# WBB - Crab Identification Guide



## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Seems to me that there are many species of crabs swimming and walking around the coast that can be used as bait for tog, so I thought I would throw up some info. 

Here are some of the more common crabs available in our area:

1) Green Crab - Available in most bait shops. This is an invasive species which seems to have made a foothold here, but are not really welcome. Excess bait should not be released into the wild. If you can, look for the sooks (the mature females that have an orange belly with a round skirt). These have an orange jelly looking stuff that I believe is called "slocum", but couldn't find anything about it. Anyway, whatever it is, the tog love it.










2) Sand Flea - Also known as Mole Crab, these average around 3 cm long and live/burrow in the sand near shore. To catch these, you need to dig them up or sift them out using a sand flea rake. They make a great early season bait and can be caught all summer long and through early fall. In the summer time, the females carry an orange mass of eggs between their legs. These are the best ones for tog. They can be kept frozen and used at a later time without losing much of it's effectiveness. It was too cold to go catching these guys right now, so I don't have a picture of one.

3) Asian Shore Crab - These crabs are absolut crack for tog. They are my favorite bait. Usually found under rocks, these guys are semi aquatic, meaning they prefer to stay at the waters edge and crawl around. Like most of the crabs on the list, they are not true swimmers.










4) Lady Crab - Sometimes incorrectly referred to as a speckled crab. This crab makes a lot of noise when you catch him. They have rough plates on the underside of their shell that they rub with their claw to make a clicking noise. Although similar in shape to the rock crab, these crabs are easily identified by their back fin. The back fin is shaped like a paddle, kind of like the back fin of a blue crab. The lady crab is a good swimmer and is purely an aquatic crab. 










5) Atlantic Rock Crab - Also know by many as a "white legger". These guys can get pretty big. I've caught them up to 10 cm wide. They are a preferred bait for early season tog from boats. Notice that it's back fin is just like the rest of it's legs. These guys can be caught in the traditional manner with a 2 ring trap baited with chicken, bluefish, or tog bones. 










6) Spider Crab - Looks like a snow crab. Very slow moving and usually covered with algea. I've never tried using one for tog. They get pretty big and they pinch hard. Didn't catch one this weekend, so I don't have a picture.

7) Fiddler Crab - These crabs have a single large claw and a much smaller claw. They are land dwellers and are great bait for sheepshead. 

8) Blue Crab - Everyone knows what this one is. If you live in Maryland and don't know what one looks like, then move to Virginia. The sooks make the best bait. Often times, this is the only crab available in the early season. Once better crabs become available, the blue crab is seldom used.

9) Aquatic Hermit Crab - Probably the most plentiful and easily caught bait crab. I've heard of people using them from boats. They are soft and don't cast too well, so I don't have any experience with them. Don't confuse these with the cute crabs you see in pet shops. These live strictly in the water and sometimes reach a size as big as my fist, although the average size is less than the size of a quarter. 

9) Horseshoe Crab - This is a useless crab. 










Here's a group photo of some of the crabs so you can see their relative size.


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Great write up FB  ... You know some day that useless crab may save your life


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

"crabs, crabs, crabs, crabs.....crabs, crabs, crabs, crabs.......CRABS....wonderful crabs!" think monty python (spam...wonderful spam). 
good post!


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

I give the report a B+. The pictures are C- (Ghostcrab is having a fit right now) 

I heard that they use the blood from the horseshoe crab for cancer research . . . so yeah Tom, who knows, one of these days they might be pumpin' Fishbait full of horseshoe crab blood after he fell off a rock and bust open his head  LOL

Nice job on the write up, we needed this!!!!


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Ghost Crab


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

#4 is also referred to as a Calico Crab


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

excellent write up... should be moved to main forum... 

you forgot blue crab, dugeonouse crab, king crab, chinese buffet crab and etc...


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

hengstthomas said:


> Ghost Crab


These guys are strictly land crabs. They walk very fast and are hard for a guy like me to catch (ie. very slow). Anyone ever tossed one out as bait?


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

hengstthomas said:


> #4 is also referred to as a Calico Crab


I was a little hesitant to bring up that name since I've heard guys refer to #3 (asian shore crab) and #4 (lady crab) as calico crabs, so I wasn't sure if that name was common enough. Sometimes guys call the lady crab a white legger too.


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## LiteTackleChamp (Jul 29, 2005)

nice post, i think it may be bible worthy


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## mantriumph (Sep 12, 2006)

*9) Horseshoe Crab - This is a useless crab.*

depends on your healthcare provider


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## okimavich (Nov 13, 2006)

I believe the male horseshoe crab is used for blue crab bait in the Chesapeake. The female is used for blood related medical research.

I may have the sexes reversed. But they're quite useful, if not edible.


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## chump (Jul 18, 2005)

Bible Bible Bible


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## TitusV (Mar 29, 2007)

Thats a pretty big ghost crab. Ive caught them on AI in the middle of the night. Mainly by shining a light on them to keep em still for a bit. Then when I get close enough I pounce on them. Ive caught some that were pretty big, ~3 in diameter bodies. I used a couple for bait too. Hook always came back empty so I know something likes em.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

The calico crab is a known delicacy for drum. If you find 'em, bait 'em up!


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Fishbreath said:


> The calico crab is a known delicacy for drum. If you find 'em, bait 'em up!


Fishbreath, are you talking about crab #3 or #4?


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Bible please !!!


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## ashtonmj (Apr 26, 2007)

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/invasives/#pis

So Green crabs are listed as invasives and prohibited from transport. So transport from the bait shop to the bulkhead??? If that is illegal then why bother to allow their sale. Or is transportation mean from the wild (collected by Joe Public) to the bulkhead, which might as well be possession ban unless you catch it and put it on a hook and don't transport from point A to point B? Or from one body of water to another, a general statement made on the page, which means if you bought it in on the coastal drainage and used it on the coastal drainage you'd be okay. Me thinks this is another situation where someone didn't think the regulation through and clarify it enough and it's then twice as hard to correct it. The aquatic nuisance species regulation link also only deals with finfish and aquaculture.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*interesting*

Thats pretty cool.


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

hey Ruedogg, can we nominate this for the bible?


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

Why put a crab id guide in the bible? What's next, a worm guide?


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Come now Husky, you should put up a guide as well . . . maybe "Smokin' Mod Pole for dummies" or "Knee pad replacement 101" opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

HuskyMD said:


> Why put a crab id guide in the bible? What's next, a worm guide?


objectively speaking, this guide would be helpful to those who are catching bait for togs or other fish that like to eat crabs. Its a reference. 

I always wondered what white leggers were or speckled crab... now I know.

If you want to put together a difference between bloodworms, nitro worm, earth worm, night crawlers and etc... that would be helful too, especially if you say what kind of fish you can catch with it.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

fingersandclaws said:


> Come now Husky, you should put up a guide as well . . . maybe "Smokin' Mod Pole for dummies" or "Knee pad replacement 101" opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:


Right, I have no idea what you just said. None.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

OK, before this thread gets derailed and devolves into a shouting match that ends in 5 warnings, a couple of suspensions, and a permaban, let's go back to the topic at hand. How about a bit about procurement, capture, storage, care, and use in a fishing application? Pics are great, but Google has pics. I come to P&S for the info! 

I'd like to offer that green crabs stink something awful, so take extreme care not leaving one in the trunk


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

AtlantaKing said:


> How about a bit about procurement, capture, storage, care, and use in a fishing application?


All of these crabs with the exception of the horseshoe crab are good for tog. All of them can be caught right here in MD or Delaware (near the ocean). Green crabs and sandfleas are easiest to purchase in local bait and tackle shops. I've never seen atlantic rock crabs, (white leggers), lady crabs (calico), asian shore crabs, fiddlers, spiders, and hermits on sale in the bait and tackle shops I go to. You will need to catch those on your own. Blue crabs are available in tons of places, but are usually cheapest in asian grocery stores. Horseshoe crabs, as stated earlier have absolutely no use. I should note that they are illegal to harvest in Delaware. 

As far as keeping them alive and storing them:

1) Put them in a sealable plastic container. 
2) Make sure they are comfortable and not overcrowded. 
3) Place the container in your freezer so they don't over heat. 
4) Heat is the enemy of crabs! 
5) Make a reservation for the first week in March on the Morning Star.
6) Take crabs out of the freezer on the morning of your trip.
7) Meet me at the dock and I will help you cull out any that are no longer alive. You can give the dead ones to me. 
8) Proceed to the boat and catch a record breaking fish, thus bringing the title of state record holder back where it belongs.


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## old linesides (Oct 6, 2006)

Spider Crab These work great for tog on a snafu rig :


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

*Spider Crab*
The Common Spider Crab (Libinia emarginata)
This slow-walking scavenger is found along the entire East Coast. Harmless to humans and not particularly aggressive in general, the spider crab's main defense against predators is camouflage: the hook-like hairs on the crab's shell (carapace) hold algae and other small debris in place.

I've used these crabs with mixed results from the shore(IRI). You put the entire crab on the hook.


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## F I LetsGoFishin (Apr 24, 2007)

SeaSalt said:


> *Spider Crab*
> The Common Spider Crab (Libinia emarginata)
> This slow-walking scavenger is found along the entire East Coast. Harmless to humans and not particularly aggressive in general, the spider crab's main defense against predators is camouflage: the hook-like hairs on the crab's shell (carapace) hold algae and other small debris in place.
> 
> I've used these crabs with mixed results from the shore(IRI). You put the entire crab on the hook.


Down here we commonly catch these by looking inside the large cabbagehead jellyfish that wash up with the tide.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Spider crabs are surprisingly strong, especially given how slow they move. I have caught some big enough to wrap their legs half way around a basketball. The safest way to pick these guys up is to hold on to the top of their shell. Holding them by the backfin area (like we do with most crabs) is a sure way to get pinched.


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## akoustic (Dec 12, 2012)

can i ask for help on what species of crab is this?


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## walkerscove (Nov 14, 2012)

Looks to be a Chinese hairy crab


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