At a glance
Claws 3–5 in long.
1–200 ft; most caught under 30 ft.
Traps soak overnight or longer.
7 areas
Know it
Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.
- Identification
Heavy crab with huge black-tipped claws and a mottled brown-red shell.
- Typical size
Claws 3–5 in long.
- Maximum size
Shell about 5 in wide.
- Diet
Clams, oysters, snails, worms and dead fish.
- Behavior
Lives in burrows and rocky or oyster bottoms near shore; feeds at night.
Find it
Where, when and how deep to look.
- Where to find it
Found from Florida Atlantic Coast, Florida Gulf Coast, South Florida & Keys, Northern Gulf (AL–TX), Mexico Gulf Coast, Bahamas & Turks and Caicos and Cuba. Rocky bottoms, oyster bars, jetties and grass beds; lives in burrows.
- Habitat
Rocky bottoms, oyster bars, jetties and grass beds; lives in burrows.
- Depth
1–200 ft; most caught under 30 ft.
- Fishing depth
1–30 ft, near shore and in bays.
- Best season
Florida stone crab season runs from mid-October into spring (check FWC for exact dates).
- Best time
Traps soak overnight or longer.
- Best tides
Not critical.
- Best weather / conditions
Calm days to set and pull traps safely.
Bait & gear
What to tie on and what to throw.
- Best bait
Fish heads and racks, pigs' feet.
- Best artificial lures
—
- Tackle setup
Recreational traps (limited number, marked buoy) or by hand where allowed.
- Hook size
No hook — traps baited with fish heads or pigs' feet.
- Line
Trap rope sized for the depth.
- Leader
Not used.
BigJoe's setup for Florida stone crab
The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.
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Catch it
Step by step, from first cast to landing.
Step-by-step: how to catch it
- Go where it lives: Rocky bottoms, oyster bars, jetties and grass beds; lives in burrows.
- Rig up: Recreational traps (limited number, marked buoy) or by hand where allowed. Not used.
- Pick your bait: Fish heads and racks, pigs' feet. Lures: —
- Fish it: Set recreational traps (Florida allows a small number per person), or take claws by hand where legal.
- Time it: Traps soak overnight or longer. Not critical.
- Fishing techniques
Set recreational traps (Florida allows a small number per person), or take claws by hand where legal.
- BigJoe's tip
Break the claw off cleanly at the joint so the crab can grow a new one.
- Catch and release
Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.
Clean & cook
Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.
- Edibility
Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
- Cleaning
Keep claws on ice — never freeze raw claws (the meat sticks to the shell).
- Cooking suggestions
Boil claws 7–8 minutes then chill in ice; crack and serve cold with mustard sauce.
Stay safe & legal
Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.
- Safety warnings
Claws can crush fingers — hold from behind.
- Regulations
Florida: CLAWS ONLY — the crab must be released alive. Minimum claw size, a season (roughly mid-October to spring), and egg-bearing females may not be de-clawed — check FWC. A Florida fishing license is required unless you are exempt; Florida rules are set by FWC (myfwc.com). Federal waters fall under NOAA Fisheries. Other states and countries set their own limits — check before you keep fish.
- Conservation
Keep only what you'll eat, release the rest quickly, and follow size and bag limits.
Where it's found
Tap an area to open its fishing map.