Bait Pumps

[Elton]

Posted on behalf of John Benger:

 

quote:

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I am new to sea fishing, had a go at digging black lug off Hampton pier Hern bay. Broke my fork and my back .I have heard of a bait pump and would like to know if this is easier and less strenuous method of collecting baits or are there other alternatives?

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[Cranfield]

This is what I posted in September, when this question was last asked.

 

I suspect the "baitpumps" you are referring to are the lugworm gathering hand pumps.

 

Looking like an old Stirrup Pump, The nozzle is placed in the worms hole and the handle is withdrawn, theoretically sucking the worm out of its hole in the soft mud, you then "squirt" the baitpumps contents(hopefully a lugworm, but usually bits of a lugworm) in to a bucket.

 

I,m positive, that in skilled hands its an awesome bait gathering machine.

I bought one 10-15 years ago and threw it away (quickly).

Its interesting that the professional diggers still use spades.

[Vagabond]

I've used "yabbie pumps" in Australia to collect yabbies - a small crustacean (Callianassa australiensis) which is very good bait.

 

Yabbies are fairly robust, and thus are usually undamaged by being caught this way.

I must admit, when I first saw yabbie pumps being sold here for catching lug, the possibility of damaged worms occured to me..

[chesters1]

get a solid steel fork you wont break that as for your back just carrying the fork about will toughen that up

[poledark]

Agree with Chesters(?) but make sure the fork is a German one with a long handle, makes light work of digging.

 

Den

[Alan Taylor]

Elton:

Posted on behalf of John Benger:

 

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I don't know about bait pumps but I did dig lug when I was a kid for DJ Brazil in Dover. Pick up at 0400 (depending on tides) and back at 2200.

Bloody hard work at a couple of coppers a dozen.

Used a fork as it does not cut up so many worms and there is less surface tension. Back filled all the way for the safety of other beach users.

Work out the amount of effort/time/fuel/travelling time to the cost of buying enough for a sessions fishing is it worth it?

I did see one of those aussie programms where they use a pump and discharge it into a filter then transfer the contents into 2 buckets, 1 with whole worms (undamaged) and another with the cut up bits, mix the two and the good ones die.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

Alan(nl)