Bitten off

[Big Ben]

Hi,

I was fishing a local beach in Inishowen yesterday and got cleanly bitten off five or six times at the top of the tide.I was using 30lb snood mono with squid tipped lug on a 3/0 hook. I was wondering if anyone has any idea what it would have been? I thought maybe triggerfish.There were no runs or mad tip action.

Thanks in advance.

[Al and Jordan]

most likely spider crabs man those things grow to gargantuan sizes up that way . we got tormented at leenan one night with them snipping the bottom 2 hooks off our 3 hook flappers on every cast . we wondered what was going on until jordan hauled a few of them in with those claws 30lb snoods were no match

[Big Ben]

Thanks Al,
I hadn't thought of that but it seems obvious enough when someone says it.I even came accross two large ones just sitting on the rocks early yesterday morning when I went digging lug.

Thanks again.

[Al and Jordan]

no probs ben, like i said. if it was'nt for jordan getting a few of them to shore we'd never have known ourselves. but there is one positive aspect to getting hammered by the spider crabs. the meat in the legs and claws is delicious . far nicer than brown/edible crab . and do'nt let the meat in the body go to waste as it's great groundbait to mash up and chuck in at your feet as the wrasse find it a bit of a delicasy