How to Hook a Sand Flea

What are sand fleas used for

The term “sand flea” does not relate to an insect, but rather to a little 10-legged crustacean also known as a sand crab or mole crab, among other names. It’s utilized as bait for marine species including pompano, redfish, and sheepshead.

Rigging Sand Fleas

1. Attach some attractor beads to your fishing line. Sand flea eggs are orange, and many anglers think that it is these eggs that entice fish to consume sand fleas. As a result, they like to weave orange plastic beads on their line before attaching the hook.
Small neon orange bobbers may perform the similar function as beads, with the additional bonus of holding the bait slightly above the bottom.

2. A short monofilament leader should be attached. If you want to fish with light line (10 to 15 pound test/5 to 7 kg class), use an 18-inch thicker monofilament leader (25 pound test/12 kg class) (45 cm). To make changing hooks/lures simpler, connect a snap swivel to the line.
You might also enhance casting weight by using a tiny split shot.

3. Increase the line’s weight. Depending on where they’re fishing and what species they’re pursuing, some fisherman use merely a little split shot for increased casting weight, while others use sinkers weighing up to 4 ounces (114 g).

4. Choose the appropriate hook. There are two types of hooks that are usually used for catching sand fleas:

• Pompano anglers like the Kahle hook, which has a broad, circular bend that directs the hook point back toward the center of the hook shaft. Other circular-style hooks will work just as well.
• Sheepshead anglers like a long-shafted hook, usually around size 1.

5. Lightly hook the sand flea through the body. Thread the tip through the body above the telson (spade-like tail part) and belly sac toward the head, allowing the crab to spread its eggs as you recover it. When retrieving the bait, the hook should be run through at an angle that pulls the crustacean to the side.

• Some anglers like to drive the barb through the shell, but others prefer to merely puncture the hook tip through the shell. By lightly hooking the sand flea in this manner, it is less likely to get entangled in seaweed or pebbles.
• Some anglers like to remove the sand flea’s tough outer shell entirely.

Catching Your Own Sand Fleas

1. Go to the beach at low tide. This shows the places where sand fleas live.

2. Look for V-shaped sand regions among small shells and pebbles. Sand fleas have burrowed themselves into the V-marks. You could also see a few sand fleas burrowing themselves.

3. Collect a slew of sand fleas. The simplest method is to use your hands, a sand shovel, or a sand rake, but other anglers prefer to place a tiny net where the sand fleas are, kick the sand to loosen it, and then let the tide wash the dislodged sand fleas into the net.

Keeping Sand Fleas

1. Sand fleas should be kept in a pail of damp sand. Sand fleas need moisture to keep their gills moist, which is why moist sand is used. You don’t want to immerse them in water, however, since they’ll drown.
Cover the wet sand with a damp towel if the weather is really hot. You may also wish to cover the cloth with ice chunks to keep it and the sand underneath it cold.

2. Every day, drain off the fleas’ excrement. Sand fleas may survive in a bucket of damp sand for 3 to 4 days, but they emit a yellow-colored feces that must be removed to prevent them from suffocating.

3. Consider freezing sand fleas to use later. If you can’t locate sand fleas easily, or if you discover more than you can use in a single excursion, you may freeze and preserve them for later use. To do this, boil the fleas first and then freeze them. Sand fleas may be kept frozen for 3 to 4 months.