[Capt. Marc]

Hi,

you may want to do a little research on the best places to catch them and time of the year not that they probably travel very far.

The species your after is the flat-clawed hermit crab "Pagurus pollicaris".

Here is a link to a pic and some info.
http://www.enature.com just put in the name in the search box.

Capt. Marc

 

[Capt. Marc]

jat56,

I have fished on the smithtown reef many times for blackfish and I believe you have to be right on top of them in order to catch.

They aren't so fussy and they will hit a fresh green crab cut in 1/2 as well as a hermit crab. Those days that you did well with hermits, you may have been in the right hole.

I agree with some of the other posts and dragging a scallop dredge is probably not to wise besides it will cause more harm to the bottom (mussels, alge, etc) then the reward of a few hermit crabs.

If you firmly believe that hermits are the way to go try a double hook rig and put a hermit on one hook and a green on the other. Keep score and you probably won't see much of a difference but you never know.

Good luck

Capt. Marc

 

[Capt. Marc]

Hi,

I think a few posts are refering to fiddeler crabs. As far as I know, hermit crabs don't burrow and are most often found in Moon snail. shells.



Capt. Marc