# Where are the sand fleas?



## AllieGator

I've been out a couple times so far this year to Pensacola beach and perdido, but where are the sand fleas?? Not even the guy that supplies our bait shop can find any. I know it's still a little cold but some people have mentioned they raked some up... Where? Thanks!


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## Redfish

Some of my Customers are finding a Few here & There On Navarre Beach and Their telling me they are Digging Deep For them!! Hope this Helps !!!!!


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## covertfisherman

> *AllieGator (4/1/2010)*I've been out a couple times so far this year to Pensacola beach and perdido, but where are the sand fleas?? Not even the guy that supplies our bait shop can find any. I know it's still a little cold but some people have mentioned they raked some up... Where? Thanks!




Earlier this week, I was scooping them by hand at Pensacola Beach. The guys using rakes obviously were getting more, but my way was more entertaining. They were deep (5-6"), so get down into the sand right where the surf breaks at the water's edge.


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## Linkovich

I've managed to find some everytime I've gone out so far this spring. Some days have been better than others though. 

I've just been walking the beach and raking untill I find a couple then work that area and move on.


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## fishinknots

Look for the V-shaped lines when water retreats, caused by the uneven surface coming from SF.


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## pompanoslayer10

I went out yesterday and couldn't find them for about 10 mins and then i decided to try at the little ledge when u go in the water and found tons.


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## pappastratos

No sand fleas ? OOHH NNOO,, they will be put on the endangered list soon, HUSSEIN OWE-bama will close all the beaches.


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## Reel Thang

How did that "calling him Hussien" work out for you in the election?


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## pappastratos

> *Reel Thang (4/2/2010)*How did that "calling him Hussien" work out for you in the election?


Called him Hussein many times, nobody cared,,,,

Now, after he starts taxing EVERYTHING, (about to be a 10% tax on tanning salons to fund obama-care) and how he DISLIKES ISRAEL our closest alli, people will start thinking different. 

Obama will probably add a priveledge tax to guns, boats, bullets, anything boating, fishing, hunting etc,,,,to fund his socialist adgenda...


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## Sailor50

During the colder months, the fleas spread out and don't bunch up as they do in the summer. In the real cold months, they move out to a little deeper water. And a lot have died off during the wintersothere just are not as many of them. You can still find them but its hard until the water temperature starts warming up. To find them in the cooler water months, say October through March, you have to find where they live - the "water saturated" sand. This is sand that is mixed with water, something like quicksand I guess. The fleas have to have this type of sand to dig down into. They can not dig into dry or even damp sand, just too hard. If you dont believe this, toss some live oneson the dry sand and see what they do. They usually just sit there. 

Anyways, this sand is found inwater where there is a lot of turbulence from the waves. The main area for this is what they call the "lip". This is where the water from a wave that is washing back down the beach toward the ocean meets the water from the wave that is coming onto the beach. This forms a ledge or drop off that varies from 2" to 12" high. The sand to the beach side of this is very soft and this is where the fleas are.










In the picture below, the lip is where the white water is. To seaward is the clear green water. There usually is a ledge here that varies in height. The sand on the beach side of this lip is very soft and will swallow your foot if you step in it. This is where the fleas are. Sometimes if there is not much wave action there is no lip. Find a lipabout 6-12" high and blind scoop it from the bottom of the lip up through the saturated sand toward the beach.










In the cooler months, you are really not going to see any of the tell tale "V's or bubbles you see from feeding fleaslike you see in the summer. You just have to blind scoop this area of saturated sand. Takes a lot longer to get some but you will usually find them. If your foot does not sink down when you are standing on the sand, it means usually the sand is too hard for a flea to dig into, no use to dig there. Also, you are probably going to have to get your feet wet.

Below is a picture of low tide showing a bar of soft sand just seaward of the beach. Sometimes you can find them there, but they are pretty scattered. Best bet would be toward high tide and find a "lip". 

The sand between this bar and the dry beach sand (rippled area) is pretty firm and you probably are not going to find any fleas there either. Also, really dont have a lip here on the beach in this picture as there is just not enough wave action to "saturate" the sand. The lip is out past the bar where the water is breaking. In winter this means you have to wade.










And when the water is rough, not much chance to find one. The fleas just dig down and stay put. On a day like below, just head on to Joe Pattis or Sextons and buy your fish.










To be honest, I have just as much luck with fresh peeled shrimp as sand fleas, so I would not waste too much time digging for them. Probably get some discussion on that one. I usually toss out my lines baited with fresh peeled pieces of shrimp, then go looking for fleas and add them if i catch any. 

Below is another picture of the lip, the area of white water breaking. It is usually marked with a water color change.










Another thing to look for is coquino clams, the small triangular shaped shells. They inhabit the same area as sand fleas. And they are also prime Pompano food.










To open one, put a knife blade or your finger nail in between the shells at the hinge muscle. They are pretty fragile and usually the shell will break first. Some meat inside that pompano like. If you can figure a way to put them on a hook, let me know. And they make a good clam chowder or broth.


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## finz50

Sailor50....awesome write-up. Makes more sense than any I've read thus far...hopefully I can catch some now...I've been targeting the top of the "lip"....now I'll start deeper and see if it makes a difference


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## AllieGator

Thanks sailor! That was a great explaination and really helpful drawings! I had no idea pomps would eat those little clams. Going out today so I'll try what you said and see if I have any better luck


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## blackwater

Good post and pics. Cudos for taking the time and effort.


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## fishinknots

Sailor50, I never tried this on muscles, but when we were fishing for catfish and strippers using chicken livers, we used some sewing threads to wrap around them (tie it up). With muscles like that, you might be able to find a stronger portion of it and tie it up, even put the thread through the eye of the hook if the muscle is big enough. It would not hold it up forever, but it should help.



Just an idea......


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## jigslinger

the meat on those are about the size of a pea.


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## Surf Bunny

> *fishinknots (4/5/2010)*Sailor50, I never tried this on muscles, but when we were fishing for catfish and strippers using chicken livers, we used some sewing threads to wrap around them (tie it up). With muscles like that, you might be able to find a stronger portion of it and tie it up, even put the thread through the eye of the hook if the muscle is big enough. It would not hold it up forever, but it should help.
> 
> Just an idea......


Try putting the muscle in a small piece of pantyhose and hook all around the edges so it's like a little bag or ball. That's what we do with chicken liver when we fish for catfish.


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## fishinknots

> *Surf Bunny (4/6/2010)*
> 
> 
> 
> *fishinknots (4/5/2010)*Sailor50, I never tried this on muscles, but when we were fishing for catfish and strippers using chicken livers, we used some sewing threads to wrap around them (tie it up). With muscles like that, you might be able to find a stronger portion of it and tie it up, even put the thread through the eye of the hook if the muscle is big enough. It would not hold it up forever, but it should help.
> 
> 
> 
> Just an idea......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Try putting the muscle in a small piece of pantyhose and hook all around the edges so it's like a little bag or ball. That's what we do with chicken liver when we fish for catfish.
Click to expand...

Now this is a better idea......


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