What bait has done the job for you?

[Neal]

At my local fishery boilies are banned amongst some of the other baits I have used I have found that Red Liecester cheese and HOT pepperami to be ok so far, especially the red liecester. I am soaking some in some of Slayers glug/dip recipie to see what if any results I get.

[zappagod]

hi all. when fishing for pike in winter i collect swan muscles and put them in the freezer and use them all summer to great efect

[andy_moule]

You should be careful with swan mussels. As far as I am aware (and I could be wrong), they are a protected species and it is illegal to use them for bait.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

 

Andy.

[davidP]

andy_moule:

You should be careful with swan mussels. As far as I am aware (and I could be wrong), they are a protected species and it is illegal to use them for bait.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

 

Andy.

I can find no reference to them being protected and would be surprised if they were. They are easily available through the aquatics trade and I believe that would be banned if they were protected. We'd also have to rewrite several articles on Anglersnet and many many books on angling.

 

I've found a list of animals protected under the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act here and the only freshwater mussel mentioned is the pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera).

 

Just out of interest I also looked at the list of protected fish and they are as follows : Sturgeon, Allis Shad, Twaite Shad, Basking Shark, Vendace, Whitefish, Giant Goby, Couch's Goby & the Burbot. Surprisingly few really.

[davidP]

OK, I got a definitive statement back from JNCC :

 

quote:

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The swan mussel is not a protected species in the UK. It is thinly distributed in England, Wales and southern Scotland, and is considered to be local. Like other long lived species of slow moving rivers, canals, lakes and larger ponds with a muddy substrate it is vulnerable to dramatic changes of habitat. The most significant threat to unionids in Britain is poor river management. Dredging occurs approximately every 10 years and can remove 20% of the unionid population. Sometimes an entire population can be lost. Weed cutting happens yearly and removes 2-5% of the population. Mussels are found at greatest densities in the marginal zones of rivers. Therefore, the impacts of river management on mussels can be reduced greatly while retaining the management function by leaving marginal zones of the riverbed unmanaged. The other threat of course is from pollution.

 

Deborah Procter

Species Advisor dealing with invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

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