What The Heck Is This??

[hooah212002]

Ok, so this isn't quite an other "fish" species, but I "caught" it while fishing. I pulled my jig up to check my tube and as I was doing it, I saw this guy as I was about to grab it. The tube I was using was clear/yellow with blue flakes and this creepy thing was yellow with black spots so he blended right in. I had no idea there were spiders that lived underwater.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Thats crazy man. Sorry I can't tell you what it is. I hate spiders. I avoid them like the plague. Did you drag through any weeds along the shore or anything during your retrieve? Maybe it got on like that and just hung on for the ride. Have you tried google searching underwater spiders?

[clayton86]

I think its time for a new jig that hook looks rough

[hooah212002]

Thats crazy man. Sorry I can't tell you what it is. I hate spiders. I avoid them like the plague. Did you drag through any weeds along the shore or anything during your retrieve? Maybe it got on like that and just hung on for the ride. Have you tried google searching underwater spiders?

nope. I am positive he got on while the jig was under water. I was working it pretty slow, dead sticking at times, so I its feasible how he would have had a chance to hop on, just not sure why he would....

[hooah212002]

I think its time for a new jig that hook looks rough

I am taking donations lol. Funds are VERY tight right now and if my wife saw me opening UPS boxes she'd rightfully flip. None of the local places have any jigs I want that I could go drop a couple bucks on. They're working for me, for now.

[MarkH024]

Looks like a Corn Spider to me. Common around here. How it ended up on your jig while fishing is a mystery.

[hooah212002]

Looks like a Corn Spider to me. Common around here. How it ended up on your jig while fishing is a mystery.

Hmm, the legs look awfully short and the body too rounded to be a corn spider. Also:

They have distinctive yellow and black markings on their abdomens and a mostly white cephalothorax.

This guy has a black or brown cephalothorax (the name for the head and thorax, separate from the abdomen).

[drew4779]

Probably an orb spider.

[hooah212002]

Probably an orb spider.

Looks like you are right. I submitted it to bugguide.net (they will identify pictures of bugs that you submit) and was met with the following:

Perfectly harmless, beneficial, and beautiful orb weaver in the genus Larinioides. Can't image what it was doing on or in the water.

A quick wikipedia check on that genus name and the attached picture shows this is correct!. Thanks for the help guys.

[tomustang]

Brown recluse in disguise

[hooah212002]

Brown recluse in disguise

I knew it! My fear/hatred of ALL spiders is justified!

[rockchalk06]

I think its time for a new jig that hook looks rough

X2. My junk seems to have a big bullseye on it when its hung up and busts free. That has i'm getting tetanus and no babies written all over it.

As for the spider, KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

[Bluebasser86]

It may have got on your bait on your backcast or something and just hung on for the whole ride. I've had them get on my rod tip and dunked them under water to try to get them to let go but they just hold on tight until I swish it around a little, then they pop up like piece of cork.

[Redlinerobert]

[WHYoWHY]

It's a Rust Spider, they are attracted to rusty hooks.

[hooah212002]

It's a Rust Spider, they are attracted to rusty hooks.

I'd rather fish a jig with a rusty hook than not fish a jig at all.