[deason]

Why does black lug get gutted? why is it better?

 

[bens1247]

Think it's purely becasue it keeps in the freezer better/longer (sure someone will be able to explain exactly why that is?) although I'm not sure it's a better bait than freshouts. No doubt some will swear by gutted whilst other's will prefer fresh. Prefer fresh myself.

 

[furryontheinside]

If wrapped in dry newspaper ungutted they tend to gut themselves all over the paper, soaking it and making the whole wrap turn into a horrible bloody mess. Freshouts/live lug are great but need to be kept "happy" in a little water in a tub, otherwise they just turn themselves inside out and squirt 'orrible stuff everywhere, which kills them and makes the other lug in the tub do the same. Can squirt you in the eye which is the main reason why I wear glasses for pumping lug, lol.

 

[charlo]

When freezing dwn my spare lug I don't gut them. Wrap them in newspaper n keep in the fridge for 24hrs t get the moisture out then put in them in fresh paper and freeze. Wen defrosted put 2 on a baitin needle through the head of the lug n wrap round the bait needle using elastic cotton t make lug sausages.
Every1 will prob av different ways of doing it or preferred gutted rather than not gutted. That's jus my way an on occasion my frozen lug has out fished my fresh stuff wen using both. No right or wrong way of doin it jus do wot works best 4 u or gets u best results fishing wise

 

[deason]

My current batch of lug isn't great gut wise...

Not complaining as its catching fish but its becoming messy once they've defrosted and the guts seem to be killing my fingers skin wise when handling them.

 

[The Third Earl]

As Charlo says, I dont bother gutting,after pumping, I wrap all the worms in several layers of newspaper, then leave the lug in the paper for about two hours,this dries them quite well. I then give them a roll on some kitchen roll to take off any residual moisture. I then place the dried lug in a cat tray full of dry sand and roll them around in the sand........ the sand sticks to the lug, I then roll the lug in newspaper, but only 5 to a packet.

Done ever remember having the lug 'gut' themselves this way.When defrosted they seem to be firm and have the guts intact,which I think is added attraction scent wise, when mounted on the hooks.

I only do 5 to a newspaper packet because when I am on the beach, I always seem to have about 5 left from any roll of 10 when its time to pack up,so only unwrapping 5 at a time leaves me a roll to put back in the freezer..... also on the beach, I keep the wrapped lug frozen in a custom made cool box until I need the next 5, so they are still frozen when I get home.

I am not really keen on using newspaper to freeze the lug,I have tried Clingfilm, but dont like that either, I have bought some florists cellophane and will try that when I go on my next Lug pumping session.

Dave

 

[furryontheinside]

As Charlo says, I dont bother gutting,after pumping, I wrap all the worms in several layers of newspaper, then leave the lug in the paper for about two hours,this dries them quite well. I then give them a roll on some kitchen roll to take off any residual moisture. I then place the dried lug in a cat tray full of dry sand and roll them around in the sand........ the sand sticks to the lug, I then roll the lug in newspaper, but only 5 to a packet.

Done ever remember having the lug 'gut' themselves this way.When defrosted they seem to be firm and have the guts intact,which I think is added attraction scent wise, when mounted on the hooks.

I only do 5 to a newspaper packet because when I am on the beach, I always seem to have about 5 left from any roll of 10 when its time to pack up,so only unwrapping 5 at a time leaves me a roll to put back in the freezer..... also on the beach, I keep the wrapped lug frozen in a custom made cool box until I need the next 5, so they are still frozen when I get home.

I am not really keen on using newspaper to freeze the lug,I have tried Clingfilm, but dont like that either, I have bought some florists cellophane and will try that when I go on my next Lug pumping session.

Dave

I wonder why mine always blow their guts out and soak the paper if I put them in paper alive. Could it be temperature? Where do you do your initial drying in paper, in the house, in the fridge, or in a cool garage etc?

 

[john pie]

I've alway's gutted mine unless I'm pumping at the same time fishing L/W......

The difference is you can't cast them as far because they explode in the air from the power of the cast.....

Gutting makes them a little tougher for the distance casting and present's better on the hook......

But everyone has there own way's and trait's of how they look after lug.......

In the summer(if we get one) I prefer using Blow Lug work's better in our area but again that's my opinion.

I also lay them out on tray's with newspaper in the fridge to dry the of for at least an hour before wrapping them and storing can keep them fresh like this for at least a week before they need to be frozen if there's any left after fishing.....

Hope this help's......Thnx ....John....

 

[The Third Earl]

Haaa.... I live 65 miles from the sea, so ...

After pumping, I wash the worms off , and drain, any that are split,or that have "spewed their guts out" are put in a seperate container, again in a paper wrap,the remainder are wrapped in newspaper, then put in the bucket in the boot to dry out on the way home,about a 90 minute plus journey.When I get home, they are opened, and allowed to breath on the bench in my workshop, I leave them for about a half hour to "breath"while I clean off the pump and while I deal with the splits...For the split or gutted ones,I just roll in sand and roll in newspaper as above... I tend to use those worms when making big cocktail baits that need elasticated, they would be split anyway,so I dont have any problem with that, if they make a mess, so be it, no problem. I just mark the wrap ...SPLITS...
The other whole ungutted blacks are dealt with as in the previous post.

I have not been pumping lug for very long,but have dug Blacks on and off for years.I came to the above method from reading several different methods and gleaning what I thought was the best method for me , so I thank anybody who has contributed to the above.

Just noticed Johns post.... I dont know if they bust on the cast, as I cant see what happens to the bait once it has been cast in, If they have "bust" on winding in, I just hope it is some fishy swimming creature that has nibbled at them !

Dave

 

[big guy]

easier maintenance, and essential if you want to freeze them otherwise they come out as mush of a worm.

personally i prefer fresh outs, unless for flatties or scratching. i don't like keep them fresh for any longer than 3 or 4 days as i find they go too watery inside.

 

[john pie]

It can depend how dry you get them I also use sawdust to help dry them out.....

As said everyone does them different.

 

[Chris12]

Lug beds where i am are only exposed on the big tides so only reason to gut is so i have a supply in the fridge for a week or two, to be honest if i was somewhere where i could pump more often i wouldnt bother gutting any of them - seem to get better fish when using just pumped lug or ones kept ungutted in the the fridge than when using gutted worms a few days later

 

[charlo]

Thats why I wrap mine into sausages so they dont explode during a powerful cast, also keeps them on the hook pretty well. Using a bait clip/shield will add extra protection if required.