# Are Sand Fleas Overrated?



## Carolina Rebel (Aug 25, 2005)

Honestly I can't think of a time I've done as well on them as with a little bit of fresh shrimp. 

I'm mostly targeting mullet, pompano, red and black drum on the beach. Fishing small Owner or Mustad circles, or small Kahle hooks if big pompano are around. 

No problem catching fleas, and I'm not slinging them off on the cast. Fishbites or not, shrimp seems to work better for me. 

How about you?


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## Benji (Nov 19, 2014)

How far out are you putting them?


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## Shortrod (Apr 7, 2020)

I catch some quality fish as far as size goes but for numbers Fishbites are more productive.


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## Gorge (Jun 13, 2017)

My go to bait is a flea with a little piece of ez flea on the hook with it.


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## Starboard (Apr 23, 2008)

No, fleas aren't "overrated". ! That's all I use when fleas are available and that's what sea mullet, pomps, black drum, and a list of other species are feeding on in close. I get better quality fish with fleas on a River rig than with shrimp or fish bites.


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## fishiker (Dec 10, 2015)

On Avalon yesterday morning the anglers using sand fleas were catching fish. The rest were just fishing.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Not overrated, but they're not the be all end all bait. In dirty water some fresh peeled shrimp might be getting some more bites due to scent, but I'm not a fish and couldn't tell you how much scent a flea gives off. I do crack the sides of the shell off of them. The color from Fishbites is no doubt a huge plus. I have caught very nice fish of all 4 species you mentioned on just a 1/2" square piece of Fishbites...

I always fish fleas when I can find them during daylight.


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## dutchbros (Jun 3, 2012)

SmoothLures said:


> Not overrated, but they're not the be all end all bait. In dirty water some fresh peeled shrimp might be getting some more bites due to scent, but I'm not a fish and couldn't tell you how much scent a flea gives off. I do crack the sides of the shell off of them. The color from Fishbites is no doubt a huge plus. I have caught very nice fish of all 4 species you mentioned on just a 1/2" square piece of Fishbites...
> 
> I always fish fleas when I can find them during daylight.


Not overrated at all. The quality of fish I've caught on sand fleas vs any other bait usually pales in comparison. Im more about the quality than the quantity. Plus Sometimes you need to fish them at your feet too.


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## Benji (Nov 19, 2014)

I've only ever had reliable success with them in the first ditch, right behind the break. Shrimp and fish bites on anything further out. Have gotten lucky with a flea out in the distance on occasion but not often. I like to fish them on a pomp jig with a trout rod also.


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## brob757 (Apr 9, 2020)

Carolina Rebel said:


> Honestly I can't think of a time I've done as well on them as with a little bit of fresh shrimp.
> 
> I'm mostly targeting mullet, pompano, red and black drum on the beach. Fishing small Owner or Mustad circles, or small Kahle hooks if big pompano are around.
> 
> ...


I've not had much success with them but that doesn't mean I'm not doing something wrong. Having only been able to visit one week a year mostly I'm still learning and adjusting what I do and how I fish. Just figured out in the last 4 to 5 years or so how many fish you can catch practically at your feet. From what I understand fish key in on the females that have eggs tucked underneath as well as they are more nutritious. Not 100% sure that is true in all cases but it makes sense to me. Good luck


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## Carolina Rebel (Aug 25, 2005)

I'm a once-or-twice a year surf fisherman at this point, but I generally get into the fish. I'll have baits out everywhere from in the suds on 7 ft rods, to over the breakers on a Team Alabama 13 ft rod. 

I'm not going to give up on sand fleas, but I just don't seem to do as well with them. When quality fish around, I haven't noticed a difference in take rate on fleas vs. shrimp. Of course if that ever changes even once on a trip, it's worth the effort.

I do try different combinations of shrimp+fishbites, flea+fishbites, just to tune in the bite on a given day. It's just always surprised me a bit that I've never seen a time when the fish really preferred fleas over shrimp. 

@ Benji, that's a good point about keeping them fairly close in. I know for a fact I haven't had much luck with fleas on long casts, to the point that I distinctly recall a few times where I've reeled them in still intact when it was time to re-bait.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

Carolina Rebel said:


> I'm a once-or-twice a year surf fisherman at this point, but I generally get into the fish. I'll have baits out everywhere from in the suds on 7 ft rods, to over the breakers on a Team Alabama 13 ft rod.
> 
> I'm not going to give up on sand fleas, but I just don't seem to do as well with them. When quality fish around, I haven't noticed a difference in take rate on fleas vs. shrimp. Of course if that ever changes even once on a trip, it's worth the effort.
> 
> ...


once you buy a SF rake the fleas are free the rest of your life and is the natural choice but sometimes I will do better on shrimp ( which you will have to buy forever ) but most of the time I do better on SF


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## SNUFFY (Mar 23, 2004)

All I use are sand fleas and my friend Steve at Right on 12 calls me the mullet man.
Michael


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

SE NC Citation Pomp Chaser here: I'm no expert and sure many people on this board can outfish me, but If live fleas are around, that is the ONLY bait I am fishing on my rods (4-6 usually, baits put all different depths - but always 2 rods out FAR). I have fished super fresh shrimp / fresh clam (both killed right there on the beach, can't get fresher than that), salted shrimp, salted fresh clam (in kosher salt the night before in the fridge), fishbites (all flavors: EZ flea, shrimp/crab/clam in all colors, IMO, bloodworm), even small crabs (e.g. live fiddlers). I have caught on all baits and sure I catch plenty of mullets & pomps on shrimp & fishbites, but if I want "real pomps" (over 2-3 lbs) and mullet almost the size of lower slot puppy drum live fleas will get it done 10:1 compared to other baits at the beaches I frequent. If bait stealers are thick (and peck the fleas off the hook) then I go to fishbites by necessity, not by choice. I used to be a die hard shrimp fisherman and didn't believe in fleas for a long time as I never really gave them a try - then fished only fleas for a year and my catch rate went down but I could not believe the quality of fish I was pulling in. Never looked back. When I'm not lazy I will tip my flea with fishbites but no real need IMO when the water is clear. On the flat beaches I fish a flea put waaay out and this will pull in the largest mullet and pomps (4-5lbs) I have ever seen from this beach. On steeper beaches I'll keep it closer in. YMMV.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Flea gods, how are you fishing them? I've tried naked fleas, two fleas at a time, a big gob of fleas, fleas far out and close in. Fleas with just a little orange fishbite to simulate eggs. Have been doing this for years and am yet to catch a fish on a flea. My go to is a postage stamp sized piece of cutbait, cut in the shape of a flag, hooked in the wide end. Most always catch with the piece of cutbait. Don't recall ever having a bite on a flea.
Fishing with no steel, just knots, either double drop or a river type rig. Tiny circles.
Please give up your secrets.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> Flea gods, how are you fishing them? I've tried naked fleas, two fleas at a time, a big gob of fleas, fleas far out and close in. Fleas with just a little orange fishbite to simulate eggs. Have been doing this for years and am yet to catch a fish on a flea. My go to is a postage stamp sized piece of cutbait, cut in the shape of a flag, hooked in the wide end. Most always catch with the piece of cutbait. Don't recall ever having a bite on a flea.
> Fishing with no steel, just knots, either double drop or a river type rig. Tiny circles.
> Please give up your secrets.


That's about it. I use 25 lb fluoro, 2 #4 Owner Mutu hooks, and a 3 oz sinker on light bendy rods.

One rod about 10 feet out especially at high tide on sharp sloping beaches, one in the trough, one on the bar, one behind the bar.

Sounds like a case of needing to fish where the fish are. You can't help but catch whiting/sea mullet doing it.


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## Eltonjohn (Aug 1, 2018)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> Flea gods, how are you fishing them? I've tried naked fleas, two fleas at a time, a big gob of fleas, fleas far out and close in. Fleas with just a little orange fishbite to simulate eggs. Have been doing this for years and am yet to catch a fish on a flea. My go to is a postage stamp sized piece of cutbait, cut in the shape of a flag, hooked in the wide end. Most always catch with the piece of cutbait. Don't recall ever having a bite on a flea.
> Fishing with no steel, just knots, either double drop or a river type rig. Tiny circles.
> Please give up your secrets.


If the ocean is nice I like fishing an ultralight rod with just a pinch weight and a #4 mutu light hook. Medium sized eggy fleas hooked through the claw and out the back, then i pinch the butt to get more scent going. Wait until you feel the weight of the fish and come tight and reel her in. Don't try to set the hook on the bites. Cast right in the trough next to the shore. The fish are eating the fleas as they are washed out by waves


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## Gorge (Jun 13, 2017)

Medium sized fleas with a small piece of orange ez flea on a river rig. in close or on the edge of a rip current.


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## River (Sep 30, 2006)

Some fisherman use too much weight, they throw a little to far past the edge and it stays there .... use a lighter sinker, like 2 or 2.5 oz and the current will move it to the edge and it'll lay there where the fish are, if it washs up increase your weight a little ..... don't worry so much about slack in your line ... it'll straighten out when the fish takes it .... the wind can also play a big part in moving it to the edge ...... if you're several foot out from the edge or the drop you may not catch a thing ..... the fish are facing the wash or running into the wash to get fleas .... they don't have eyes in their tails ....


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

"they don't have eyes in their tails "...

They also do not have mail boxes....I learned 55 years ago from a Flounder Fisherman who took pity on an 11 year old Garbo fishing Kitty Hawk beach with a two hook pyramid sinker hold it in place rig. He handed me a handful of Flounder Belly cut into long triangles and showed me his Flounder Rig. It was one thin Aberdeen gold hook on a two foot trace and a 1/2 ounce egg sinker. This Flounder pro would walk every morning fishing the first Drop almost exclusively and every morning he would have some nice Flounders in his sack he carried on his belt. He walked generally a mile or so each fishable morning. He is long dead likely as I am now his age. He was the Flounder Man....just flicked his bait behind the wave and let it drift.

Too many people these days set up CAMP and stay in the same spot all day long. The Fish move in and out and down the beach unless you have a secret cut in the bar scoped out and I ran into Fish like a Girl parked on one a few years back, the cut formed into a 20 feet hole right on the beach on Ramp 43. Water was Clear and Blue and some nice fish came out of that hole until it filled in with storm swell. 

River and Fish like a Girl and her assistant Husband Bronzie wrote the book on this style of fishing the Flea thing I mean for Pomps and Sea Mullet. They designed rigs rods and put the time in when Garbo was off doing something else......like bumming Sea Mullet Heads....


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

CAMP is good when you have Kids and a Hottie to look after but we are serious fishermen..Right?


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Many thanks Gents. As far as doing other things Garbo, did a run to False Cape a few years ago. Sea was like a mirror. Bass boy had done the walk down from the ranger station by way of the beach and hauled a cast net so we had live mullet. 50+" incher liked the look of the live mullet. It carried the man a way down the beach, You never know...


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## slosh (Jul 1, 2017)

OP here -- very helpful replies, thank you everyone!

This has definitely enlightened me. So without a doubt sand fleas work, but I'll be making some changes next time I hit the beach. I am on the beach with wife and 2 young boys 95% of the time, so I have to "camp". I still tend to catch fish, but could do much better. I learned awhile back to focus on/inside the first break for the type of fish I'm after. Mostly I'm throwing 1 - 2 oz. sinkers on no-hardware dropper rigs, sometimes fluoro, with small Owner circles. Some takeaways/things to try from this post:

Crush the rear of the flea before casting
Use a smaller sinker where possible
If the sinker drifts a little and then stops after the cast, you are where you need to be. If it's washing up, go with a heavier sinker.
Instead of fishing 3-4 small rods next trip, I may fish one rod with a lighter sinker and walk with it down the beach a little ways. 

In any fishing situation where you can get a bait to move naturally with the current, you tend to catch fish. Even more so if the bait can bounce along the bottom. This works throwing bucktails to stripers in tailraces, I've caught flounder in inlets and on the beach that way, and now that I think about it.......In 2016, my 10 year-old nephew was on the beach with me at Topsail. The wind picked up, and the 2 oz. weight on his rod wouldn't hold bottom. I set him up with a sand flea on one of my bottom rigs, and told him to walk down the beach so that the line stayed straight in front of him. He hooked up pretty quickly and I helped him land a decent black drum.

My dumb self didn't think to keep trying that approach. 

Will be giving it a shot this weekend, we'll see!


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## LuvSurfFishing (Apr 10, 2009)

SNUFFY said:


> All I use are sand fleas and my friend Steve at Right on 12 calls me the mullet man.
> Michael
> View attachment 66849
> View attachment 66850
> ...


Absolutely Beautiful! I lifed in Cocoa Beach FL and literally fed my family off these. Bulls. Nice work. Where were you fishing?


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## Mumbo_Pungo (Dec 8, 2014)

This past may at cape lookout fleas were the only thing working. Shrimp, cut bait, and squid did nothing. 

Other times it does t seem to matter. 

My personal opinion is that fleas work better in the spring since they are more plentiful than shrimp and other bait fish. It's what the fish are naturally targeting. In the fall shrimp works just as good if not better. Especially as the year goes on. It's what is around and the fish are targeting. It's why you see the big shrimp boats off the beach in the fall/winter. That's just my thoughts anyways.


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## SNUFFY (Mar 23, 2004)

LuvSurfFishing said:


> Absolutely Beautiful! I lifed in Cocoa Beach FL and literally fed my family off these. Bulls. Nice work. Where were you fishing?





LuvSurfFishing said:


> Absolutely Beautiful! I lifed in Cocoa Beach FL and literally fed my family off these. Bulls. Nice work. Where were you fishing?


Cape Hatteras
Thanks,
Michael


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## SpinnerPep (Jul 11, 2020)

Cant argue with those pics Snuffy put on...I plan on going down to one of the beaches soon...sand fleas for me


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## SNUFFY (Mar 23, 2004)

LuvSurfFishing said:


> Absolutely Beautiful! I lifed in Cocoa Beach FL and literally fed my family off these. Bulls. Nice work. Where were you fishing?


Ramp 49 at Frisco.
Snuffy


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## fishiker (Dec 10, 2015)

We stayed in Kitty Hawk last week. Plans were mostly to spend time with my family relaxing on the beach. First day I caught so many mullet that I had the rest of the group fishing the next morning. I think everyone except for my mother in law caught more fish than ever before. We were using rigs I tied using 17 lb fluorocarbon with #4 Kahle hooks and 1 oz coin disk sinkers. We fished with fishbites, fresh shrimp, cut bait, and squid but sand fleas outfished all of them combined. 
Father in law is a big fish eater and it's not often he tells me to stop putting fish in his cooler. I heard it several times last week.


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## Crossboss10 (Jul 23, 2020)

SmoothLures said:


> That's about it. I use 25 lb fluoro, 2 #4 Owner Mutu hooks, and a 3 oz sinker on light bendy rods.
> 
> One rod about 10 feet out especially at high tide on sharp sloping beaches, one in the trough, one on the bar, one behind the bar.
> 
> Sounds like a case of needing to fish where the fish are. You can't help but catch whiting/sea mullet doing it.


Amateur here. Is the trough usually where the waves break at low tide if you’re fishing high tide? Also, how do you suggest getting your line behind the bar? I’ve got a decent throw but can only get it about 60yards. 9 foot pole with 3oz weight. Need a longer pole or is the bar just too far on certain N.C. beaches?


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## retired (Oct 20, 2016)

Just got back from a second week spent on the OBX this summer. I have long ago quit fishing heavy rods for summer fishing. Mostly use 8-10 ft 1/2 oz to 3 oz rods. Small 2500-3000 size reels. If its to rough for 3 oz I just relax and fish later. I really fished the sand fleas hard for a few days. NADA...not much happening. Few small pomps and occasional catch of something small. I tried the routine stuff like blood worms,cut bait from various species and of course shrimp, live and as bought fresh. On a whim I tried bag o worms fish bites. BINGO. After I ran through 2 bags of those I had I determined more than any thing it was the bright color. The bright orange shrimp fishbites worked as well. Caught at least couple cooler fulls of croakers and mullet. I kept about 10-15 of the biggest and the rest lived for another day. Don't give up.............


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## retired (Oct 20, 2016)

I forgot to note as well the fish hung around max range for these rods which is probably 75-100 yds max. I did ride around at low tide the day before and find a bar which is hidden most of the time. Most probably never saw it. Get off that bar 30-40 yards and the fish catching stopped dead ............


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## Eltonjohn (Aug 1, 2018)

@Crossboss10 The "trough" is the drop off between the beach and the first sandbar. Sometimes its narrow like a ditch sometimes its giant. Most of the fish are eating the fles as they are washed off the shore so cast out about 10ft and use as natural of a presentation as possible in clear summer water...A cool way to get an idea on patterning fish is to throw on a dive mask and fins and look around on a clear day.


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## Howie (Nov 24, 2019)

Crossboss10 said:


> Amateur here. Is the trough usually where the waves break at low tide if you’re fishing high tide? Also, how do you suggest getting your line behind the bar? I’ve got a decent throw but can only get it about 60yards. 9 foot pole with 3oz weight. Need a longer pole or is the bar just too far on certain N.C. beaches?


It's the ditch between the bars.
If you've got a good 9' and can only throw 60 yard, google surf casting, watch some NC men throw that thing out towards England or Spain, and go from there.
Learning how to spot water, and also find good water you can reach with your gear/ capabilities is key.


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## Happy Hours (Aug 5, 2020)

Interesting topic, I too use Fleas and have good luck with them.

I have a question concerning Sand Fleas. I was told that Sand Fleas are more abundant in areas where the beach is more sandy rather than rocky. Do you find this to be true?


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## Gorge (Jun 13, 2017)

Yes


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## phillyguy (Aug 9, 2010)

I wouldn’t know if they are over rated. I can’t get them to stay on the hook for more than three seconds.


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## Happy Hours (Aug 5, 2020)

not hooking them right, there's a little black spot underneath between the legs, hooks go in there and out thru the top of the shell


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