab.(UNRESISTABLE).

[Bob C]

I had a Boat a couple of years back and on one side of the mooring was a sack of big Mussel and on the other side a big clear plastic container, maybe 5 gallon, it was full of live Hermit Crab and just suspended from the dock. The previous owner left them for me and they had been there for ages without any problem. Well that is apart from the theiving Bas**** who came along and had it away with them. Looks like you could keep them in a bucket of Sea Water as long as you changed it regularly.






Perhaps one bucket/container full of clean seawater and one full of freshwater is the answer. Take them out of the dropnet and keep them in the seawater, taking the required number out for bait when needed, then drop them in the freshwater so they evacuate their homes.