Unwashed Squid

[Tommyk]

Hi All,

Just wondered if someone could guide me on buying unwashed squid...After a few trips out i have found the unwashed "loligo" seems to fish far better than the boxes from the bait shop...only problem is i havnt got a regular supply.

To save an early morning trip to billingsgate, can anyone point me in the direction of a supplier i can order from ?

Or alternativly a supplier in the essex/suffolk region,

Thanks

Tom

[Stufish]

Are unwashed squid those great big, slimy things that weigh about a pound each?
If so, there's a fishmonger who has a stall on Braintree market (and presumably other Essex towns) and he sells 'em.
I bought a couple last week and they are a very good bait. Tough as old boots and nearly crab proof. It would, however, be difficult to cast a whole one!!

Stu

[MikeR]

I've used unwashed small squid from the boat before, supplied by the skipper and it was a great bait. Tried to find it on a number of occasions since then with no joy.

[Tommyk]

normal size mate, just about right for a pennel so not sure what yours are...they are the same as the boxed squid you can buy from the tackle shops, just unwashed so not fit for human consumption....the best are apparantly frozen at sea on the boat - unwashed

[geffaz]

baits direct lolligo squid have a look!

[ET-OPO]

Jetty Angling at Southend do unwashed squid if you ask for it. Ive been using UWS almost exclusivly in the winter for 4 years now, got a freezer full, no messing about ordering worms, then being blown of, what the f**** h**** we gona do with all these b**** worms at £18 per 100!!!!! A frustration of the past

As has been pointed out, it fishes at least as good as expensive lugworm, I think often better???

ET's OPO

[MikeR]

Does anyone know anywhere that I could buy unwashed squid in the Bridlington/Scarborough/Whitby area's? I'm guessing it'll have to be a wholesaler and I'll have to buy a big block, but I don't mind that. Never dealt with a wholesaler so any help would be very gratefully received. Cheers.

[ET-OPO]

Does anyone know anywhere that I could buy unwashed squid in the Bridlington/Scarborough/Whitby area's? I'm guessing it'll have to be a wholesaler and I'll have to buy a big block, but I don't mind that. Never dealt with a wholesaler so any help would be very gratefully received. Cheers.

Not in your area Mike, but one would simply look in yellow pages under 'fish wholesaler' or 'wholesale fishmonger'? Ask for 'unwashed squid loligo'. If they dont have it ask the question can they get you a box 10-11kgs costs about £30-£35 in my area.

At the risk of boring those that know? Unwashed squid is the natural product, straight from sea to freeze. Washed squid is dumped live, in a bath of FRESH water first. This induces the 'snow white' appearance, the natural has a grey tinge, not obvious until you see the two side by side.

I have used UWS almost exclusively for cod for 4 years, I have total faith, won local comps using it, and been accused of cheating because the catches were so good on occasion's, in comparison with other anglers using worm etc.

Dug out a few pics that might be of interest:

This is an 11kg box ready to decant into 20 caucus packs
The frozen box must be left to stand closed at normal room temp for 8-10 hours. The ice just softens enough to take the block and get it to crack on a the edge of a work surface. The crack then allows you to tease the squid apart.

Its important that frost/ice crystals are still in the carcase for re freezing. By the way, totally defrosted UWS can be refrozen from a cold box two or three times!!! yes, trust me.


A blow up, look carefully you can still see ice crystals, and note the flesh does have a grey ting, it is not snow white


Was not to happy with this batch, the ice was melting so quickly. Its shows how to roll the bags down so as not to get squid juice on the outside of the bag, making every thing in the freezer smell of peppery fish (how squid smells to me) Yellow tinge is a photographic colour cast, sorry. One of my early efforts at decanting, but when we came to use them, they worked fine.


Another batch ready, usually get between 17 and 22 bags at approx 20 squid per bag. Get very cold hands and dont pull all the squid fully apart, so the body count is approx.


Thats how I do it, usually takes 60 minutes if Hazel my partner rolls the bags for me, another dodge so as not to get juice on the outside of the bags. The bags a good quality freeze bags, the cheap thin ones allow freezer burn after a while.


Et's OPO

[bigfish]

This might not be much use to you but I'm sure I read somewhere that there is a fishmonger in Felixstowe that does them.

[ET-OPO]

This might not be much use to you but I'm sure I read somewhere that there is a fishmonger in Felixstowe that does them.

'Tommyk' is in Essex, not so far to go I supose. Thats why i sugested Jetty Angling in Southend. Have a word with Rashead, the owner, he may be prepared to sell you a box or do a quantity discount?

Another trick, UWS will, yes will!!! refreez, two or three times. I take one bag out of the cold box at a time. Whats left is usualy still frozen in the winter. However that is not the case in the summer, its starts to soften, no problem back in the freezer when I get home. I have even re frozen cmpletly de frosted bags, they are fine. Even if it does pink up, which it doze if it is refrozen 2 or 3 times!!! it still catches fish, trust me, its fact.

UWS can be abused in a way that the snow white squid will not take.

ET's OPO