Did real well with some frozen crab from bucc ees. I have always heard frozen crab is the last type you should get. Going to try to crab near where I am fishing next time, to get fresh bait. For those that take blue crab for reds, where do you and how much is it? I have seen somewhere a long time ago about someone getting whole crabs from fiesta grocery store. At stores are they usually fresh, not frozen?

Call different bait shops otherwise you can look at seafood markets like Paul's seafood in Port Aransas. I just use a crab trap and chicken necks and collect my own. No more than 5% of your take can be under 5 inches. The rest must be 5 inches from point to point on the carapace-which are the points on the right and left sides that stick out so bring a ruler to measure. Even a just legal crab is great bait for reds. A good size red will crush and run with it. I usually just go close to where I am fishing and set out a couple of traps around piers or structure , get my rods ready, check the traps and use what I catch to fish with. Often on the big crabs I cut them in half and put them on a circle hook from 5/0 to 9/0. Red and big black drum will find them if they are around! Don't worry, something almost always hits them in a short time. If the pinfish pick them clean then just put the other half on!

There's probably a joke to be made here about seedy roadside adult movie theaters...

Seapony Bait and Tackle in Winnie has crab usually year around.

Just about any fresh cut bait will catch reds. Save the crabs for the Big Uglies.

Just about any fresh cut bait will catch reds. Save the crabs for the Big Uglies.

Yeah, atx ben: We used to call crabs "Mechanized Dandruff"! IslandJim

My ex girlfriend in high school