# Sand Flea Scooper



## piscesman (Apr 18, 2009)

Well I finally made a sand flea scoop. Hoping to use it in Myrtle Beach next month. How deep do you have to scoop the sand for the fleas??? I know the flea production went down during the beach reclaimation but is it coming back??? Need to know as I want to try them live for fish in the surf instead of the frozen ones. Thanks for any help...........
Kim:fishing::fishing:


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## moose22dog (Feb 17, 2010)

not that deep at all just look for ripples in the sand when the wave retreats, thats them!! i just use my hands.


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## SALTSHAKER (Dec 5, 2002)

If I don't use my hands I use half of a kelly trap and that works well. A sure fire way to produce them is sic the grand kids on the hunt, works every time and takes it easy on the old mans back.... salt


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## beady (Oct 25, 2008)

We do same way half a kelly trap or hands as they are not down far at all. last year they were plentiful all season and caught
many fish using them and mud minnows.....


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## piscesman (Apr 18, 2009)

Thanks for the help. Don't have grandkids so I'll have to find them myself. I have seen ripples but thought it may be old shells rolling back out with the tide. Just adding some finishing touches to it so all goes well. Who knows I may scoop up some jewery at the same time.:fishing:
Kim


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## holland (Apr 25, 2009)

I bought a scooper last year and it was a great investment I can catch enough when I find a bed in 2 scoops to last a couple of days. Steal 2 sets of tupaware bowls from your wife set 1 inside the other drill holes in the 1 on top and put the fleas in it keep them moist and empty the bottom 1when all the toxins fill it up and keep them out of the sun in your cooler good luck hope this helps i have had a few so dont pay any attetion to my spelling


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## moose22dog (Feb 17, 2010)

:beer: ME TOO...LOL


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## jtsurf (Nov 28, 2010)

Night time is the best time to catch them. They are more active and just slightly below the surface. They move fast, but there should be hundreds of them. I usually just dig down with my hands and can grab 10 at a time. Look around the water tide line. Just keep them cool in a bucket with moist sand and they will last forever, don't put them in water. 

Take a one ounce or lighter weight, put above 20 inches of line. Hook one flea and throw out into the first channel. Let the flea drift along the channel naturally. Many fish are waiting for the waves to wash fleas out of the sand and into the channel. Stripers, flounder, ect. The best time to fish them is at night, again because that is when the fleas are all bunched up and active. 

Probably my favorite bait.


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## piscesman (Apr 18, 2009)

Thanks again for all the help. Finished the Flea-Flicker up this AM. Used pop-rivots to hold the s-cleat to the screen for added strength. NOW I may need a few since I accidentally nicked my finger while holding the s-cleat to drill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I can figure how to post pictures here I'll give it a try..............
Kim:beer::beer::beer::beer::--|:fishing::fishing:


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Sandfleas are a funny thing. While I respect all the opinions given here, I have to tell you that some of it may discourage you at first. Here is why:

Sometimes the fleas are up on the beach - sometimes they aren't. Sometimes they lie just below the surface, and sometimes they are entrenched. I dig them all by hand, and I find that when the fleas are there, they are out in force. When they aren't readily visible at a glance, you are gonna work to find them. (and the big ones are smart - that's how they lived to get big)

I don't know where you live, or what your conditions are, so I don't want to knock any advice. I just want to warn you that sometimes they are SUPER easy to find, and sometimes, you have an easier time winning the lottery. On a good day, when the tide is right, and they come out to play, I can fill a shoebox with hand-picked fleas in about 20 minutes. (catching them by hand) On other days, I could bring a dredge to the beach, and still get skunked. So, use ALL available advice, and don't forget any of it. You never know when you might need to resort to obscure knowledge regarding these little critters.

I live in East Central Florida. We have had a bit of a "flea drought" for the last year-and-a-half in our area. I have learned a lot in that time. (where I used to just take for granted that there would be fleas anytime I wanted them)


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## hifu (Aug 3, 2006)

last summer fleas were the bait of choice, i fished every week 3 to 4 days in a row, when the water was shallow you could find the fleas easily in the wash, but like solid7 said, they could be a real bugger to locate when the water got big, seemed like they hung up high and then u had to dig deep


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## jtsurf (Nov 28, 2010)

Yep they can be hard to find, if your not getting that many you need to move, I might walk quite a ways until I find the school of them. I'd rather wear out my legs rather than my back. You will defiently know when you see them. I also walk barefoot and use my feet to feel them.
At night, during days around the full moon are the best time to catch and fish them.
I believe they are spawning or molting? 
During the days I look around jetties, piers, Etc. 
Also you want the ones with the orange egg sacks.


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