Crab Collar Castable Crab Snare
- A New Way to Catch Crab with a Rod and Reel -
This Pitbull Tackle Crab Collar is a specialized piece of fishing equipment used to catch various species of crab with a rod and reel. This new style of crab fishing is extremely popular along beaches, jetties, and piers. The loops around the snare act like a noose which snags crab legs as they stand around the snare. Each snare weighs six ounces which gives you plenty of weight to make long casts. We also added a snap to the backside of the snare to clip in additional weight if needed. The weight on the bottom of the snare is also removable if lighter weight is desired. Simply add bait inside the cage, attach your fishing line to the black coated loop on the front of the snare, cast out, and reel in your catch.
How To Fish:
A crab snare seems like a strange concept, but once you start using it you will realize how simple it really is to use to catch your fill of crab. First you will need bait. Common baits used are Anchovies, Squid, Mackerel, or other frozen bait. The bait should be generously placed into the wire bait cage using the swinging door on the top of the snare. The top door is held with an elastic strap, simply open to fill the cage and close shut again with the elastic band and hook. The next step is to attach your fishing line to the snare's attachment loop. This is the long black coated line with a loop crimped at the end. You can tie directly to the loop or use a strong snap swivel. If you need to stock up on the proper sized snap swivel, check out our Brass Rolling Swivel w/ Duolock Snap in size #4/0.
Now you have the snare attached to your line full of bait and you are ready to fish. Before casting try and adjust the loops so they are open, and cover as much surface area around the snare as possibly. The next step is to make a long cast to the area you want to target. Keep in mind that these snares have some weight to them and they can put alot of pressure on your rod and your fishing line. Slowly bring the snare behind your back and use the momentum of the snare to your advantage as you cast; try to avoid fast snapping motions since it is such a bulky lure. The snare will sink to the bottom and you will feel your line get slack once it has settled to the bottom. You want the snare to be stationary and not move once it is on the bottom. In areas with strong current, additional weight may be needed. Weight can be added to the black duolock snap included on every snare. Now all you have to do is wait. If crab are in the area they will usually find your bait in just a few minutes.
Keep in mind that crab are going to feel strange compared to a normal fish biting at your bait. The best way we can describe the feeling would be as if the snare is being scratched or scraped. The crab will walk to your snare and usually stand directly on top of it with their legs all around the cage. They use their claws to pick and pull and the bait in the wire cage and you will feel them scratching and clawing at it as they are feeding. If you think there is a crab on your snare you can check by slowly trying to pull the snare back to you, no more than a few inches. If the snare seems stuck to the bottom that means the crab has pinned your trap and you most likely have a chance to snare one. When it comes time to try and catch the crab, you want to retrieve the snare with a lot of steady pressure. Reel down on any slack line and then pull hard (equivalent to setting the hook). It is very important to not let slack into the line if you think there is a crab in your snare. The crimped loops remain closed with tension but if there is slack on the line they can slide back open and allow the crab's legs to slide out (fishing with heavy braided line is helpful). If you have caught a crab you will feel an abnormal amount of drag as you are dragging the crab back towards you through the water. Keep reeling until you bring the snare and crab onto land and it is as simple as that. Re-bait the snare as needed and continue casting until you have caught your fill!
Helpful Hint: The effectiveness of these crab snares is the design of the snare loops and how easily they slide closed. We strongly recommend trying to keep the loops in the best condition possible and avoid bending or kinking the loops so they slide open and closed smoothly. Rinsing the snare to remove dirt and saltwater after use is also a good idea to keep the snare in good condition.
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DHEP) and lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
