bait problem

[nidge]

hay guys,
When using lug for bait,even if its on its own or tipped with something else usualy mackeral or squid,why is it that i always seem to lose the worm off the hook apart from a small piece,i use a baiting needle and try to present the worm as best i can,could this be crabs eating it or simply me not doing something right,i havent tryed elastic yet maybe this could be the problem any help from you more experienced chaps out there would be much appreciated,oh and what do u lot think to using mussles as bait trying to experiment with a few differant things,i usualy fish huttoft,anderby,moggs area,thanks guys keep fishing....

[Aitch]

Its likely to be crabs, shrimps, lobsters, starfish and every other mortal thing in the sea! Round here from spring onwards, I never let worm baits fish for above 5 mins as after that your fishing with bare hooks. You shouldn't need elastic and clipping your baits down will help keep them in shape when you cast, other than that change them often if you find them coming back bare.

[Bootster]

I'd back up what Aitch has said. Sometimes the last one you put one will slide round the hook bend a bit, but if there's only bits coming back then it's likely to be all the beasties in the sea having a feast. There have been times in the summer when the crabs get really bad and the hook comes back totally clean after less than 5mins, if you fish two rods with 3 hooks on each it's a case of bait a spare trace, reel in, recast, bait a spare trace, reel in...and so on until you get bored of feeding the crabs. At the moment around here they are coming back untouched after 15mins, only a few weeks of that to go though!

As for the mussels, apparently a lot of guys up Yorks way and north form there use them a lot and do extremely well with them. I've tried using them, but to be honest got bored of trying to shell them and whip them onto hooks! They have loads of scent, are nice and bright and are natural food for loads of species so should be good - if you can be bothered!

[u0347108]

Mussels; use them raw. Shell them, thread a few onto a baiting needle, whip them together with elastic to form a sausage, and you're ready to go. Use them straightaway or freeze them for a future session. As already mentioned, a lot of scent to them. Best used at venues where they occur naturally, especially after very rough seas.

[nidge]

cheers guys thanks for the help....

[zbigron]

i always bind my worms up ......eg

threat 1 up the hook then head hook 3 worms...then fold the tails up to the eye of the hook then give it a couple of turns of elastic. Makes a parcel of worm. just my 2p worth, takes longer but tends to keep the bait together when casting too.

[dabcatcher]

you could all be missing something here.......

you didnt say whether you had been getting bites or not.

some times, if using tip baits on top of worms the fish actually dont want the tip bait but really want the worm. dabs and whiting do this a lot.

people wrongly assume that whiting always want mackerel or squid

next time your fishing if your getting bites but mising them, check the bait when you reel in. if the worm has gone from the back of the hook and the tip is still there. on your next cast leave off the tip. you will find you hook up straight away.

a dab or whiting can pull the worm off the back of a hook missing the point where the tip bait is.

an ideal way to start a session is with a 2 hook rig. one with a tip bait and one without until you find what the fish are wanting.

if using a tip bait such as mackerel and bites are almost instant then you could try just using the mackerel on its own for quicker results.

[billfish]

you could all be missing something here.......

you didnt say whether you had been getting bites or not.

some times, if using tip baits on top of worms the fish actually dont want the tip bait but really want the worm. dabs and whiting do this a lot.

people wrongly assume that whiting always want mackerel or squid

next time your fishing if your getting bites but mising them, check the bait when you reel in. if the worm has gone from the back of the hook and the tip is still there. on your next cast leave off the tip. you will find you hook up straight away.

a dab or whiting can pull the worm off the back of a hook missing the point where the tip bait is.

an ideal way to start a session is with a 2 hook rig. one with a tip bait and one without until you find what the fish are wanting.

if using a tip bait such as mackerel and bites are almost instant then you could try just using the mackerel on its own for quicker results.

could'nt have put it better bill m8t
mussel- we use alot of it up here, on its own or cocktailed with crab,lug,squid,razor & macky. by far the best cocktail i would say
with mussel around here would b mussel, crab & lug.
the other good thing about mussel is u use it fresh but also catches
if it is minging when the water is coloured after a big sea.
ive seen good fish caught on mussel that is so bad it will make u throw up

[nidge]

Yeah have been getting bites or so im thinking,will try your ideas this weekend and see what happens,the other side of the coin tho is am i striking at the rite moment,was it a bite or just the pull on the line from the tide,that opens up a whole new debate im sure,later guys....

[dabcatcher]

Yeah have been getting bites or so im thinking,will try your ideas this weekend and see what happens,the other side of the coin tho is am i striking at the rite moment,was it a bite or just the pull on the line from the tide,that opens up a whole new debate im sure,later guys....

for smaller species there is no need to strike at bites. in fact leaving them to develop will get you more fish.

if you see a small bite or a solid sharp tug dont just grab your rod and assume its on, strike and reel in.

a couple of things......

whiting might try to pull bits off your bait before actually grabbing the whole thing. so keep your bait tidy without loose bits hanging off except your tip bait. i never pick up my rod when i think its a whiting until its 3rd go at the bait and even then wait until you feel a positive pull then lift the rod gently as you reel in.

unless the biting is constant. then you can assume the fish is on.

striking at small fish will tear a hook from its mouth if its lightly hooked. reel in slowly if you know your clear on snags not skipping it accross the water.

flatfish can take a while to actually get a hook and bait into there small mouths so leave them to work at it for a few minutes. once they bite again lift the rod and again wait for a pull down and gently lift the rod winding at the same time.

a big fault with lots who insist on striking is they strike at a fish then imediately drop the rod tip, actually dropping the line slack and wait to see if the fish is on. this actually gives the fish slack line and room for the hook to fall out.

if you must strike... strike and wind at the same time not stopping to see if a fish is on. especially over rough ground.

if your not sure if you actually had a bite then assume you didnt and dont be too eager to reel to find out. if the fish is there and wants your bait it will come back.

let me know how you get on and if anything i said actually helped you as even i,m still learning.