How to catch red eye crab

[roberts01]

So i found 2 red eye crabs, one is small and one is really large, i tried to catch him with tweezers and day 4 with glass and food - he is not interested in going in to the glass. And he is really shy it is so rare that i see him outside of his layer under the rock. And also i have not seen any damage from him.

Any other tricks on how to catch him?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

You may be able to "fish" him out of his hole with a tough piece of squid or something smelly tied to some light, clear fishing line (5lb test or smaller if available). When the crab gets interested you should be able to lure him out of the hole. At that point I would let him grab the food and then you can pull him up away from the rock and catch him in a net.

That's how we catch blue crabs here on the gulf coast and it is often very fruitful.

 

[Oldsalt01]

You may be able to "fish" him out of his hole with a tough piece of squid or something smell tied to some light, clear fishing line (5lb test or smaller if available). When the crab gets interested you should be able to lure him out of the hole. At that point I would let him grab the food and then you can pull him up away from the rock and catch him in a net.

That's how we catch blue crabs here on the gulf coast and it is often very fruitful.

I used to use the same technique for blues on Chesapeake Bay. Once he's latched on to the bait, raise it slowly off the bottom and just slowly ease the net under it. Quick movements will make him release and scoot back into his hole.