# Sand crabs



## wardicus79 (Apr 12, 2012)

Do y'all use them when finding one raking for fleas ? I usually find a few here and there but can't really remember catching anything on one , however they tend to sling off easier than fleas so they haven't lasted to long on the line ... I figured the fish might love them an consider them a rare delicacy !!


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## wardicus79 (Apr 12, 2012)

And by sand crabs I mean the the flat headed ones with the the long spiny tail looks like a flea on steroids ... Not the white ones that live in holes on the beach ....


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Are you talking about the male sandflea? If so, I reckon anything that would eat a female would eat a male. But I always throw them back. I heard that there is one male to a colony to breed all the females. Prolly just makes me feel better.


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## Fishn-on-credit (Apr 27, 2012)

"the white ones that live in the holes on the beach" are what I always called sand crabs, spider crabs, or ghost crabs. Everybody calls them different things all around the state, but honestly if you can dig those things out of their holes and use them there is no better redfish bait while surf fishing. I caught tons of reds last year shore fishing the pass with those crabs, the bigger the better I found


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## wardicus79 (Apr 12, 2012)

Ok i guess I was referring to the male sand flea although I was told they were a sand crab when I asked if they were the male sand flea ...now I know thank you ... And yes I have tried using regular sand crabs but they slung off easy ... I usually catch them right before dawn at the waters edge or near there ... And they are usually quite large ....


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## Fishn-on-credit (Apr 27, 2012)

I usually hook them through the side bottom to top with a fairly large (7/0) (8/0) circle hook and let the redfish do the rest. I never used more than 4 ounces of lead, that could have something to do with them slinging off. Have had those crabs outfish live pinfish and croaker.


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## wardicus79 (Apr 12, 2012)

Cool I figured they would be good bait as well I will keep trying them thanks ...


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## weedline (Aug 20, 2011)

they catch fish great only problem is they tend to cast off like u said they are great baits to spotcast with on a light rod for pomps almost better than the normal fleas but i know we all call them male fleas but in reality thay are a completly different mole crab than our sand flea and dont know if u guys know this but we have 2 other species of mole crab one that lives off the beach one is the white one we always catch off the beaches it can grow as large as a small egg then u have the species that line the passes they are smaller harder darker in collor they look just like the lighter ones on the beach but they are a different critter the pass fleas cast best the so called male fleas are the best if u have a boat and can spotcast hope this helps good luck


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## wardicus79 (Apr 12, 2012)

That what I was told that it was actually a different species , thanks weedline great info for all...


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Fishn-on-credit said:


> I usually hook them through the side bottom to top with a fairly large (7/0) (8/0) circle hook and let the redfish do the rest. I never used more than 4 ounces of lead, that could have something to do with them slinging off. Have had those crabs outfish live pinfish and croaker.


 
Do you have to keep them alive. I've tried catching them at night, but have trouble keeping them from dying on me. I was also hooking them wrong apparently because I sling them off almost every time. How far do you cast them out?


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## Fishn-on-credit (Apr 27, 2012)

@john, you have to be careful not to crush them when you catch them (stepping on them or smashing them) I usually get a good pair of yard gloves and dig up the largest holes in the beach if I can't find them running around(break off their claws once you catch em so you don't get bit) I usually put them in a regular bucket with no water and have had no problem with them dying. 

I used them at ft Pickens at night right on the mouth of the past and cast them on the shallow point and walk my bait along the beach with the current.. Don't get a bite after walking 50 or so yards reel it in and try it again. I've had a lot of luck on the coldest windiest nights with a strong tide


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