Mussels

[pestguard1]

Norrie!

 

 

I use it all the time , and it freezes solid......................just keep fingers out of the way.

[Spur-Hound]

There lie's a huge problem with defrosted, soft mussel on your hook in the water. Crabs and small fish will rip it to shreds in seconds... Definetly NOT advisable, always bind on well with elastic. Its fine when your drifting at however many knots on the boat for cod, as its always moving they usualy gulp it strieght down.

[rockerchris]

I personally find the mussels from tackle shops to be quite small but for using around the area you discussed before ie custom house quay all you really need is a smallish hook say size 2 and a single mussel. To secure all you do is lash lots of cotton around the mussel mainly at the top of the hook around the eye. This allows a more natural presentation of the bait.

[pestguard1]

There lie's a huge problem with defrosted, soft mussel on your hook in the water. Crabs and small fish will rip it to shreds in seconds... Definetly NOT advisable, always bind on well with elastic. Its fine when your drifting at however many knots on the boat for cod, as its always moving they usualy gulp it strieght down.

 

 

I been useing this method ( freeze spray )for the past 15 years from the SHORE ,and with great success.

use elastic if you want too ............I never do.

Dont knock something untill you have tried it .................

The original thread was "when fishing with mussel from the shore whats the best way to keep them on the hook. "This is the best method of keeping muscle WHOLE on the hook when casting...............you dont need to keep it frozen once it hits the water..........................so what,............. if small fish take the bait it will encourage other fish in the area to investigate..............and you may just be lucky to catch a big one.

[Guest @AUTUMN@]

A lad I used to fish with always froze all his bait onto the hook and kept it in a bait flask untill required. He always did as well as me if not better.

 

If you ever mess up your cast and immediately retrieve your bait take a look at the bait and you will be surprised at the mess it is in. THe impact of the bait entering the water I would say knocks a lot of scent out of the bait. Freezing is a good way of stopping this.

[MrWiggly]

Couple of methods I've used in the past ...

 

1 ..

Large ice-cube or Lollipop tray. Place one hook in each recess. Stuff recess with Mussle around hook. Freeze. Store in Thermos Flask until needed.

 

2 ..

Cut open a USED Tea bag. Clean out tea-leaves. Stuff with Mussle. Away you go !!

Edited November 22, 2005 by MrWiggly

[maximo]

anybody tried them varivas piggyback hooks yet wonder what theyd be like for mussel and the like

[rockerchris]

No but they look superb. The idea behind them is to stop the bait sliding back over the point of the hook. I think if they released them in extra version id probably buy them for cod fishing with crab and mussel in the summer. Completely useless for cod fishing in the winter with worms tho thats the downside.

[Guest @AUTUMN@]

Ive not seen this hook but it sounds ok. For years I have added my own bait holder system to my hooks, It improved my catch rate no end. Nothing worse than missing a bite and then finding the hook point masked when you reel in. I will take some pics and show you how easy it is to make your own bait holders. Good for crab and mussel baits. Not so good for worms. unless like me you use about 8 small worms bound into a ball and tied onto the hook.

[maximo]

its very rare i put a worm up the hook its usually just pierced in the middle and folded in half an whipped on top of the mussel or crab,so theyd still be ok for me.