Sand Flea Rake: What is it, and what to use it for
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Introduction
When it comes to having a sand flea rake you want the best one out there at the best price right?
If you are planning on going out and doing some early morning surf fishing for pompano, sea mullet, croackers, stipers, or flounders then you will likely want to catch some sand fleas to use for that. Sand fleas make great bait for that early morning fishing.
There are a few factors to consider when looking for a good sand flea rake that you can use for catching bait or that the kids can use when hanging out at a beach to look for shark teeth/other cool things in the sand.
The first is it should be made of aluminum. This is important because aluminum is very good at avoiding corrosion. With the sand flea rake being around humidity, saltwater, and just water in general you don’t want to deal with paying good money for the rake, just to have it corrode a year or so later.
The other important factor is the weight of the tool itself. You or your kids will be hauling the sand flea rake back and forth from your car to the beach/shore. Do you really want to lug a super heavy rake around?
This article will dive into the details of a good sand flea rake as well as review the top 3 rakes within a decent price range (<$100).
Lets get to it.
Comparison Table: Best Sand Flea Rake
Table could not be displayed.#1 Fish-N-Mate Sand Flea Rake: Best Overall
Looking for the right sand flea rake involves making sure it is lightweight, aluminum construction, and ultimately built well. The Fish-N-Mate sand flea rake is easily the best overall option when it comes to considering those factors.
This sand flea rake comes in at just two pounds which means it will be super easy to haul it back and forth from the car to the beach or the beach to the dock where you are fishing.
The handle is plenty long to make it so you aren’t bending over and hurting your back all day long. Also, the 10 inch wide bucket isn’t so big that it collects too much sand and that also means the rake won’t be super heavy (protecting your back even more).
The construction of this sand flea rake is fantastic. It can handle the all day tooth finding, sand flea catching, and whatever else you/your kids can find in the sand.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
This is a great sand flea rake. If you plan on using sand fleas for surf fishing then you will need a good rake. The important things are to make sure the rake won’t corrode and is lightweight. Corrosion is a real problem because oyu will likely be standing next to a super humid/salty body of water and if it is steel then over time it will corrode. Aluminum won’t corrode.
This is the best overall sand flea rake because it meets all the criteria mentioned above. It is lightweight, it has a long handle, it is aluminum, and it does just what you need it to.
#2 Exact Design Sand Flea Rake: Best Bucket
This rake has some features that the Fish-N-Mate doesn’t. This one is a little bit larger and has teeth on the bucket as well. Probably the biggest difference between this rake and some of the others out there though is the curved handle.
The benefits of the curved handle are a lot, but one huge one is that the curved handle will allow you to stand straight up when you are raking the sand fleas. This is pretty important because if you are lifting or dragging the rake through the sand, this could do some damage to your lower back. Having a curved handle helps avoid that.
Normally I am not a huge fan of the teeth on a sand flea rake, but these teeth are designed nicely. They aren’t too large or spaced too far apart, they are just about right to help you pull those larger objects (sand fleas) out of the sand and into your bucket.
Overall the Exact Design rake is a great rake and in my opinion has the best designed bucket of all the sand flea rakes I have used.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
Exact Design Sand Flea Rake: Best Bucket
Overall this is a fantastic sand flea rake. If you want to not have to bend over all awkwardly when raking through the sand or just want the teeth on the bucket to help sift through objects a little easier, this is a rake you want to seriously consider. The only downside to this rake is that the handle doesn’t detach, and that is only super important if you are heading to the beach in a car or a vehicle that you won’t have room to take it with unless it does that.
#3 Shark Tooth Sifter
Alright, I’ll be 100% honest with you. This sand flea rake is the budget one, and not at a great budget price. If you could find this rake for less than $60 (prices fluctuate) then that would be a deal.
The cool features of this rake is the fact that it has a sifting screen, so you can scoop the sand and all its goodies into the scooper then flip it over and use the sifting screen to help get rid of more sand and pick through the materials with them all spread out instead of stacked on each other.
This rake is made of aluminum, but the key is that the nuts, bolts, and the pin that connects the handle to the scoop are all made of steel. So watch for rust on those components.
Most people purchase this rake for shark tooth finding, but most people find that it does a great job at getting sand fleas, so that is the primary reason it is on this page. It does a very good job at catching sand fleas.
Overall, it is a cheaper construction, but it does the job.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
This is definitely a unique sand flea rake, not many other rakes have the sifter on them. This can come in handy because then you don’t have to dig around deep in the basket, you can just flip it over and go through the materials on the sifter. This is overall a great sand flea rake and is two pieces so it can be broken down for traveling to your fishing spot, but it gets a ¾ on the rating because the overall construction feels cheaper and “flimsier” than the other rakes above it.
Things to consider when buying a sand flea rake
The size of the scoop
The two most common sizes of basket/scoop on sand flea rakes are 10 inches and 12 inches. The real question is how much do you want to scoop and how heavy do you want it to be? If you want the bigger basket, then if you completely fill that scoop up then it will be a little bit heavier than if you filled the 10 inch scoop up.
This is ultimately a personal preference. I like the 10 inch baskets, just because they are easier to transport and they will do everything I need them to do.
The construction material
Sand flea rakes are commonly made from either aluminum or steel. Sometimes you will see them made of plastic, this is less common though.
When rating them, I would say you want aluminum first, then steel, then if you only want to spend minimal money then you could consider plastic.
Aluminum is hands down the best material to construct a sand flea rake out of because of the environment that you will be in. You will likely be around a body of water (humidity) and also more than likely that body of water will have salt (rust). Aluminum will not corrode, and typically does not rust.
Steel on the other hand will both corrode and rust over time, but steel is stronger in its construction. It isn’t bad to purchase steel rakes, but just know that it will corrode and you will likely replace it in a few years if it corrodes badly.
The length of the handle
The majority of handles are going to be in the general are of 4 feet long. The difference is typically going to be just a few inches, but if you are tall then those few inches might make a difference.
When talking about the handle, it is also important to consider the general shape of the handle. The Exact Design sand flea rake above has a curved handle, this ergonomic design makes it easier on your back as well as on your hands.
So, don’t only think about the length of the handle, but also think about the shape of the handle.
The weight
This is another category that is close to the same in pretty much all rakes. They are all pretty much around 5-6 lbs.
If you plan on using it a ton and/or your favorite spots are a long walk from parking then that extra pound might make a difference. Seriously consider the overall weight of the sand flea rake and if an extra lb or two will make a difference.
Other Commonly Asked Questions about Sand Flea Rakes
What is a sand flea rake used for?
These are specifically designed for catching sand fleas, shark tooths, and any other cool sea “things” tgat may wash up on shore.
You basically take the rake and run it through the sand and it has holes in it like a colander does and it filters out all the sand so you can collect the bait or cool items on the sea shore.
Are sand fleas good bait?
Also called mole crabs, sand fleas make great bait. Pompano absolutely love sand fleas, so do redfish, croakers, stripers, and flounder. This is not an all exhaustive list, but the point is that sand fleas make great bait, and using the right rake can help you catch more of this great bait.
Can you fish with sand fleas?
Absolutely. Here is a great article about sand fleas and fishing with them.
How long will sand fleas live in a bucket?
If you put a few inches of sand in a bucket or cooler and leave the top open, sand fleas can live in that environment for up to 5 days.
That is plenty of time for your to go out and catch a bunch on day 1 of fishing then spend the rest of the time fishing!
This article goes into details on the topic.
Can you catch sand fleas at night?
Absolutely!
Catching sand fleas at night is typically a little more successfully than during the day. If you can get out there at a high tide moment, you can catch a lot. They are less skiddish at night, but make sure to have a flashlight.
This is a great article that covers this in good detail
Where do you find sand fleas?
Typically along the Atlantic coast, but can be found in other areas/beaches as well.
In the United States, the Atlantic Coast is the most popular place to find sand fleas.
Go out on a beach, look for small bumps in the sand, particularly as the tide recedes , and that is likely a sand flea.
How do you keep sand fleas alive over night?
As mentioned above, you can put the sand fleas in a bucket/cooler with 1-2 inches of sand in it and then make sure to leave the cooler/bucket open on top.
This is a good way to keep sand fleas alive for a few days at a time.
Catching sand fleas other ways?
If you aren’t super convinced that buying a sand flea rake is the best thing for catching sand fleas, then you can either use your hands or even a strainer/colander to catch sand fleas.
Conclusion
When it comes to catching sand fleas there are a few different ways to do it, but at the end of the day if you want to catch sand fleas fast and efficiently, then a sand flea rake is going to be super important for you to consider buying.
We have gone over the top 3 sand flea rakes out there right now, there are some cheaper ones, but if you are planning on fishing for years to come and using sand fleas as bait, then a solid rake that will last for years is worth the investment for sure.
Good luck out there
Sean
