Limpets

[Skatenchips]

As a freshy and new to sea angling,i thought id better go through
the bait section in some detail.........however it seems the "Limpet"
isnt amoung it.
OK......so i aint used it either.thus far but wondered if you fellers
use it to tip baits off,when it is plentifull around rock marks
or use it whole or in bunches as a larger bait..???
As a greek delicacy in garlic its like eating car tyres....so god knows what the fish
make of it......if at all.
Any thoughts..??
Gaz :)

[paul morgan]

As a freshy and new to sea angling,i thought id better go through
the bait section in some detail.........however it seems the "Limpet"
isnt amoung it.
OK......so i aint used it either.thus far but wondered if you fellers
use it to tip baits off,when it is plentifull around rock marks
or use it whole or in bunches as a larger bait..???
As a greek delicacy in garlic its like eating car tyres....so god knows what the fish
make of it......if at all.
Any thoughts..??
Gaz :)caught loads of flatties on it off hayling island years ago and whelks also

[diamond dave]

Quite good for Wrasse too

[thew33mansda]

not bad for pollick or coalies as well tipped or full bait (3 on a size 2/0 hook)

[Bass-ic Instinct]

A good tipping bait, especially after a storm for codling, whitting, flounders and dab. Other baits such as razor clam and mussel are also good after a 'good blow'. Used in big cocktail they are good for Cod. Try them as a tipping off bait for lugworm would be my best advice though.

[Jamie Donnelly]

3 on a size 2/0?!?!! i use 10 on a size 2/0 for flounders!!! lol

[Bass-ic Instinct]

There was a good article in TSF about using it for a bait for Bass a few years back. The bloke used to use two or three slipper limpet on a size 1/0. He caught a lot of schollies of Hayling, but he said it only worked well after a storm had washed them up on the beach. If my memory serves me correct he caught them all within 15yards of the shore fishing in the 'gutter'.

[yatoes]

There was a good article in TSF about using it for a bait for Bass a few years back. The bloke used to use two or three slipper limpet on a size 1/0. He caught a lot of schollies of Hayling, but he said it only worked well after a storm had washed them up on the beach. If my memory serves me correct he caught them all within 15yards of the shore fishing in the 'gutter'.

Slipper limpet are a different animal to the normal rock limpet.

[lewis888]

I've used limpets before for wrassing but only when I couldn't get any ragworm, it works but it's simply not in the same league as fresh worms (I've found anyway). When I used it, I was away for 2 days: fished the first day with limpet and had 5 wrasse in perfect weather conditions, fished the next day with rag in what I would consider bad wrasse weather and managed over 20 wrasse from the exact same spot :)

Bites come slower and seem more reluctant when fishing with limpet, and one thing I noticed is when that when the black sack of guts are nibbled away by litte wrasse and you are just left with the tough foot you really stuggle to get a bite :fish:

[Skatenchips]

ahhhh thats great news fellers,another bait i can collect and use......
if memory serves it has a large round foot to hold on the rocks with soft tissue beneath.gonna be interesting useing it.....thread a few up the shank and bind
em on i guess...must get me some presentation piccies from somewhere.
thanks for your ideas.
Cheers
Gaz :)

[Bass-ic Instinct]

You can just double them through and they will stay on the hook if you are only intending to lob them a short distance. You are right in saying that you will need to bind them on with bait elastic if attempting anything more tha a gentle lob though.

[solehunter]

It seems there is some confusion as to what limpets you guys are talking about.
`Slipper limpets` are the smaller rounded shell ones, and `limpets` are the circular pointed shell ones.
Slippers are the best as it has nice guts and gets smashed easy during storms so many fish feed on them.
Common limpets are more tough and can stay stuck to rocks so they don't get hunted like the slipper, and only have a small gut section and a big `foot` which is practically odorless without the guts. Wrasse will pick these of the rocks when they cant get crab.

[Bass-ic Instinct]

In my experiemce both will catch fish. However i am with you on that 'slipper' limpets are more effective, especially after a storm. I have used both though for flounder, schoolie bass and dabs. They are well worth collecting and experimenting with as an alternative bait, and also a good tipping bait.

[solehunter]

True enough.
I have also started using winkles as tip off baits with some good results on sole and plaice.

[spill]

I find them quite a handy bait for Ballan. You can get to them when the tide is too high to get to other baits. As Lewiss888 said - the black bit needs to be there for the bait to be effective.

[Skatenchips]

Yes fellers,it was the conical shaped variety i originally asked about.
dunno how the slipper "slipped in"nevertheless made good reading
for i now have information concerning both.
The winkle info was of interest too another bait i have seen in abundance
on "certain beaches" for when recognised baits are hard to come by.
Appreciate all your views.

Gaz :)

[mrrayy]

ive used limpets for years with some success,i find the best way to prepare them is to take a knife,insert it in the limpet and turn it all they way round,the limpet should drop out of a clean shell,put that on a cutting board and cut of the foot leaving the gut,only use that part,put on a strip of squid on your hook first then 3 limpets and bind with elastic so as it can be cast...........tight lines..:)

[spidermonkey]

When I was a kid, we used to goby-ing in the rock pools near my house. Always used limpets for bait as they were free and plentiful - and worked. I agree about the black bit. We used to leave the hook point inside it. Its so soft though that fish seem to be able to just suck it off the rest of the limpet.

The best way to get them out of ther shell is to use your thumb between the shell and the foot of the limpet. With a knife you risk cutting into the sack, or yourself. You need to sneak up on the limpet too, they can hear you coming!!!

[lobbit]

a limpet wont fly off your hook in fact wait till its time to change bait and see how hard it is to get one of it , get them out the shell with a teaspoon and off the rochs with a sly kick ,if fishing from rocks top off with one or two fresh no need to store em but they store well anyway most common species will take them
baited mackie feathers in summer can get good results with them

[mrrayy]

a limpet wont fly off your hook in fact wait till its time to change bait and see how hard it is to get one of it , get them out the shell with a teaspoon and off the rochs with a sly kick ,if fishing from rocks top off with one or two fresh no need to store em but they store well anyway most common species will take them
baited mackie feathers in summer can get good results with them

slide a knife under limpets and they stay in one place once the suction breaks and you wont have to go looking for it 10 ft away also saves a bit of sole on your shoe........:) i find the sucker of a limpet cut into a small square makes a good bait stop but you must bind the black bit on gently so as not to burst it, this is where putting a strip of squid on the hook then three or four limpets then the sucker bait stop, it should cast as well as any other bait.......:)

[philtherod]

Don't bother freezing them...just kick a few when you need them!

philtherod

[lobbit]

slide a knife under limpets and they stay in one place once the suction breaks and you wont have to go looking for it 10 ft away also saves a bit of sole on your shoe........:) i find the sucker of a limpet cut into a small square makes a good bait stop but you must bind the black bit on gently so as not to burst it, this is where putting a strip of squid on the hook then three or four limpets then the sucker bait stop, it should cast as well as any other bait.......:)

yeah it kinda hurts when you boot a big un and it doesnt budge especially if your wearing trainers