Crab Lure For Sheepshead Review [Crusty Crab by Chasebaits]
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
The crab lure for sheepshead that’s featured in this review is what I’ve been catching most of my sheepshead with over the past few months.
Although I have been very impressed with it so far, I have found some big faults with it that I wanted to make sure you know about.
So in the video below, I’ll explain the pros and cons of Chasebaits Crusty Crab which has turned out to be a great crab lure for sheepshead if used properly.
The “if used properly” is very important, so I’ll show you some of the retrieve tricks that I’ve learned so far for consistently catching sheepshead.
Be sure to check out the new review video shown below.
Crab Lure For Sheepshead Review [VIDEO]
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Here is what I liked and didn’t like about these lures:
Pros:
- They’re made out of a strong material
- They’re very lifelike
- They’re weighted properly so they fall upright and realistically
Cons:
- Price (they’re about $11 for a pack of two)
- The bait is connected to the hook by a thin strip of plastic. Aggressive skip casts can rip this strip and ruin the lure, but when I stopped skip casting under docks and just pitched it to the outer pilings, my lures lasted longer (and I also got broken off less).
- They’re hard to find
Catching Sheepshead On Crab Lures
As far as using them to catch sheepshead, I’ve found it most effective to drag them on the bottom near dock pilings and sea walls.
When casting to dock pilings I usually cast it beyond the piling, lift my rod tip up to drag the lure through the water to get within about six inches of the piling, then let it sink to the bottom.
And here’s a common misconception about sheepshead: they bite lightly, and slowly.
I don’t believe that to be true after using these crab lures with very sensitive rods where I can feel every tap from fish of all sizes.
The many small taps that result in a missed hookset are usually small snapper or pinfish.
When sheepshead bite, they do so with authority and will most often take the crab down quickly, so you don’t need to wait before setting the hook.
All you have to do is just feel for some weight on the end of the line after you feel the thump, and then set the hook and make sure to pull them away from the structure as fast as you can… each breakoff will cost $5+ along with missing out on some tasty fillets.
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Conclusion
Have any questions about these lures?
Have you used them before?
Let me know in the comments below!
And if you know someone who would love to catch sheepshead on artificial lures, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
New to fishing from a boat. What’s the easiest way to keep your sheepshead fresh until you get back to a cleaning table? Do you keep them in the livewell or just immediately ikijimi the fish and throw them in some ice? Do you have any recommendations on simple ice bags to use so not hauling a ton of stuff to the boat?
Hey Ryan, the immediate ikijimi kill to ice is the best way to keep the meat as fresh as possible. The con is that you do need to keep a cooler with ice on board so that the meat doesn’t get hot. If you don’t have room for the cooler with ice, then keeping the fish alive in a livewell would be a smart play to guarantee that the meat can’t go bad.
What size hook is in the Crusty Crab lure? Is the hook in the package with the lure?
The crusty crabs come pre-rigged with their own hooks.
It looks like a size 2 hook in each lure.
I just checked the package. It’s a #2 hook.
What is the weight of your line for casting those crabs?
I use a 10 lb braid for my mainline with a 20 lb mono leader when using these crab lures.
Have you tried on Permit?
Not yet
Do you perfer a certain color?
I have only tried the tan and sandcrab colors… I like them both equally.
did you try running a bead of super glue at the weak spot before using?
I have not yet tried that.
That weak point should be fixed on the next crab lures?
As soon as I watched this review I had the same thought. I think super glue in a couple of spots will add some life to the lure. I’m going to let the glue cure for a day before I use them too.
Sometimes live crabs are hard to get when the black drum bite is hot and heavy up here in north florida. I wonder if anyone has experience with the crusty crab or a bigger version of it for black drum?
Tony did a review on the Crusty Crab lure for black drum a year or two ago… here’s a link to it: https://saltstrongdev.wpengine.com/articles/chasebaits-crusty-crab-review/
Thank you Luke. Joe<
I could not keep my eyes of Otis. He sees that rod bend and he knows…fish on! Oh and great review! Thanks for all these unbiased reviews.
Haha… Otis definitely loves fishing!
Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment Hector.
One more question I forgot…are you using the loop knot?
For lures like this that don’t need much motion, it doesn’t matter very much. I have used both, and they work equally well.
Super glue for them there “Crustys”. Luke , where did you get the standing platform for front of boat? I need one! COOL
That platform came with the boat when I bought it used… apparently came from some fabrication company down in Ft. Myers.
Thank’s Luke for the great news about the crabs, ben thinking about getting some of them, now I will, i fish for food and fun on Hutchinson island, Jensen beach, and by the st.luice twin nuke plant, going to give them a try for pompano on a chicken rig,any body else??will git back in a few weeks with reports on it.
STEVEN
Please keep us posted on how you do with it on a chicken rig.