Sheephead bait

[hof]

I need some info on sheephead bait. I normally used these crab that I catch under rocks and oyster bed during low tide for sheephead. Are these crab call mud crab or are they baby stone crab.I'm just confuse if I'm allow to used these crab for bait.

Thanks

[filletnrelease]

To be honest hof, the juvinile stone crab looks very much like the mud crab. I have been using them for many years and never been questioned on what was in my bait bucket. Try digging some blood worms at low tide, they are usually about the best sheepie bait you can get. They will turn your fingers a yellow brown color, but it will wear off in time. Ha Ha.

[hof]

Thanks for the info. How can I tell the diffrent from a mud crab and a baby stone crab.

Thanks

[popo]

hof,

Click on this link to Cap Mel forum and scroll down. You will see how to tell the difference between the two.

forums.capmel.com/tool/post/capmel/vpost?id=3147782&trail=30

[inshorebasher]

i dunno i always refered to them as fiddler crabs because they play the fiddle lol j/k!

[eaglesfanguy]

lol

[SkyJay]

Good post!

Look at the pics...

The Baby Stone Crabs are thicker, and more rounded/heavy bodied. The claws are usually more colorful, and displayed in a passive manner.

The Oyster Crab, Mud Crab, or Rock Crab if you will, is flatter, not as colorful, alot more agressive, and more at home on dry land.

Also as shown in the pick the Stone Crab's underbelliy is more "SpiderLike", with the legs tucked in tight to the body, wheras, the other ones extend their legs upon capture, and try to escape with all they got.