# Fiddler crabs for bait?



## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

Are fiddler crabs any good for bait? I know they're ideal for sheephead when spawning but what about trout, reds, black drum, and others? Will sheephead go for fiddlers all year?

Thanks


----------



## Bravo87 (Jun 19, 2014)

I'm told the reds love them.


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Fiddlers are good for redfish, black drum, sheepshead, and pompano. Occasionally you may catch a flounder or a trout but this is rare. Fiddler crabs work year round for me.


----------



## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

GROUPERKING said:


> Fiddlers are good for redfish, black drum, sheepshead, and pompano. Occasionally you may catch a flounder or a trout but this is rare. Fiddler crabs work year round for me.



This... Never heard of a trout or flounder hitting them, but I don't see why they wouldn't... Any drum will eat them... triple tail probably would as well seeing how they feed on crustaceans


----------



## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks. Do you free line them or Carolina rig or...? Just depends on where you are fishing?


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

stauty trout said:


> This... Never heard of a trout or flounder hitting them, but I don't see why they wouldn't... Any drum will eat them... triple tail probably would as well seeing how they feed on crustaceans


Over the years I've caught 1 flounder and 3 speckled trout on fiddler crabs while I was sheepshead fishing. Fiddlers would not be my bait of choice for either of these two species but it does occasionally happen. I have also caught gray snapper on them while fishing for sheepshead..


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

th329 said:


> Thanks. Do you free line them or Carolina rig or...? Just depends on where you are fishing?


 I have never free lined them . Most of the time I use a carolina rig, sometimes I cork fish, and sometimes I use a dropper loop.


----------



## Yaksquatch (Mar 23, 2009)

Weight vs freeline all depends on conditions: depth, current, and where the fish are hanging. If there's not much current and the sheepshead are up in the water column then sometimes you have to freeline in order to get a bite, same can go for using shrimp and sand flees. Freelining does make it even more challenging to know when you have a bite though so if there's any current you may not be able to get away with this.

I'd recommend having everything from 1/16oz split shots up to 1oz egg sinkers available.

Good luck!
Alex


----------



## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

I've only used droppers, carolina rigs, and slip cork rigs with fiddlers... the slip cork rig is very effective IMO... almost like a freeline but you have a little more control on how deep and what direction your bait goes... I usually only put a single split shot unless the current is bad


----------



## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks for the advice! I keep reading about slip cork rigs... I guess it's time I watched a YouTube video or two and figured out what the heck they are and how to fish them.


----------



## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

can you freeze fiddler crabs for use later ??? 

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

I freeze mine , but they don't do well long term. They are alright to freeze for a month or so. Put your live crabs in a small container in the freezer with out water for 15 or 20 minutes. After they die cover them with water and freeze.


----------



## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

tkh329 said:


> Thanks for the advice! I keep reading about slip cork rigs... I guess it's time I watched a YouTube video or two and figured out what the heck they are and how to fish them.


From top to bottom...


a yarn stopper, a bead, slip bobber, a split shot (or 2 depending on current) about 1' to 1-1/2' from the bait, and a circle hook...










When fishing for trout I try to hold the bait about 2' off the bottom... so if it's 10' deep put the bobber stop at 8' but I adjust accordingly if I'm marking bait... just look for where the bait is in the water column on your depthfinder


----------



## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

Stauty, thanks. I finally watched a few videos... The stop knot finally made sense and I just picked up the required supplies at academy. Thanks for the help and advice. I'm looking forward to trying it.


----------



## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

tkh329 said:


> Stauty, thanks. I finally watched a few videos... The stop knot finally made sense and I just picked up the required supplies at academy. Thanks for the help and advice. I'm looking forward to trying it.


no problem... those stopper knots can be frustrating sometimes when they don't want to stay... I have more success with them cinching down on mono line than braid.... they also make a rubber stopper, but I've never tried them 

good luck! let me know if you need any more help


----------

