Favourite Bait

[sfj21]

Following on from the threads about Squid and Razor Clams at Wing Hongs (bought some yesterday, excellent value. Only problem was I had to take the wife and kids to an all you can eat lunch at Lau's over the road, not a pretty sight ).

My question is, not including Rag/Lug/Crab, whats your favourite 'other' bait and where's the best place to get it?

 

[tonybax]

mussells very underated

 

[Lowrider]

mussells very underated

Yep i agree.
I use then a lot,as a stand alone,to stuff squid with and with worm.
I do collect my own but often just nip to the quayside and buy a pile.

 

[g-force]

As above, would have to be mussel. I don't leave home without it!

Gary

 

[jamier]

if im fishing over rock i never leave without mussel,

fishing over sand i never leave without my frozen blacks

 

[eddie t]

I always take macky the cod will take it there's been a few caught on
macky this season plus yting love it. lol

but like many will say it all depends where they are fishing and what the
grounds like.

 

[Iva-Cod-on]

I'm a fresh peeler man with frozen a close second and freshly dug lugworm these have always outfished all others for me

 

[Lowrider]

I'm a fresh peeler man with frozen a close second and freshly dug lugworm these have always outfished all others for me

Oddly i have never had much luck with peeler and don't bother with it now much.

 

[Iva-Cod-on]

wierd one I have never had luck with mussel yet lads above have I can't figure it out

 

[stumps]

After fishing the Tynemouth comp today it has to be peeler. Got nowt with lug, rag, squid and macky. Soon as i put on the peeler got a small codling, a decent whiting and loads of knocks. After the peeler ran out got nowt again.

 

[t0mb0la]

After fishing the Tynemouth comp today it has to be peeler. Got nowt with lug, rag, squid and macky. Soon as i put on the peeler got a small codling, a decent whiting and loads of knocks. After the peeler ran out got nowt again.

peeler is meant to be great but for the unprepared like myself who don't want to pay a quid a pop you can't beat mussel!

 

[sam harris]

Favourite Bait.

Favourite Bait.

Many years ago we used to use what we called "crab poultice". We would get some old nylon stockings, or better still some sheeps wool. We would stretch the nylon out, or the sheeps wool into an area of about 7 or 8 inches, or any size that you wish. Next step. we would get some hard back crab put them onto the streched out wool or nylon and proceed to mash them up with a stone or whatever else you wanted to use. Then you fold the material over so that a parcel is made, tie this onto the hook and you have a "crab poultice". We used to take some good fish using these.
Tight Lines, Sam.

 

[Iva-Cod-on]

Many years ago we used to use what we called "crab poultice". We would get some old nylon stockings, or better still some sheeps wool. We would stretch the nylon out, or the sheeps wool into an area of about 7 or 8 inches, or any size that you wish. Next step. we would get some hard back crab put them onto the streched out wool or nylon and proceed to mash them up with a stone or whatever else you wanted to use. Then you fold the material over so that a parcel is made, tie this onto the hook and you have a "crab poultice". We used to take some good fish using these.
Tight Lines, Sam.

I've heard my grandfather talking about this method he used to fish next to an old chemist who worked at bates pit who used minced clam and crushed hardbacks but he said he put a chemical in it but wouldn't tell my grandfather what it was but apparently one night had 36 on the pier they didn't have wd40
Back then but would love to know what it was!!

 

[sage]

Many years ago we used to use what we called "crab poultice". We would get some old nylon stockings, or better still some sheeps wool. We would stretch the nylon out, or the sheeps wool into an area of about 7 or 8 inches, or any size that you wish. Next step. we would get some hard back crab put them onto the streched out wool or nylon and proceed to mash them up with a stone or whatever else you wanted to use. Then you fold the material over so that a parcel is made, tie this onto the hook and you have a "crab poultice". We used to take some good fish using these.
Tight Lines, Sam.

nowadays its commonly known as crab cart, had success with it of the rocks for cod, and further south caught smuts to 9lb with it last summer

 

[Iva-Cod-on]

forgive my ignorance but what's a smut? Think I'll have to give the method a try

 

[bozjc]

i never fish without having mussel in my bucket.
i love using crab and all razor.

dosnt always work LOL

that crab in a stocking thing sounds like a canny trick

 

[sage]

Iva-cod-on....
heres a couple of small smuts or smoothounds from last summer caught on cart ( now available at some tackleshops)

even my kid into them

 

[bozjc]

so you hook it on your hook?

whip it on like you would a crab and mussel cocktail?

 

[sage]

i use cart and i wrap it in gauze ...like finger bandage,, i use it from frozen and it just looks like a small sausage when its prepared i use it in sizes of a mini hot dog, about 1 1/2" and 2 1/2" long ..this gives me the options of using a small bait, medium bait or a large bait, ...for smuts i use a small bait whipped to the back of the shank of a 3/0 ....for cod off the rocks i use a large bait on a 5/0 or 6/0...a small sausage on the inside off the shank and a large sausage on the back of the shank ...these are whipped on.. care being taken not to mask the hook point...the best thing any "sausages" not used can be re-frozen......but like any other bait it has its days and places when it out fishes others but sometimes conventional worm baits out fish cart..
hope this helps....p.s. can also be used as part of a cocktail just like any other bait

 

[5150]

Tried most of what's been mentioned already in this thread over the years. Also tried, with limited results, limpets, cockles, chicken skin (guy dad worked with mentioned it, caught nowt on it though, even the crabs weren't interested), earthworms, sandeel - both whole and cut into strips...
Caught some coalies in blyth harbour one day donkey's years back, were size and on gutting 2 keepers found them full of sweetcorn, presumably from one of the ships galleys slopping out overboard or something.