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Sandeels Frozen

2268 Views 17 Replies 16 Participants Last post by  Ajohn
I have this strange idea about fishing frozen Sandeel. God knows why.

Can you just fish it in chunks as opposed to the whole thing.

Am I wasting my time and need certifying or is it worth a go.

G
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I have this strange idea about fishing frozen Sandeel. God knows why.

Can you just fish it in chunks as opposed to the whole thing.

Am I wasting my time and need certifying or is it worth a go.

G
Tom I have fished frozen sand-eel but according to some people on this site I need certifying despite the fact. In fact I caught my first Bass on one a whole off the Beach at Bude many years ago, weighed 6lbs odd.
I've used chunks for pollack and wrasse under a float.
Frozen sandeel is BETTER than live for rays and bass from the beach.
If you want to fish sections , go ahead as doggies and dab will scoff them.
Fillet a large launce for a killer turbot bait.
frozen sandeel a great bait i use whole or in half wa having nice turbot 2 weeks ago on half a sandeel
used quarters for doggies,whiting,poor cod,pouting,rockling and codling:)
when i buy frozen sandeel its normal mush when i get it out my coolbox mite just be the sandeel i buy i think its baitbox or summit
when i buy frozen sandeel its normal mush when i get it out my coolbox mite just be the sandeel i buy i think its baitbox or summit
Keep them in a small wide mouth flask as well
when i buy frozen sandeel its normal mush when i get it out my coolbox mite just be the sandeel i buy i think its baitbox or summit
Sounds like you need a few iceblocks in the coolbox, cos it doesn't sound very cool. I use a thermos cooler backpack, think I got it in tkmaxx, fill it with about 6 blue icepacks and I can keep bait frozen for a whole twelve hour overnight fishing session.
use half, small sections or fillets for tipping. can be deadly at times, especially for dogs.
Small sections are a great bait for mini species, they are also a good bait for tipping off woth too for doggies, coalies and pollack. I personally prefer to use whole sandeels for bass and pollack, and if i can get live sandeels then they are my preferance. But to answer your question yes they are an effective bait cut into sections.
i use them whole most o the time and there a great bait for pollock and doggies cant see why you couldn't use them as chunk's any o my left over's get mushed up & frozen for ground bait
i got into using frozen sandeel ( ammo blu, available from squires tackle man in southwick ) around august 2006. fished onto sand as a whole bait ( first hook through tail then weave it down and situate the hook just up from head, then squash the head).........my target was a big bass, and thats exactly what i got after 2hrs waiting.............next evening same result but this time on a float close to rocks..........Beware some tackle shops freezing tactics are not good.....once defrosted, you can still use them for upto 3-4 days later
can you re-freeze them, i go loads left over from minnis last night. I put them in the freezer as soon as i eventualyy got home @ 3.00 a.m. I always use them whole..Pennel rig and elastic them on
can you re-freeze them, i go loads left over from minnis last night. I put them in the freezer as soon as i eventualyy got home @ 3.00 a.m. I always use them whole..Pennel rig and elastic them on
You can refreeze sandeels, but only successfully if you chuck a bit of salt in with them. This absorbs the moisture and makes them go a bit leathery. Makes a useful and readily-taken bait for whiting in autumn :)

Cheers - John
If you take them out individually and store them in a vacuum flask. Leaving one out to defrost when you cast the other out them you will find that they should not defrost and will be able to go straight back in the freezer when you get home. This is a good tip as it saves wasting defrosted sandeels. Once they are refrozen i find that they go soft and the guts split, meaning that they are hard to cast. When that happens they are only good for float fishing close in or groundbait.
G
We use frozen sandeels and personally we have had the best results with Ammo.
Normally use the small ones from the shore as they cast better (use bait elastic and clipped down rig) and the medium ones from the inflatable dinghy. You can use a fillet under a float for garfish as well so I am told so will be trying that out this year.

My partner had her personal best thornback (9lb) with sandeel last weekend only a few hundred yards from the beach in the dinghy. This was actually re-frozen sandeel from a couple of days before.



Malcolm.
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I've caught gar on whole ammo small sand eels and fish them on a pennel with one hook as shown on the ammo packet. (It goes in close to the tail and along the body.)

Last year I found some well frozen ones in a shop and could fish with a packet for 3 or 4 days simply putting them into the fridge in a fresh bag in between. The shops unfortunately closed down now and no luck with purchases from other shops. Refreezing is bound to turn them to mush. They also seem to be firmer if they are thawed out in the fridge - a fast defrost while fishing doesn't seem to be a good idea even with poorly frozen ones.

John
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