# Giant Sandflea



## angryaccntnt

I caught a giant sand flea today over by pompano. Beatiful looking water, but no luck.


----------



## fishinknots

It is a giant grand daddy...... 

20 of those might make a decent meal.......


----------



## jim t

It looks a lot like a "Spiny Mole Crab" but I think they are only in California. I've seen them on the beach in Coronado Island.










<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blepharipoda_occidentalis">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blepharipoda_occidentalis</a>

Jim


----------



## ranger0306

Here's a few different pictures and info I found on the internet. It also says it's a spiny mole crab. But, it says that they are only found in California from what I can tell.


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00004i1eQCo2Q0s/s&imgrefurl=http://www.photoshelter.com/image/I00004i1eQCo2Q0s&usg=__sSAYUanvTE_40iMhM0SIOe8jXmo=&h=326&w=500&sz=140&hl=en&start=74&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=QNx8aTSGPS00DM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpacific%2BMole%2BCrab%26start%3D60%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1


http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Blepharipoda+occidentalis&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=uQz_S4OeH4K88ganivXwDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCkQsAQwAw


http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=Blepharipoda+occidentalis&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=C27EIuAz_S9OIL5uIzQT0soytBQAAAKoEBU_Q_twN&fp=19d13023017841d


Try posting these in you search bar or clicking on them. It looks just like what you found, at least to me.


----------



## Rick Shaw

the large boxy one is a Webster's Mole Crab... not a Male as is the common wive's tale

the other is a female Puerto Rican Mole Crab... the male of this species is actually very tiny and can sometimes be found clinging to a female if examined closely.

I have not had any luck using the Webster's for bait.. as they come off the hook quite easily.


----------



## jim t

> *Rick Shaw (28/05/2010)*the large boxy one is a Webster's Mole Crab... not a Male as is the common wive's tale
> 
> the other is a female Puerto Rican Mole Crab... the male of this species is actually very tiny and can sometimes be found clinging to a female if examined closely.
> 
> I have not had any luck using the Webster's for bait.. as they come off the hook quite easily.


WOW!!!

GREAT INFO! How did you know that little bit of information?:bowdown:bowdown:toast:toast

Jim


----------



## fishinknots

Wow, it can be up to 3 inch long...... Nice info there.....


----------



## Shiznik

I've always known those to be the male Sandflea and the normally seen ones are the females. 

I laugh at the grandchildren when they help catch them and are afraid to put those guys in their pockets until we are back at the Sandflea bucket.

They sure won't stop pinching for sure! lol!

Hope you get into them your next trip out!

Chris


----------



## Justin

looks like a small horseshoe crab


----------

