The Fishermans Net

Hi ppl , Can anyone tell me if hard back crabs are any good to use as bait.
My goal this year is to take a fair size coddo home for supper.
I have fished the mersey at otterspool and on the other side in between the air intak oand off for 40 years. I can still remember the days of the sanitary towels , condoms and bog roll wrapped around your line but glad to say those days are long gone and should never be allowed to get so bad ever again. ANYWAY I need a decent cod this year ..any suggestions??

When u gut a codling this time of the year, most of them seem to be stuffed with small hardbacks, take 2 rods and try 1 with a couple or a few small hardbacks whipped onto the hook, alternatively try a one up one down rig with ur usual bait on one hook and crabs on the other, you never know!

Some of the lads who fish the Rock Channel from boats use live hardbacks for the smoothies.They just nick them through the butt and let them scurry about on the bottom.

The cod always seem to be full of them mate so i dont see why not!

The wrasse love them too

try them by all means but don't think you will bag up on them . Better to use Peeler crab and freeze plenty down for the winter time when they are harder to get . Good luck

I`ll be trying them for the smoothies this year.....using elastic bands to secure them to a hair rig set up

Big Kev wrote:I`ll be trying them for the smoothies this year.....using elastic bands to secure them to a hair rig set up

Use your hair net