How to Make a Sand Flea Trap

Sand fleas, or mole crabs, are a small crustacean that live at the edge of the ocean in "the swash," an area of the beach that is constantly washed by waves. These creatures are plentiful in certain sandy beaches, providing a ready source of live bait. You can dig sand fleas up individually like worms by waiting for the waves to retreat and looking for ripples or V-shaped depressions in the sand. However, a sand flea trap allows you to sift through the swash faster and draw up more sand fleas with each scoop.

Things You'll Need

  • Gloves
  • Wire desk organizer, rectangular
  • Ruler
  • Chalk
  • Correction fluid
  • Wire
  • Wire cutters
  • Metal mop handle
  • Pliers
  • Cable ties
  • Scissors
  • Cold weld kit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wear thick gardening or work gloves.

    • 2

      Lay the wire desk organizer on a flat surface with the wider side facing up. Draw a line across the organizer from the rim to the base of the container using chalk or correction fluid.

    • 3

      Cut two 1-foot lengths of wire. Fold each length in half.

    • 4

      Insert one length of wire into the organizer 1 inch from the base. Angle the tips of the wire length up through the container on either side of the chalk line. Repeat with a second wire length 1 inch from the top of the organizer.

    • 5

      Lay the mop handle in the center of the wire organizer with the base of the handle lined up with the base of the container and the rest of the handle extending beyond the top of the organizer. Arrange the handle so that the ends of the wire lengths are on opposite sides of the handle.

    • 6

      Twist the ends of the wire together to lock the handle in place. Use pliers if necessary.

    • 7

      Thread cable ties around the mop handle and through the wires of the basket at varying angles. Feed the ends of the ties into the heads and pull them tight to secure the handle.

    • 8

      Cut the ends of the cable ties short.

    • 9

      Move the sand flea trap to a well-ventilated area so that you can safely apply the cold welding solution. Open the cold weld kit and identify the liquid components of the welding solution: part A and part B. When combined these ingredients initiate a chemical reaction that will fuse the metal elements of the flea trap. Paint a thin coat of part A of the cold weld kit over the handle of the mop near the top and bottom of the organizer. Apply part B to the same areas. Allow the mixture time to react as directed by the manufacturer.

    • 10

      Hold the flea trap with the wire basket facing downward. Scoop up sand from the swash zone. Rotate the handle so that the basket is on top. Swish the basket in the surf to wash away sand and reveal the sand fleas. Dump the fleas into a collection bucket or pick them out of the trap one at a time and transfer them directly to your hook.