Can't get um anywhere

[Marginmaster]

Hi folks,

 

I want to get my hand on fresh water snails in reasonable bulk i.e 1/2 kilo / kilo at a time, to add both crushed and whole to my spod mix, bags, use as margin feed, hook baits etc etc.

 

Any ideas

 

Anyone used snails before for carp ?

 

S

[Chris Goddard]

Hi folks,

 

I want to get my hand on fresh water snails in reasonable bulk i.e 1/2 kilo / kilo at a time, to add both crushed and whole to my spod mix, bags, use as margin feed, hook baits etc etc.

 

Any ideas

 

Anyone used snails before for carp ?

 

S

 

Not as such. Used Mussels in the past after getting some from a pond which was drained. But at around 50p each!!!! Suspect you MAY struggle to afford them!!!

[Marginmaster]

Chris,

 

Yup used mussels myself as baits before and caught well. The thing is, that I have done some research and my belief is that carp can literally turn into snail eaters when the conditions for large blooms of water snails are right on the water, they become preoccupied on the really small snails working over them like a bed of hemp. I also know that one of the tanks at Sparsholt became overrun with snails, they dropped some carp in and next morning not a snail could be seen, which is pretty good evidence for them being preferred as a carp food. We all talk about naturals and proabably assume stuff like bloodworm is what fish become preoccupied on when they seem to turn off when conditions should be right to catch, I reckon they are muching snails. Food for thought.

 

S

[Newt]

Marginmaster - might be worth keeping a fish tank just to grow your own snails. that way you could select the size you thought would work and maybe even try tiny ones for baiting up and a larger one or three as your hookbait.

 

I occasionally find conditions when the number of snails in the water seems to explode and during those times, I either fish with snails or don't catch much. Lucky for me I have a boat and can spend a few minutes with a net trolling along and scooping up a day's supply of bait (or more if I'm doing a long session).

 

If I'm using fresh snails, I like to just crush the shell a little but leave it mostly intact to discourage smaller fish from nibbling away at the meat. It even works sometimes.

[Peter Sharpe]

First check that it isn't actually illegal, then throw a few lettuces into the margins. Failing that, go to an outside bend of the tidal Trent after a flood. You'll collect sacks full of them.

[Elton]

May be worth trying here:

 

http://www.mbbaits.com/SNAIL-SHELL

 

This bait is awesome!!!

 

I see he sells snails with the base mix, so it's possible you can buy them loose.

[Marginmaster]

Newt

 

Interesting that you have expereinceed the same turn off when snails are in abundance, sort of backs up what I have seen.

 

Pete

 

Cheers for that, I'm from Brum so a trip to the tidal trent would have to be worth it, can you narrow the area where you think I would be able to find snails down a bit at all.

 

Elton,

 

Just emailed them so I'll see what response I get, cheers.

 

Stu.

[RUDD]

His are sea snails?

[martinchick]

I'd be interested in using snails. One of the waters I fish comes alive with snails, especially when there is lots of weed in the water. I havn't caught anything whilst the snails are in abundance, even when fishing with bloodworm or prawns, baits which can usually guarantee some bites. It's something I'd never though about before but defiantely makes sense.

[Marginmaster]

I'd be interested in using snails. One of the waters I fish comes alive with snails, especially when there is lots of weed in the water. I havn't caught anything whilst the snails are in abundance, even when fishing with bloodworm or prawns, baits which can usually guarantee some bites. It's something I'd never though about before but defiantely makes sense.

 

If I can find a source and you are interested we could do some experimentation with tactics methods feed rates, addition to spod mixes/bags etc and compare results, but we may want to resort to PM if the results turn out as I expect them to though. I may be wrong but there are two angling brothers who tear the Oxford waters I fish apart when they are on, originally I htought they were using some sort of spawning Pheremone as they were literally pulling fish past other anglers (and good ones at that) from huge distances, I now reckon they could have been creating feeding patches full of snails.