SOFT PLASTICS
Soft Crab
A soft plastic crab that sinks flat and sits on the bottom like a real crab, made for picky flats fish like permit and bonefish and for bottom-feeding snapper.
How to fish it
- 1
Tie it on with a loop knot and a light fluorocarbon leader; on the flats a lighter crab lands softer and spooks fewer fish.
- 2
Cast a few feet ahead of a cruising fish, leading it so the crab lands quietly in its path, not on its head.
- 3
Let it sink to the bottom; when the fish gets close, give one small hop or short drag so it kicks up a puff of sand.
- 4
When the fish tips down on it, stop moving and wait a moment, then reel tight and lift to set; for snapper, just drag it slowly along the bottom.
BigJoe Tips
- Polarized glasses and a hat are not optional here; you have to see the fish to make the right cast.
- Do not strip or reel it like a minnow; a crab that swims away fast looks wrong to a permit.
- If a fish follows and refuses, try a smaller crab or a lighter one that lands softer.
Mistakes to avoid
- Landing the crab right on top of the fish and spooking it.
- Setting the hook the instant the fish gets near instead of waiting for it to eat.
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