Cheap As Chips Mussel

CosmicCat

CosmicCat

Well-known member
Well was sick of paying £2- £3 for a tinny small bag of mussel from tackle shops, so while I was shopping some nice live fresh Scottish mussels caught my eye. and I normally don't buy from supermarkets but these bad boys were massive and one touch on them and boom did they close up fast.
I've now de-shelled them all and for £3.48 for 950kg I thought was tidy price to pay.
should last a while if freeze some up
 

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Mussels are an excellent cod bait, well worth the effort to do yrself.. I freeze them in bags of ten, rather than in a block.. Then just take enough for the session with you. Say 2 or 3 bags, depending on what other bait you have.. Quick to defrost + very little wasted..
 
Any advice of anything you need to do add prior to freezing or any other tips to ensure in best condition when freezing down - advice appreciated
 
Basically just freeze them asap if yr not going to use them straight away. Using them fresh is better, then freeze the ones left over after yr session. An old fishing veteran told me to shell them into a bowl then put water in it + leave overnight in fridge. Apparently they swell right up, then use/freeze them. Never tried it though.. Hope this helpful..
 
It takes a bit of practice really, i use a small bluntish vegetable knife (incase you slip with it!) prize open the mussel, run knife round edge of both half shells cutting ligament. Then scrape out the mussel. Personally I would never use cooked mussels as bait.. Main reason is they offer vertually no scent trail in water. As we fish mainly in darkness/coloured water, scent is only thing fish use to find our bait.. Its just about getting the best from your bait..
 
codhunter40 said:
It takes a bit of practice really, i use a small bluntish vegetable knife (incase you slip with it!) prize open the mussel, run knife round edge of both half shells cutting ligament. Then scrape out the mussel. Personally I would never use cooked mussels as bait.. Main reason is they offer vertually no scent trail in water. As we fish mainly in darkness/coloured water, scent is only thing fish use to find our bait.. Its just about getting the best from your bait..
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Thanks mate, I will have a go at that
 
Try to get them from fishmonger if you can as they are generally bigger, although i just got some from sainsburys this afternoon which were a good size, try to avoid small ones..
 
Tesco mate at roker, there was only 3 bags of them there sitting on the ice, could not believe when I touched one of the big ones on it's shell it closed fast as, that's what made me buy them.
to shell then I put a knife in the point where the seaweed they were stuck to is sticking out then run the knife round till ligiment is cut and the shell opens easy as.
after this I do a few of them from shells I then use half of the shell from an empty one to scoop them out as I find this works better.
I've put them straight from fresh into the tub then taken them into small packets and put back into tub to freeze.
I would have loved to cook them but as our lass now says your fishing mad lol

these were fresh not cooked mussel's :)
 
CosmicCat said:
Tesco mate at roker, there was only 3 bags of them there sitting on the ice, could not believe when I touched one of the big ones on it's shell it closed fast as, that's what made me buy them.
to shell then I put a knife in the point where the seaweed they were stuck to is sticking out then run the knife round till ligiment is cut and the shell opens easy as.
after this I do a few of them from shells I then use half of the shell from an empty one to scoop them out as I find this works better.
I've put them straight from fresh into the tub then taken them into small packets and put back into tub to freeze.
I would have loved to cook them but as our lass now says your fishing mad lol

these were fresh not cooked mussel's :)
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hello mick next time you see them get me a bag plus put some of that magic spray and juice on them cod will love them lol
 
I have loads mate next time your out let me know i'll defrost you some :)
and ill sit them in the magic juice for you so you get the mussel and the cent :)
 
Put them in the freezer the night before shelling, its much easier and they are nice and firm when scooping out and will not fall to bits
 
CosmicCat said:
Well was sick of paying £2- £3 for a tinny small bag of mussel from tackle shops, so while I was shopping some nice live fresh Scottish mussels caught my eye. and I normally don't buy from supermarkets but these bad boys were massive and one touch on them and boom did they close up fast.
I've now de-shelled them all and for £3.48 for 950kg I thought was tidy price to pay.
should last a while if freeze some up
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Think you missed the decimal point out cosmic the bag must have been the size of a builders dumpy bag:)
 
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