Crab Cart article
Crab Cart has been a well kept secret from the Whitby area for quite some years now.
Crab cart is the insides of an edible crab, as simple as that. You can get the crabs from most fishmongers / shell fish suppliers. Or if you live within distance of the coast, you can get them off plenty of boats when they land their catch. It shouldn't take you long to sort out a regular supply if needed. Just make sure the crabs bought are over the legal landing size. Scoop out the insides of a few edible crabs, apart from the lungs and mix together in a bowl, make sure it is a large bowl, you don't want this stuff going everywhere, it DOES smell!
I mix mine with a small amount of bread crumb to make it a bit more of a solid state. I find doing this makes it hold together better and also easier to handle when preparing it for the hook, but more of that later. I haven't found any difference in adding a bit of bread crumb, though you will come across guys who are 'purists'.
You can cook the claws for your own enjoyment, personally I prefer crab to lobster, not everyone's choice I know, but I do love crab claws as a snack!
You can freeze down the crab cart using on an old baking tray or something similar, obviously telling the good lady indoors what you are doing with it!! Then once frozen it can be cut into sizeable bait portions. Most guys seem to use either cling-film to wrap it or finger bandage. My personal choice is finger bandage, it tends to hold the crab cart longer and doesn't, for me, wash out as quick as cling-film.
If using cling-film then you will need to prick the cling-film to allow the cart to escape before casting but using finger bandage it will seep through the bandage without having to pierce it.
One or two of the 'clever' lads use a sausage making machine and make 'cart sausages' but do remember if you do use this method NOT to get mixed up with the Cumberland sausage your wife bought for your Sunday breakfast!
Google 'crab cart' and you should come up with a few ways to make and use it no it's 'secret' is starting to get out there. I do know one or two 'online' bait suppliers are now starting to sell it, but I would be wary of getting any frozen down and sent through the post as it does defrost very, very quickly. Take heed....
