How to Catch Sand Crabs:
A quick video on how I catch my sand crabs for fishing the surf. Simple method that will catch enough bait to last all day in under 5 seconds.
Now that you know how to catch sand crabs, learn to catch Ghost Shrimp: • How To Catch Ghost Shrimp
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Gear used:
Sand Crab Net: amzn.to/2uaSFlF
Gopro Session: amzn.to/2tCoqqK
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I used to go to the beach all the time growing up. I went to Cali about a month ago and took my river shoes with me. Thank God because after a while I started to freak out for some reason. I was really happy catching the sand crabs for about an hour then went to play in the waves but I started to seriously panic at the thought of the sand crabs touching the bottom of my feet. So I was a "shoebie" at the beach.
Barbara Bermudes I use to catch them all the time at Huntington Beach growing up
You're fucking odd
@@tyson9419 And you're pretty rude
That was Oddly Satisfying 😅😂😂
I loved catching these when I was younger Lol.
Me too. I taught my kids how to catch them and to let them go and watch them burrow in the wet sand.
Same here used to collect them in a wet sand filled bucket then half to let them go right after which bumbed me out lol
Same I still catch them because I’m still young
Me too
Same here I use to catch a bucket full n fry them in my deep fryer
I see them bailing out of the sand and going out with the wave while im raking..always thought this would work..thanks and I'm going to try this.
Great inexpensive technique
dang you caught a lot
Yep!
yeah i only remember catching like 11 and i was just digging a hole in the wet sand
Anonymous 
Claro que sí
@@DieHardFishing there not sand crabs they are called sand fleas stop telling lies
Amazing work! Love your content. Keep it up 👍
I went to the beach today so I caught a sand crab
Nice!
Christian A proud of you son. 👬
Batman A I tried I got none
I caught like 10!
Batman A I’ll try
Well done.Thanks.Do we get similar in the UK do you think?
@DHFJust discovered your channel and love what you're doing! I've never surf fished and I have learned a lot from watching your videos. I'm up here in Sacramento and I'm just getting ready to retire. This is something I am going to do! Thank you for sharing your insight and knowledge. Just subscribed.
Thanks for checking out the channel and subscribing! Glad you are enjoying the content. Hope to see you on the water some day!
Thanks for posting this video man!
Are these the same kind of sand fleas that bite and leave a welt that could take weeks to heal? They seem pretty big to be that kind of bother but there is a sand flea that google says does just that.
Thanks for the awesome video 👏🏻
Where are you at? I just got into surf perch fishing last summer and it was awesome. Used artificial baits which worked but I would like to get some sand crabs next time I go. I'll be in longbeach WA.
Beautiful way to catch sand crab thanks 😊
Excellent video young man. Tight lines.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the info, happy fishing
Thanks for watching!
Die hard! Serious love your vids. You mentioned you use hard and soft shells. But do you get better luck on which one? Soft shell is a lot harder to find but is it better??
Softshell is preferred if you can find it but they are tough to find!
@@DieHardFishing thanks, hope to see you out there. You are a great man and glad to have you around the area!
not sure if u mentioned it .. is it best during low tide ? or it doesn't matter as long as it's not peak high tide? nice vid n thnx for sharing
Thanks for watching! In general, low tide is usually easier to catch san crabs. However, I am usually able to at least get a few even if the tide is high.
Seems so easy I been digging with my hands only few a time😂
@DHF-Is the northside of the Golden Gate any good for stripers?
I am not very familiar with that side of the golden gate but I believe they roam those areas sometimes. As with fishing down on the south end, you have to hit it when the schools are passing through. Its all a timing game!
Have you tried frozen mole crab fishing? If so will it be same as live and fresh? I froze them but idk if it will be the same
I have used frozen before and they do work but fresh is much better in my experience.
Die Hard Fishing thanks bro
Thanks bro! Super helpful and the sheepshead tear those things up!
Thanks for watching!
I realize this video is very old, but I hope someone can answer a question for me . I have heard that sand crabs hibernate and are hard to find sometimes (I'm in California). I have had a hard time finding then in the winter months here (Cayucos area). What time of the year was this video filmed and is it true that they hibernate?
Their metabolism slows down in the winter, just like fish, but would still show themselves while feeding. Best to go during a low or incoming tide, walk towards the Sun and the reflection to see the bumps from their tentacles. They can feel you walking and will immediately dig deeper, move slowly and use the wave to uproot them...
Here on Long Island, N.Y, we know those as sand fleas. I use them for bait. Striped bass love em!
Nice! They work great for striped bass over here too!
This is how many times he looked back at his fishing rod at the beginning 👇🏽
Nah
I remember when I was real young I used to dig these guys out at Huntington Beach
Great video, easy way to get them
Thanks for watching!
Can you show us a video of how you set up your rig
What beach was it?
Cool I will try it
Anyone know what's the theme of the song at 3:21
Nice video
Wtf I was so surprised to see that many sandcrabs in that small area. Kinda cool but kinda creepy that there are so many all around. Almost seems like u would feel them just walking through the beach
This may be a stupid question and I’m sorry, but what do you catch them for? To eat, as bait or just for sport?
We use them as bait! If you check some of my other videos they are great fishing bait!
went to the beach today and caught 6. i accidentaly took them home luckily i will be taking care of it and will be sending em back this saturday.
Awesome!
Thanks. SHort sweet informative.
Are you like send crabs I all so up loaded
Wow nice tips
Hey are the sand flea around the winter?
Yep! I was just at the beach last weekend and there were a ton of them!
@@DieHardFishing thank you so much for replying! Are you still able to catch them when it gets colder? I'm at east coast it's around average 40 here now. I loved your video and want to try it out here.
No problem, I only have experience out here on the west coast but we have no problem getting them during the winter!
Hey, great stuff!
Thanks for watching!
NCS Sounds
What I did at the beach was when the waves come up, then it goes down and the par where these arrows are I stick my hand in the sand and I pull out a handful of sand and I bring it to the dry part and dropped the sand and there was a lot of sand crabs
Great video. I'm in fort Lauderdale and I have a sand flea rake..but I am like a rookie when it comes to catching them..can you gimme some advice
Kick up as much sand as possible and use the waves to help you run the sand through the rake.
@@DieHardFishing Ty for responding. I'll try that next time..ooh btw i'm in ft.Lauderdale. where are you frm
I am from the Bay Area in California!
What beach is this
Also if you go to to a beach and a wave 🌊 is leaving look for V’s in the ground and there should be sand crabs I went today and it worked
Good tip!
hello, buddy? which beach was your video! i want to go grab sand fleas
Do you use just the soft shell or hard shell also
I use both.
Ya some people say only soft. Ok Thanks
i would just shove my bare hands into the sand to catch them as a kid. sends shivers down my spine these days!
Thank you so much I'm going to the beach today+ 1 sub
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
I went to the beach and I was digging in the sand with my friends and sand crabs appeared I didn't know wat it was and I kept on catching dead ones it was very bad but the alive ones. were very fun to play with
Nice!!!
Hello, I live in Oc California and my question is are the sand crabs eatable out here ?
I have seen some videos of people eating them but I don't think any of them have liked the taste.
I've caught some here in Huntington Beach and Balboa Beach. Got curious and cooked them. They are really good!
@@OptimusPrime218. what do they taste like?😮
How do you store the sandcrabs while you are fishing?
I just keep them in a jar, they stay alive all day no problem
I put them in a white plastic bucket half filled with sea water.
Wow that was off the chain you saved me some money thanks
@DHF- I'm just curious about their migrating pattern, if they're schooling up from the south, or from the west, or north. Thanks for answering.
I actually have no clue. I only know that are generally more around during the summer time in the Bay Area
Here in Florida, we call them Sand Fleas. You can buy a metal scooper at Walmart that only catches the large ones and lets the small ones go through the holes on the mesh. Kids love catching them just for fun.
Thanks for watching!
Hey bro when sand crab are at the beach sand like are they thry now
Where are you fishing?
Where are you in hawaii
What shore are you at? I used to find them in ocean city maryland all the time as a kid and now i cant. Edit: I CAUGHT A LOT!!! I had to go deeper lol
LOL, glad you found them!
BT -7274 did you use this method ?
WOW nyce catch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you mean sand fleas? Or is that different.
kinda pissed off and impressed on how many you caught at once haha
Beats paying 50 bucks for a rake!
Thats right!
I had a similar video but it didn't have "sand" in the title and was mostly filmed at truck stops....
When these mole crabs burrow down in the sand, they go in backwards until only their mouths are at surface level. Every time a wave comes in and rushes over them they filter out food from the wave. If you look closely you can see where they are from the little V's the water makes flowing around them. Next we will talk about Coquina Clams which do the same thing as mole crabs, in that they burrow down in the wet sand when the wave goes out and get their food from the surf.
Yep, interesting creatures for sure!
They look like mini kelp poking out of the sand
Is this in Nor Cal?
Yep!
What beach were you at ?
Any beach with a sandy bottom will hold sand crabs!
nice video.....thanx !!
Thanks for watching!
I caught one in my bathing suit once
Okaayyyyyyy not touching that comment
does it matter . high tide or low tide...
Low tide is usually easier but I have caught them on high and low tide regardless
Thank you
I saw a lot of fishes in the water and some of them digs sand I run back far but not in the water
wow so cool men this thanks
Awesome tip, just sub.
Thanks for checking out the channel and subscribing!
Dude I committed a geniuses of these growing up...granted it was in runescape but still
THERE CALLED SAND FLEAS!!!
So today, the algorithm has chosen you.
Do you use soft shells or hard shells when fishing?
Both!
if your in California do you need a fishing license to catch and release sand crabs?
Oh! I tried this with the metal scoop and got nothing--because I didn't dig down into the sand, I just scraped it on the top of the sand.
how did you get that many
Just got lucky and found an area where there are a bunch of them!
i was just at 25th st beach and we caught some by hand. . i did not know there were soooo many underneath
There are a ton!
Radical
Damn, what a haul!
Too easy!
How many can u keep?
50
Which state is this
California
Does sand crabs/sand fleas live at all beach ?
Any beach with a sand
@@DieHardFishing 😂okey tq bro
Never try and know this bait
hang a bell on your rod, you dont have to keep looking back at it. Tons of those little crabs, yeah good bait for little crevalle jack or papio in Hawaii.
I catch them with my hands right after the wave leaves
your rod!
We only use hand to catch that and we eat that also. But that was 10 years ago.
Damn,,, usually takes me an hour to catch that many.
If anyone wants to see sand crabs by the thousands visit Santa Monica, left of the pier. There are thousands and thousands you can see the little v shaped ridges as the water goes back those aren’t ridges those are their antennae. Once you realize what’s under your feet, it’s hard to go back to normal. You’ll become a “shoebie” as another comment here mentioned hahahaha
Ok caught sandcrabs , halfway there , no perch yet though lol
Tbc
holy sugar.1 scoop got you that many crabs---wow.
Sand flea’s you mean?
I’ve seen those called sand fleas
I like catching them and then letting them go
Sweet!
chuck that net full into surf where your line is
Yep!