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Sardines as bait

J

jambop

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Just contemplating easily available bait for next week and the humble sardine came to mind. So what's the thoughts on a bit of fresh sardine as a bait for shore fishing. Now I know that the question may be species sensitive but do you think they are worth a bash? They are definitely cheap enough at €3 a kilo I thought that cut in half on a 2/0 hook fished off the bottom they may work for bass?
 
Sardine are an oily fish like Mackerel so I think it ought to be worth a try. Interested to see how you get on! ??
 
There’s no reason why they shouldn’t work pal, mackerel may well be popular solely down to its toughness and oil content, but they are fast moving fish when alive and healthy, how often do bass catch and eat a healthy mackerel in open water? Whilst being soft, they are oily and highly visible, so they’re definitely worth a try.
 
never used them in sea but same as blm above i have for pike ...
wouldn't cut them in half for bass though myself, I would prob put 1 or even 2 on depending on size on a pennel
 
I'd say rays would be keen for it though if any where u are
 
I've tried sardines off the rocks in Wales, they worked as well as anything else when there was a few fish about, had plenty of huss, dogs and even the odd ray on them,. Theyre a great cheap bait, but as others have said, quite soft. If you can whip a frozen section of sardine on the hook and cast out it will definitely hold up better to any sort of power.
 
jackjock said:
Wrap some squid round them whip on and you can do a big cast if needed, the other way is to cast them out frozen.
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Found LIDL have Spanish sardines as an offer at present. 1kg pack frozen whole (with guts) containing a dozen plump fish, seperate not in a block.
With mackerel not visible here (yet?), seems a reasonable offer.
 
Ianpick said:
And very nice on the BBQ.
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I don't know that I'd fancy eating them if they haven't been cleaned, and I would imagine they would be diffult to clean if they have been frozen. I've got whole frozen Mackerel here for bait from a tackle shop, and once it defrosts, it stinks like nothing you've ever smelled.
 
When I had them straight of a boat and onto a BBQ in Portugal they were ungutted. The scales burned off and it was just a matter of lifting the meat off the back bone and eating it.
Surprisingly nice.
They weren't frozen and I imagine you may well be right Trampster, freezing them changes the cell structure of the fish. Lots of things go mushy when frozen.
 
Ianpick said:
When I had them straight of a boat and onto a BBQ in Portugal they were ungutted. The scales burned off and it was just a matter of lifting the meat off the back bone and eating it.
Surprisingly nice.
They weren't frozen and I imagine you may well be right Trampster, freezing them changes the cell structure of the fish. Lots of things go mushy when frozen.
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Let you know shortly. Will defrost and try one by the weekend.
 
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