Bait Rock Crabs, Live or Frozen bulk

from $130.00
pack quantity:

Bait Rock Crabs — Live or Frozen Bulk (Cancer irroratus)
Available live or frozen for bait and research use

The Rock Crab (Cancer irroratus), also known as the Shore Crab, Sand Crab, or Peekytoe Crab, is a hardy cold-water species found along the Gulf of Maine. Common in rocky and sandy habitats from the low-tide mark to deeper offshore zones, these crabs are a reliable and sustainable bait option for a variety of fisheries.

Our bait-grade Rock Crabs are hand-collected or retrieved from lobster traps along the Maine coast. They are shipped live or frozen in bulk, depending on your preference and season. Excellent for lobster, cod, and other crustacean fisheries, they can also serve as research specimens or feed for marine animals in aquaculture systems.

Common name: Rock crab, shore crab, sand crab, peekytoe crab
Scientific name: Cancer irroratus
Locations: Low water mark and deeper water
Seasonality: Available all year
Colors: White, red, and pink
Size: 1” – 6”
Collected: By hand, lobster traps
Quantity: Sold by the pound (bulk orders available live or frozen)

Uses: Bait for lobster and finfish, marine research, aquaculture feeding.

Bait Rock Crabs — Live or Frozen Bulk (Cancer irroratus)
Available live or frozen for bait and research use

The Rock Crab (Cancer irroratus), also known as the Shore Crab, Sand Crab, or Peekytoe Crab, is a hardy cold-water species found along the Gulf of Maine. Common in rocky and sandy habitats from the low-tide mark to deeper offshore zones, these crabs are a reliable and sustainable bait option for a variety of fisheries.

Our bait-grade Rock Crabs are hand-collected or retrieved from lobster traps along the Maine coast. They are shipped live or frozen in bulk, depending on your preference and season. Excellent for lobster, cod, and other crustacean fisheries, they can also serve as research specimens or feed for marine animals in aquaculture systems.

Common name: Rock crab, shore crab, sand crab, peekytoe crab
Scientific name: Cancer irroratus
Locations: Low water mark and deeper water
Seasonality: Available all year
Colors: White, red, and pink
Size: 1” – 6”
Collected: By hand, lobster traps
Quantity: Sold by the pound (bulk orders available live or frozen)

Uses: Bait for lobster and finfish, marine research, aquaculture feeding.

A female with her eggs.  She will usually hold her legs and claws over them protectively even if being handled.

A female with her eggs.  She will usually hold her legs and claws over them protectively even if being handled.

Tidepool Tim says,  “Rock crabs are the most common crab commercially caught in Maine. These guys like the river estuaries, bays, and coves. Their larger cousin, the Jonah crab, is a larger, deeper, and more offshore species. The two look pretty similar.  Today I was towing a net for shrimp - up came the most beautiful pink & red rock crab. I had never seen one so brightly colored.  When I picked him up I learned why. This crab had just molted. It was amazingly soft and touchable. I had seen a lot of soft-shells, but never a rock crab.”