identafying peeler crabs

i have never used peeler crabs as bait always just rag lug and mack and sandeel!!! i was at the shore today and decided to turn a few rocks i came across lots of soft backed crabs allong side hard backed shore crabs!!! are these the prized bait peelers??? what way should i hook them and present them???

the way to tell a peeler crab is to remove the bottom segment of one of the back legs if there is a dark soft leg growing there then its a peeler !!!the name peeler comes when the crab is about to shed its shell to grow and seems to go life less when this happens ,you should give the crabs sea water to drink this will help bring on the moult[shed shell]let them drink for about 10 minutes and then place back in what ever you are keeping them in.when they shed the shell they are soft and ideal bait .

are softies better than peeler crabs?? the shop i buy from sometimes has softies but i usually opt for the ones ready to peel if he has them. ive blanked and caught on both so not sure which is best.

there was a time during the summer when softies where out fishing peelers for smoothies alright but i always found peelers to be better than softies overall.