Last few weeks noticed the red and sheepshead action had slowed down considerably. Bottom fished from shore for about 7 hours yesterday using fiddlers on light tackle. Picked up one 13’ blackdrum that I released and a 15" Sheephead that I kept. When cleaning it I found that it’s stomach was jam packed with horseshoe crab eggs. The horseshoe crabs are spawning in the creeks big time and must be putting out a glut of eggs for everything to get stuffed on.
Very interesting!
I’m interested to see if any of our marine biologist friends on here would shed some light on this interesting theory…
From Wikipedia (also states they lay eggs on beach areas spring through fall, initially triggered by rising temps):
Their eggs were eaten by Native Americans,[4] but today Atlantic horseshoe crabs are caught for use as fishing bait, in biomedicine (especially for Limulus amebocyte lysate) and science.[1] They play a major role in the local ecosystems, with their eggs providing an important food source for shorebirds, and the juveniles and adults being eaten by sea turtles.[1][
I too, would like to hear some science on this. The tailing action in this week’s flood tides was very very slow.
Must not be any horseshoe crabs near Bushy cuz they biting like crazy. I really just wanted to post a picture and it seems much easier,thanks Admin 
Went back to our salt creek today with live fiddler crabs just as tide started back out. Caught a few juvenile black drum that were released but then started catching red drum. Both wife and I hit limit pretty quick. We did not catch a single sheepshead which is unusual for this spot; likely still full of HS Crab eggs. While cleaning the red drum this evening noticed that not only have they been filling up on horseshoe crab eggs, but horse shoe parts too. One of the Reds my wife caught had a SCDNR tag. Had I noticed it at time of catch it would have been released. Did submit it to SCDNR with offer of additional info.
Could not upload pics for some unknow reason.
Sorry, must have exceeded the 5mb file size on the first attempt.
I think that knife has been sharpened a time or two!
quote:
Originally posted by RWLI think that knife has been sharpened a time or two!
Yep, Back when Jamestown Distributors was located at Garden’s Corner we used to buy used Gator knives there dirt cheap, just for that very reason. Still works great.
THIS is VERY interesting… I did not know the Horseshoe Crab was on the diet for reds…Caught a cleaned two myself last night, but mine had belly fulls of fiddlers, which is very typical for the fish I catch. Thanks for the report and following up on the thread. I too often check the stomachs of the fish I keep and more times than not the reds always have fiddlers in their digestive system. I’ve caught them in the fall full of shrimp and in the spring full of finger mullet, but usually they have some form of crustacean, which I guess small horseshoe crabs will fit the bill for reds that feed close to the ocean. Feeding on the eggs are also something new to me. Always learning something.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
2007 Grady White 222 Fisherman / 250 Yamaha
Simrad NSS evo2 and G4
1- 23 boy that won’t move out)
1 - 19 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
