Gourmet Fishing Bait

A collection of recipes to delight the taste buds of the more descerning diners.

 

Stuffed Squid Surprise

  1. Take one small calamari squid and tug hard on the head and tentacles to remove.

  2. Stuff the inside with finely chopped mussel, peeler crab, lugworm etc depending on availability.

  3. Tie closed with elastisic bait thread.

  4. This is best served with 2 hooks over rocky ground.

Seafood Kebab

  1. Take a selection of baits which are suitable for homefreezing and cut into small equal sized chunks.
  2. Thread each piece on to a length of monofilament using a needle.
  3. Tie a long shanked pattern hook (size 4/0 is ideal) to one end and pull into the pieces.
  4. Freeze until needed. No need to defrost before serving as will do so very qickly upon hitting the water.
  5. This dish is an excellent way of using up left over fishing bait and provides a balanced diet. Try replacing hook with wood skewer for a snack the kids will love.

Flapperjacks

  1. Take one ungutted oily fish such as mackerel, sardine, pilchard, herring etc.
  2. Starting at the tail end work a filleting knife along the bone towards the head but do not detach fillet or guts.
  3. Repeat for the other side.
  4. Remove backbone and caudal fin leaving head with two attached fillets.
  5. Serve with large hook at depth.

Lug and Squid Canapies

  1. Take a long thin strip of squid, insert hook at one end only and slide up shank onto line.
  2. Place 1-2 lugworms on hook as normal.
  3. Twist the squid strip in a spiral over the worm and fasten by impaling on the hook.
  4. As a tasty alternative to lugworm use fresh ragworm.

Moules Marinière

  1. Place the live mussels into an empty dish and leave in a cool place until the shells open.
  2. Scoop out the mussels over a fresh dish taking care not to lose any of the juices.
  3. Add a few drops of red food colouring and bait additive to taste.
  4. Insert one to three mussels on each hook according to size of fish expected.
  5. Tie in place using elasticated bait thread, attach a length of line and freeze individually along with a little mussel juice.
  6. N.B. Razorfish makes an interesting alternative.

Dancing Ragworm Dip

  1. Tie a 4/0-6/0 hook to line as normal
  2. Lay a fresh live ragworm along the line head side away from the hook.
  3. Using elasticated bait thread secure the ragworm at the head end to the line taking care not to injure in any way.
  4. Repeat with 2 more ragworms moving closer to the hook each time.
  5. Bunch the tails together over the hook and tie loosely.
  6. Lower slowly into sea. DO NOT CAST as ragworms fall apart into segments very easily.

Stuffed Fish

  1. Take one whole fish and a fillet from an identical species.
  2. Remove the guts from the whole fish, do not rinse out.
  3. Discard the stomach. (the acid will deter fish from biting)
  4. Put the rest and the fillet in a blender. Resist the temptation to lick out the bowl afterwards.
  5. Stuff the blended fish into the cavity of the intact fish.
  6. Tie closed by wrapping elasticated bait thread around the fish several times.

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