Crab Bait

• Crab bait helps to attract crabs to your trap. You can use any type of meat to attract crabs because they like meat and are not picky. Chicken pieces, fish heads and raw duck pieces work well. Professional crabbers recommend leaving these meat pieces outdoors for a few hours prior to using them as bait to enhance the foul smell that attracts crabs to them. Crabs will attempt to grab the bait with their claws, so you must secure the bait tightly.
  
  

Crab Traps

• Ring traps and crab pots are the two forms of traps available. Ring pots are nets that contain a small opening at the bottom and a large opening at the top. When placed in the water, the ring net flattens completely, which gives crabs full access to the bait. Once multiple crabs start eating the bait, the trap is pulled up, capturing the crabs. Crab pots are nets with one-way trapdoors. Crabs enter into the net to eat the bait and unknowingly trap themselves inside.
  
  

Rope, Tongs and Crabbing Gloves

• A strong rope is necessary for retrieving the trap containing the crabs. One end ties to the trap, and the other ties to a buoy. The rope must be long and strong enough to withstand tide changes since strong tides will pull the rope and buoy underwater. Tongs are the safest way to pick crabs out of the crab trap. Crabs will try to pinch or snap your skin, so you will need crabbing gloves to protect your hands.
  
  

Storage Containers, Rubber Bands and Newspaper

• After lifting the crabs from the trap, place rubber bands around their claws to prevent pinching, and store them securely. Coolers, buckets and containers that hold 10 liters of water work best. If you do not have a container, wrap each crab individually with newspaper and place them inside your container. Crabs survive outside water for long periods.