Newport Pier, Worm and Spiny Sand Crab

[CoffeaRobusta]

Misplaced my liscense lately and couldn't hit the surf. Went with Wookie to Newport Pier on Tuesday last week but the fish weren't biting. Only things caught was this crazy worm Wokie brought in and a scary sand crab.

The worm was about 15 inches long and kinda flat. As we watched it on deck a narrow tube came out of its mouth and started snakin' around. Craziest thing I ever saw. I joked that we brought up a parasite that had another parasite in it. I later talked with "experts" and the photo and behavior seem to match a group of critters called ribbon worms (Nemertea). They are crazy predators on other worms. Really weird.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/AtomicWildBill/Fishing%20pics/strangeworm.jpg

Wokie also caught a one of these "giant" sand crabs. It was about three inches long. They're not really the same sand crabs you find higher up the beach but something related called spiny mole crabs. I think these guys eat the little sand crabs most of us are used to. After Wookie left I caught one of these myself.

It was a strange night.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/AtomicWildBill/Fishing%20pics/spinysnadcrab.jpg

[flyngby]

All right. It appears that we are continuing to catch some more obscure species in and around Newport area. Maybe time to Start a new thread on the strange species.

Great Job!

[Wingnut]

Alien... :shock:

But at least it keep things interesting. ;)

[Hog Caller]

Looks like a necromonger or darth vader crab. Trippy night for sure.
Better luck next time.

H/C

[BIGRED KILLA]

Looks tasty.

[BIGRED KILLA]

o man those are my favorite there delicious.

[rusty6]

i found one of those things once, didnt know what it was and put it with the rest of my sand crab bait, next thing i knew it was killing all my bait.

[Osteichthyes]

I used to dig those up in Baja and they scared the crap out of me at first! I never knew they were up here though.