Lugworm any good from boat?

Hi Lads! I'm heading out this weekend on a boat trip from Galway. We will likely be doing a variety of fishing types including drifting and anchoring over reefs and similarly over clean ground. I have been out on boat trips four or five times at this stage and although I usually do ok in terms of my catch rate it always seems to be lower than most of the other boys on the trips. After a bit of reading up I'm planning to make up a few rigs this week, one up/ two down and two down/ one up rigs, with varying hook sizes and with/without bling- all in an attempt to maximise fish numbers and species variety!

What I'm wondering is if people find lug any good from the boat? I have used it a couple of times previously but never seem to have much success with it, but that could be down to poor presentation or using it in the wrong situation. I know rag can be a killer bait for wrasse, flats and other species but sourcing it on the west coast is a non runner. Does anyone out there use lug and if so what could I expect to catch with it? Also is fresh or frozen better?

Thanks

Seán

Hi Sean, I wouldn't bother bringing lug, there's not much you can't catch from a boat with mackerel strips & fillets. Long thin strips of the white shiny belly meat will work really well for lots of species on both clean & rough ground, and larger half fillets with a muppet will work well for Ling. if you are on a charter boat, seek the skippers advice, it's in his best interest for you to catch fish.

I would definitely take a few lug if there is a chance of finding Dab . Assuming that you want to catch them of course .
There were 2 of us in the same boat /same methods. I used mackerel strip and caught one or two . He used lug and came up with a full string almost every time . He must have had 30 dabs ( and an est 2 lb turbot ) before we moved on . That was blow lug . The blacks we tried on a separate occasion produced nothing .
All the fish were returned alive .
Good luck.

Bring lug. . . The mini species will take it. Size down your hooks to suit. .

Fresh rag is available up here in Ballina from about now, so I'm really surprised to hear it cant be got in Galway.

I fish out of Cork Harbour and would always make sure that I have lug on board.

The best way to present them would be to slide 1 lug up the snood with the 2nd. lug run the hook in and out of the tip of the head and slide it a small bit up the snood. Then thread the hook back through the head of the lug out the end of the body. This method will make a small loop around the lug and stop it from sliding down the hook.
Tipping off with a narrow sliver of mackerel can often add to the catch returns

If you are drifting over clean ground fish it on the bottom. A bit of bling will never go astray
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Thanks for the replies and advice lads. Much appreciated! I'll be bringing some lug on Sunday and will give it a shot. I'll let ye know how well it works and what/if I catch anything with it.

Your lucky that the local tackle dealer is stocking fresh rag in Ballina Hugo! Unfortunately the two tackle shops in Galway city are more focused on freshwater fishing and don't get it in. Sometimes you will be doing well to even get frozen lug down here!

Your better off lugging at them than lugging for them

You're a dab hand at the puns John, although there's a time and a plaice for that kind of word play.

I've never had any luck personally with lug except for with plaice or dab and the odd dogfish on it, but they eat anything!

Out off killmore quay one lad had lug and no one else did he hammered cod with them with doubles and treble shots till he ran out of worms! Lesson learnt!

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Was out on the boat today and used lug when anchored over clean ground and when fishing over reefs. Didn't get any action on the lug this time but will try again next time when we target flatties. Mackerel and squid did the damaged today. Cheers for the advice lads!

You're a dab hand at the puns John, although there's a time and a plaice for that kind of word play.

That's the kind of post I enjoy - no floundering around, just pure codology ...

Personal preference here, but I'd agree with Rob about the thin (partly defleshed) mackeral strips for flats. Worms to my mind are a late season/winter "browsing" bait, best over muddy bottoms. Once this time of year comes around I kindof feel the fish might be more focussed on hunting the newly arrived (hopefully) baitfish sprats etc and you're better off with a bait that imitates those.