Although it has been referred to as the \"poor mans crab\", mussel is brilliant bait IMHO. A nice sized bait of about 4 or 5 gently (but firmly)secured with elastic thread - excellent bait for codling - particularly from the rocks during Winter.
Also use squid a lot, too. 3 or 4 good sized lug on a 4/0 Viking with a strip of skinned squid on the tip and lashed up and around the lug with elastic - crackin\' mix (if the fish are there to appreciate it...lol)
[Edited on 12/9/2003 by TC]