By placing 2-ounce weights spaced about every 20 baits, you can be better assured that your line will not move off the bottom. It is generally accepted that salted eel is the best bait for use on a trotline. But, because eel is considered a delicacy in many countries, its price can be prohibitive for use as bait. Alternatives include chicken or turkey necks, beef tripe, bull lips, tough trash fish like small croaker, or any other tough meat that can't be eaten too quickly. One of the advantages of using eel is that if only a bone is left attached, you can be assured that there are hungry crabs lurking below.
Some watermen space their baits by the width of their outstretched arms.
Just remember that the closer the spacing, the more bait required. His technique is to put the bait pieces on a cutting board and to place a bushel basket on each side, knotting up the baits and faking the baited line into the basket. That's the tricky part because the last thing you want is to have that baby tangle up when you're laying out your line. This is very rarely practiced today. Early in the season, when there are many small crabs, increase your bait spacing so not to lose as much to the razor-sharp claws of these small crabs.