Monster sand flea photo - but no surf perch at sunset beach

I tried surf casting for 5 hours with no bites but dug up the largest sand flea I've ever seen. I need to figure out surf casting. Check out the photo it was crazy big and more impressive in person. That's what she said.

Sand crab?

If that's s flea be looking out for the feral ghouls and super mutants!! 

I dug a massive one at pismo this year.

That's just a giant sand crab

It's a big female sand crab.  I have found them about the size of a golf ball.

I dug a massive one at pismo this year.

Woah!!! Either you have trump hands or that thing is a beast! 😄

-Eliot

I'll bite your head off, be careful

Mole Crab.

Sand fleas are tiny and look sorta like shrimp. Separate sub species from sand crabs.

Sand crabs and Mole crabs look the same, and I think even are the same subspecies.  Local experts (9 and 11 yr old perch fishermen) recently ID'd the giant sandcrab to me as a "Mole Crab."  I had never seen one before.  They are quite impressive.

Bushy

Look at all the roe in that monster!

If mole crabs get that big hate to see the size of surf perch that will eat it!!!!

Mole Crab.

Sand fleas are tiny and look sorta like shrimp. Separate sub species from sand crabs.

Sand crabs and Mole crabs look the same, and I think even are the same subspecies.  Local experts (9 and 11 yr old perch fishermen) recently ID'd the giant sandcrab to me as a "Mole Crab."  I had never seen one before.  They are quite impressive.

Bushy

^^ This... I've seen em around the beaches my whole life, they used to scare the ... outta me, now I get a kick out of when I can find em.. seems like they're more prevalent in warmer waters.. They only come around ever so often, but as stated before... I would wonder what size of a striper would take one of these (if they even would)...

Thanks for the share, its not too often you see photos of them still alive, mainly just shells, however lately here in SC there's been quite a few.. not so fun to step on barefoot!

Growing up in Southern California use to play with them in the surf as a kid. They would tickle your hand with their little feet.

Mole Crab.

Sand fleas are tiny and look sorta like shrimp. Separate sub species from sand crabs.

Weellllll.... because bsteves isn't here, I'll step in and get on the pedantic pedestal. Sand fleas aren't a different sub-species than mole crabs. They aren't co-specific, neither do they share the same genus nor even family.

Sand Fleas - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talitridae
Mole Crabs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerita_(genus)

As to the OP - That is one big mama mole crab. Never seen any that big. Maybe it's a trophy ??

Scott

Scot Thornley!!!!!!