Why You Should Know How to Catch Fiddler Crabs
One of the best baits and my favorite bait to use to catch Sheepshead is fiddler craps. While they aren’t the toughest bait out there and are likely to come off your hook pretty easily, they are super effective when fishing in the low country creeks.
If you’re going to use fiddler crabs for bait, you want to have a good amount of them. Just as important as learning to use a cast net is to catching mullet, learning to trap fiddler crabs is an essential low country fishing skill!
How to Catch Fiddler Crabs
The technique I use to catch fiddler crabs is simple, easy and effective. All you need is a shovel and a bucket! Here are the steps:
- Find the Fiddler Crabs: Go to any accessible spot where fiddler crabs already live. You will see their little holes punched into the banks of just about any creek in the marsh at low tide. You should also see some of the fiddlers walking around near these holes.
- Dig a Hole: Dig a hole slightly deeper than your bucket depth in the middle of a fiddler population/hole cluster.
- Place Your Bucket: Set your bucket inside this hole so that the top is flush to the soil.
- Add Food to Your Bucket: Put something tasty inside the bucket like a few shrimp, some fish, or even something you are eating like part of a sandwich.
- Backfill Your Bucket: Backfill the lip of your bucket so your fiddler crab friends will be able to climb into your bucket.
- Leave or Hide: Go do something else for about 30-60 minutes. Typically you must be nowhere in site before the fiddler crabs will approach your bucket.
- Collect your Fiddler Crabs: Come back and collect your fiddler crabs and go catch some big ol’ sheepshead or other fish with them!
Why Are Fiddler Crabs So Easy to Catch?
See fiddler crabs just aren’t very smart. Catching fiddler crabs is really quite easy! When you dig a hole right in the middle of their colony, it will scare them away. Once you’re gone, they will come crawling right back to their home, which is now your bucket in the ground. Simple as that. They will fall into your bucket and you will have yourself some great, live bait to use for sheepshead, red drum, or whatever else decides that fiddlers are on the menu! That’s how to catch fiddler crabs! Tight lines and let me know your favorite fiddler trapping techniques and advice in the comments below!
Final Thoughts
What do fiddler crabs eat?
Fiddler crabs eat algae, microbes, fungus, or other decaying detritus. They are detritivores. Fiddlers use their small claw to bring sand and sediment to their mouths. They sift through the sediment filtering out their food and return the sediment and sand back to the surface in tiny organized balls. Many experts believe Fiddler crabs and their eating habits play a vital role to the preservation of their ecosystems.
Additional Questions
What is the easiest way to catch fiddler crabs?
Fiddler crabs are delightful little creatures that can bring an adventurous touch to your day at the beach! One easy method of catching these intriguing creatures is by baiting them with raw chicken or fish. Simply attach the bait to a rope, and place it near the entrance of their burrows during low tide. Fiddler crabs are inclined to venture out in search of food, and upon sensing the delicacy, they’ll crawl up to it. Here’s a tip based on my personal observation – you should stay quiet and patient throughout this process to avoid scaring these skittish critters away. Once they’re at the surface, you can gently scoop them up with a net. Remember to hold the net firmly but gently to avoid any harm to the crabs.
How do you fish a fiddler crab?
Oh, fishing a fiddler crab is an experience like no other. I remember the first time I went fishing with a fiddler crab bait; it was highly rewarding! What you need to do is attach the fiddler crab to your hook. Ensure to secure it through the rear part of its shell to avoid causing any damage to the vital organs. Now, simply cast your line as you would typically do and wait. Due to their irresistible aroma to fish, you’d probably have a catch sooner than you expect. A word of advice from a seasoned fisherman (me!) – you should be cautious about the size of your target fish. Fiddler crabs are small, so they’re more likely to attract smaller fish.
How do you catch fiddler crabs in mud?
Getting your hands muddy while catching fiddler crabs can be quite an adventure! It takes me back to those fun-filled summer afternoons when I would head out to the mudflats with just a small, wide-brimmed net and a bucket. One approach to catching fiddler crabs in mud is to plant the net at the entrance of their burrows and apply a slight pressure on their homes. This should coax them out, and you can quickly scoop them up before they retreat back. However, it is highly crucial to be as gentle as possible during this activity. These are living creatures and deserve to be handled with care. Always remember to release them back into their natural habitat after you’re done admiring them!
Can fiddler crabs pinch you?
Indeed, fiddler crabs have the capacity to pinch you, and while they are unlikely to break your skin, their tiny claws can deliver a sharp pinch. This is essentially their form of self-defence. Let me give you an instance – one lovely day while I was admiring my catch, one of them pinched me! It started me and caused a bit of discomfort, but nothing more than that. From that day, I learned to handle them minimally and always used gloves when I absolutely had to handle them, you should do the same. Such experience adds up to our respect for these tiny but noteworthy creatures.