Tuna Crabs are Back

[Baja_Traveler]

Just got some intel from a dive buddy who dove La Jolla shores last night. At 50-100 feet he came upon a several hundred yard patch of solid tuna crabs. No sign of any washing ashore.
Conditions are already looking up for a hot spring bite!

[Sivak]

True, I was out both Friday and Saturday and saw them. Birds were feasting on them non stop throughout the day.

[makobob]

WSB LOVE them, just another positive sign. Tight Lines.

[Phishphood]

Saw them when I was otw last Thursday. Birds and a few giant macs on them. Dove today off lj point to 40 feet, didn't see any crabs.

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[DPevin]

I hear people talk about catching them and using them as bait. What is the best way to do that? Just scoop them up and bait them on a hook like you would squid or cut bait?

[stevie951]

Went out on the Dana Pride yesterday for a 3/4 day and they where all over the water column especially down south near the Power plant in San O... At times you could see them on the surface.. The Deck hands and Captain claimed it shut down the bite but I'm fully convinced now Dana Wharf has crap numbers for their local half and 3/4 day trips... Every angler got about 5 rockfish but can the tuna crab really shut down the rock fish bite 200 feet down?

[PapaDave]

Originally Posted by DPevin

I hear people talk about catching them and using them as bait. What is the best way to do that? Just scoop them up and bait them on a hook like you would squid or cut bait?

I was on an overnighter for rock fish last week and the fish were coughing up the crabs. I put one on a hook, sent it down and it did get bit.

Also, on a Colonet trip, the fish in 150' were stuffed full of crabs and didn't want to bite, while the fish at 250' were hungry and bit like crazy. So yeah, the crabs can shut down a bite.

[octico]

Originally Posted by stevie951

Went out on the Dana Pride yesterday for a 3/4 day and they where all over the water column especially down south near the Power plant in San O... At times you could see them on the surface.. The Deck hands and Captain claimed it shut down the bite but I'm fully convinced now Dana Wharf has crap numbers for their local half and 3/4 day trips... Every angler got about 5 rockfish but can the tuna crab really shut down the rock fish bite 200 feet down?

Yes they can, i have seen it happen.

[dos ballenas]

FYI the red crabs never left..... have been here year round past few years. In fact they are spread all the way up to Oregon.

[taggermike]

Any big influx of food can impact the bite. Fish can get totally focused on a particular food item. I've seen yellows get on krill and tiny paper match sized dines and they would even look at any thing else. Can't really "match the hatch" with baits that tiny. Crabs may be the same. Mike

[Phishphood]

Dove la jolla shores last night. Starting around 35ft down to at least 60ft there was a pretty dang thick carpet of them. Stretched for longer than I was swimming the edge of the canyon

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[Harry Hill]

I saw big clouds of something on my ff and thought it might be the crabs at Dana Point, never saw any on the surface

[King Saba]

Originally Posted by DPevin

I hear people talk about catching them and using them as bait. What is the best way to do that? Just scoop them up and bait them on a hook like you would squid or cut bait?

I thread a mosquito hook through their tails or just simply hooked the end of the tails. They're not the most durable bait, but damn do the bass love em'!

[goldenglory18]

Anyone have a picture of these things or a scientific name? I tried to google tuna crabs and the results were very NSFW...

- KT

[Denis_Ruso]

Originally Posted by goldenglory18

Anyone have a picture of these things or a scientific name? I tried to google tuna crabs and the results were very NSFW...

- KT

Pelagic Red Crab

[goldenglory18]

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

Pelagic Red Crab

Awesome. Time to go buy some plastics!

[chris138]

No crabs in LJ brah

[GregAndrew]

I can't remember a day otw in the last couple of years that I have not either seen, video'd or metered them. Sometimes on the surface, and sometimes on the bottom. And they can be stratified at any depth of the water column. Sometimes they are spread thru the entire water column.

[alfsteur]

FYI, last Summer these pelagic red crabs also decided to invade Mission Bay by the millions ... haven't seen them there yet this year, but that might be coming as well.

[rossman]

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

I can't remember a day otw in the last couple of years that I have not either seen, video'd or metered them. Sometimes on the surface, and sometimes on the bottom. And they can be stratified at any depth of the water column. Sometimes they are spread thru the entire water column.

I'm seeing the same thing down here in Mexico for the past couple years. What I am noticing is that when they are stratified at some point mid column, you can look for subtle changes in the stratification of the bait that would indicate some predator fish in the mix. The line of crabs could suddenly get denser, or form bulge, or you will see some breaks in an otherwise steady line of bait. I also feel I have had more success not trying to match the hatch. In the case of Yellowtail, I don't believe these red crab are their favorite food and I have more success ripping something sardine or mackerel colored through them to trigger a strike.