🦀 Soft Back Crab – Premium Peeler Crab Bait (UK Sea Fishing)

Soft Back Crab (also known as soft shell crab or peeler crab) is one of the most effective natural baits available to UK shore anglers. Deadly for bass and highly productive for cod, rays and flatfish, this bait can completely outfish others at the right time of year.

When crabs moult, they shed their hard outer shell and become soft and highly vulnerable. In this soft stage, they release powerful natural scent that predatory fish find irresistible. At certain times of the season, especially during peak peeling periods, fish will actively seek out soft crab and ignore other baits.

If you’re targeting quality fish from the shore, soft back crab is a must-have bait.

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🦀 What Is a Soft Back / Peeler Crab?

The common shore crab is most often used during peeling season.

• Peeler Crab – A crab about to moult (shed its shell).

• Soft Back Crab – A crab that has just shed its shell and is completely soft.

All crabs moult to grow. Before shedding, a new shell forms underneath the old one. Once the old shell is cast off, the crab is soft, full of scent and extremely attractive to fish.

This is the stage anglers want.

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🎣 What Fish Will Soft Back Crab Catch?

Soft Back Crab is highly effective for:

• Cod

• Bass

• Plaice

• Flounder

• Rays

• Eel

• Smoothhound

Bass in particular absolutely love soft crab, especially in estuaries, surf beaches and rough ground marks.

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🪝 How to Fish Soft Back Crab

• Use whole for larger species like bass and cod

• Cut in halves or quarters for flatfish

• Secure firmly with bait elastic

• Fish on a Pennel rig, pulley rig or simple running ledger

💡 Top Tip: During heavy peeling season, fish can become preoccupied with crab — matching the hatch with soft back crab can dramatically increase your catch rate.

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❄️ Storage

Keep frozen until required.
Do not refreeze once thawed.