[Jeffb]

I'm a new member so I'll start with a good afternoon to all,

I am hoping to get down to Southend Pier this weekend for some better Bass and am a bit stuck for bait....

I am new to this Bass hunting game and an therefore wondering as to whether dead-bait Sand Eel might do well, I know they're a killer fished live but do frozens out-score other baits as well...???

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

 

[paid4]

Hi jeff welcome to the site. In a word- no. I have always found worms to be best for bass and if you want a bigger fish put more worms on, mackeral is also good and if they're in the mood peeler crab. I can honestly say I've never caught anything using frozen sandeels but perhaps that's just me.

 

[Jeffb]

Cheers buddy,

As I suspected, they might not be too high up on the bait list...

The local rag can't get any Rag for love-nor-money so I'm having to go for the less favourable Bass bait of Lug. The schoolies always like it but they eat everything! Bigger Bass, not had one on Lug yet...

We'll see what happens...

Jeff

 

[Rob]

Jeff

Frozen Sandeels can and do catch the odd bass, but they are not really the ideal bait. The problem is that they generally only catch when the water is clear, and when the water is clear the bass are really shy. In murky water they hunt by smell and will go for smelly baits like crab, mackerel and lug. If they can't see a sandeel, no bites!

Then there is the problem with pier fishing. Crabs and doggies will beat bass to the bait every time. Tough innit?

SAndeels don't have to be fished whole. You can cut them into chunks or slice little fillets off them. I generally snip the head and the tail off and fish them with a bit of squid or mackerel. You could even try spinning with one.

Give them a go. You never know your luck in a raffle. Hope this helps. Rob

 

[Jeffb]

Thanks Rob,

I reckon I will also try live-bait joey mackerel if I snatch any on feathers as you normally can do during the summer there...

 

[JamesB]

Afternoon,

I think the main problem with using frozen sandeel is that they give off little or no scent. Fishing down in the far west of cornwall on a sandy beach i use two rods one with live lugworm, and the other with frozen sandeel.
Even though i have had bass with the frozen sandeel, i almost always catch with the live lug.

It may pay you to have a trace with 2 hooks, one hook with frozen sandeel and the other with whatever else bait you want to use.. and then see which one the fish go for? i usually do that when fishing on a new beach.

hope that helps...

James

 

[Jeffb]

Thanks James,

That get me thinking again and I am seriously considering dropping the whole Sand Eel idea in favour of another wrap or two of Lug...

It's not as if the waters around Essex are clear now is it!...

 

[JamesB]

jeff b,

Well at the moment they are not to clear down here!! underneath the seaweed i dont think that it is to bad!! haha
I have never really used lugworm as a bait on our local beaches, but 3 days ago i bought some as a change, and i had ten bass in one night. No size in them really 3 were 40-42cm long, the rest went back, but i would now strongly advise the use of lugworm!! haha

tight lines!

 

[smooth one]

i have only heard of people having good succes with them from the shore for rays, anything else and they are rubish really
try wrapping them in squid and then elastic to make them last longer against crabs

 

[Manx Fisher]

Different things work in different places. Sandeel is the number 1 bait for most species over here. I guess that it all boils down to whatever is the natural food source on the beach you are fishing because this is surely what the fish will be expecting to find.


Welcome to the site

 

[Jeffb]

That's a good point, I don't think I've ever heard of Sand Eels being common or even caught from this area so the Bass may be wary of them unlike mackerel and worm that are here and thus readlity accepted...

Good trail of thought that and one to go in the memo' book...

I'm pretty much certain to go for 5 or 6 lug on a big is hook with hopefully live Pout or Joey Macky on the other rod...

 

[swiss]

vaughan said that when he gutted the one bass there were 5 sandeels in it, so if ur fishing in an area that has sandeels then go for it

 

[paid4]

Lugworm has always produced the goods for me but the largest bass I've had this year c5lb fell to King rag and when I gutted it there were at least 15 snall crabs inside.

 

[Phil the Float]

6 1/4lb Bass on a 1-2 inch piece of frozen sandeel. Yep, I know live is better, but, you cannot always get live sandeel. I have also had some success on float fished live ragworm, as long as you hook about 1/4" down from the head so that you do not kill the critter!

That way, it will wriggle and help the Bass/fish locate the bait!

 

[Ian Houlton]

hi phil i think you will find this number very helpfull 0800 0964085

 

[Phil the Float]

hi phil i think you will find this number very helpfull 0800 0964085

And that number is .......

 

[Jeffb]

I had to check that number, curiosity an all that... It's for SAGA services, I assume the hot line for picking up grannys...

 

[paid4]

Ian-thought you were knocking on 40 not 80 how come you had that number to hand m8?

 

[Phil the Float]

I had to check that number, curiosity an all that... It's for SAGA services, I assume the hot line for picking up grannys...

I guessed it was that

 

[weeverboy]

Hi Jeffb. I've read this thread with interest and am quite surprised by some of the comments. I have to agree with Manx on this issue. In my experience, sandeel, either live or dead is an extremely effective bait. So much so, a lot of my mates and I often use it exclusively. It has accounted for probably 95% of the species we have caught locally, including various rays, pollack, huss, turbot, gurnard, bass etc to name only a few (frozen can be absolutely deadly for doggies). As for catching bass, yes I will agree that worm baits are effective but in my observation they tend to catch numerous schoolies but are not as good at catching larger fish. This is where fish or crab baits come in. As Manx has said, and rightly so, what works in one location may not be as good in another area. These are only my findings, but please don't be put of giving sandeel a try, you could be surprised.

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