Advice required on digging for sandeels

[Old Sarah]

Thought a prawn net had a pointed edge the whole thing being kinda teardrop shaped. Isn't it a shrimp net that has the straight edge. Used to have prawn suppers from the prawns we caught at Twyn-hir many moons ago! Lots of good big eating crabs too.

[Snatcher]

Thanks Scotty T just read your e-mail here at home after work.

Your man favours a spade then,he reckons it does less damage to the eels than a Vingler. Well I certainly have got loads of info to digest.

Gannets idea of an internet search using (sandeel Vingler) threw up even more ideas.

I take it these commercial "ammo" ones are the dogs doo dahs then.

Next question what method do you prefer to fish them - ledger on the bottom,use them on a float,spin with them? Pollack/bass would be my target species.

[Manxman]

Best tide for digging sandeels is when LW occurs about an hour before dawn. Start just back from the waters edge with an ordinary garden fork, you only need to turn the top 3 inches of sand over with a flick of the wrist. You have to pretty handy grabbing them as they'll be back into the sand pronto. You'll quite often get a lot of launce as well.

As to freezing them, bung them in a poly bag the amount depends on how many you usually use in a session, put a twister around the bag and freeze them.

You may get a bit of freezer burn on one or two but that will not make one ha'penths of differnce to a pollack.

 

Spinning for pollack, all you do is hook them through the eyes, simple really.

 

I used to be on the beach at every tide digging them, since then I've found an easier way I bought a small seine net. One good fishing and I'll freeze enough for the years boat fishing.

 

If you want to give it ago try opposite the Tigh Na Mara.

[Snatcher]

Do you mean right in front of the boozer John?

Sounds like good sport by itself!

[Guest Flybynight]

Manxman - I've never known the difference between sandeels and launce...one is bigger than the other right? Are they different species though? I could really do with getting up to speed on my species recognition...I tried eating a good coalie I caught on Skye a couple of years ago thinking it was a pollack...disgusting!

 

FBN

[Socksy Squirrel]

Have a look at http://www.fishbase.org

I have caught Lesser Sandeels, Greater Sandeels also called Launce and Corbin's Sandeels.

There are other species but these are the common inshore ones.

[chris parker]

Lesser are sandy coloured with a blue irredescent strip along the flank. Launce have a greenish back in general

[Socksy Squirrel]

Corbin's are sort of brown and usually caught with launce

[gannet]

Flybynight, sorry to digress but have the next good coalie you catch, smoked its really delicious.

[Manxman]

Right in front of the Pub Snatcher. If you get your timing right you could leave the Tigh just before dawn LOL