Slow togging due to bad crabs...

[Chrisper4694]

We decided to try our hand at some blackfishing saturday but when we opened the bag of 5 dozen crabs once at the boat to transfer them into a bucket we were hit with the smell of weeks old rotting old crab...

well being new to blackfish we didn't need this extra challenge since (and i'm sure the experienced tog guys will agree) i'm under the impression that fresh crabs would be a pretty important part of getting a good bite so i'm not sure why we were sold 5 dozen old disgusting rotting ones. anyway we managed to find some decent spots on the reef but were pretty much just there to watch other guys haul tog over their rail while we dealt with almost no bite at all.

We did manage to dig 3-4 decent crabs out of the rotting pile of 60 we bought and hit a handful of shorts with 1 keeper. Then with no decent crab left and out of time i threw on a gulp shrimp, half as a joke, and pulled in my first keeper blackfish ever haha...guess i should've been using gulp the whole time instead of trying to salvage a bite off of the rotten mushy mess we were sold.

maybe it's our fault for trusting the bait shop but they come out of the back with the bag already tied shut.

Just a heads up guys. Check your bait before you leave the shop. I guess some bait shop owners don't really care if they ruin your day fishing.

I wish i could shrug this off as an honest mistake but 5 dozen crabs and only 3-4 that weren't mushy and rotten with a nauseating gagging stench? Buyer beware!

[Fin Reaper]

Nothing like the smell of rotten crab :eek:

[Chrisper4694]

I dry heaved trying to use them.

[shrimpman steve]

That sucks

[njfisherman1975]

I have had that happen to me before too...that first whiff out of that bag would make a coroner back up and heave!!!!

[Chrisper4694]

i'm wondering how these shops stay in business dealing this to people... I'm sure this wasn't the first time he's done this

[waynedane]

Which shop was it???

[bigal427]

I would have brought them back and if he was close dump them on his doorstep.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Sponsor or not, not fair to drag someone's business through the mud on a public forum. If I were you, I would take it up with them directly and see if you can at least get them to make good on it.

If someone wants to know who the shop is then PM it to them.

[bulletbob]

I would walk back into the shop and RESPECTFULLY explain exactly what you explained to us on this board... If you are "blown off", or treated in any way other than with utmost courtesy and an apology, I would certainly let us know which dealer sold you a stinking rotten bag of crabs, sponsor or not.. Tog RUN from bad crabs, and any bait dealer KNOWS it.. They ruined your day, and basically stole your money, and really should be held accountable.. They obviously KNEW those crabs were dead.. They were holding them for a non regular customer.. I have seen it before, more than once... bob

[bulletbob]

Sponsor or not, no fair to drag someone's business through the mud on a public forum. If I were you, I would take it up with them directly and see if you can at least get them to make good on it.

If someone wants to know who the shop is then PM it to them.

I understand your view of course, Gerry, but respectfully submit, it was also no fair ruining a customers day, and taking his hard earned money for stinking garbage.

I know you need to take care of your sponsors, that is understood and appreciated, but that kind of conduct is inexcusable.. A good dealer would apologize, and refund the money, maybe explain the oversight/mistake.. Agreed on one point however.. He should go see the dealer first, and a good business person would make it right, on the spot... bob

[Gerry Zagorski]

I saw the name of the store that Chrisper posted here which I removed, and it is not one of our sponsors. That however does not mean we should use this forum to drag their business through the mud.

I know it's sucks to have your day ruined but posting the business name here is just going to be a lightening rod for all sorts of trouble.

Once again, talk to the business owner see if he is at least willing to make good on it, if you get no satisfaction, then you don't go back there and you tell people about it privately. Word travels fast and if the shop owner is not doing the right thing, it's going to catch up to them.

[Chrisper4694]

Hey I understand I deleted my comment with the shop name. But just as a general warning check your bait guys! And I do believe we all have the right to know which shop this was so just pm me if you want. I know I'd want to know.

Could've saved our day. Which just so happened to be our last day of the season boat getting pulled out of the marina tomorrow. It's a far drive just to go confront this place, but you're right.