How to make a baiting needle

Never seen one, never used one, how do you make a baiting needle?

make towards a tackle dealer is the best bet

These are needles about 20cm. You thread 2/3 worms onto the needle with ease. One end of the needle has a rounded end , this is the end you push through the worm. The other end has a slight hollow. You place the hook point in this hollow recess and it allows you to slide down the worms onto the hook. With practice it works well. Magazines have used them in relation to sandeels. I have tried to use them for sandeels but most of the time the belly of the eel bursts so have found them to be no advantage. They cost a couple of euro, probably available in all tackle shops. Like I said they work well for worms bur worms are not that hard to thread onto the hook anyway. For the most part another gimic.

I use the gemini baiting needle. Comes with a plastic sleeve you can tape to your rod or tripod. Tip is pointed so it won't easily prutrude from the bait when its passed through. Have to disagree with Ed as their brilliant for baiting up sand eel. Sand eel should be good quality, needle though white of flesh and be placed on a reasonable sized hook.

I'd be lost with out one. See if your tackle shop won't get them in.

Donagh

I have already asked this on another thread, but as a baiting needle virgin :lol: are there any online demo's or pics of this?

1. Tread bait up making sure you have it the right way around. Sand eel: in tail out head through white of flesh.
2. Place hollow of needle on hook point. Hold snood tight so hook is held in needle hollow and won't pop out mid way through and tread bait up hook.

I understand east coast match anglers use them to bait up worms on size 6 hooks but I wouldn't recommend them for ragworm unless their very large king rag.

Donagh

Thanks guys. I have some 2.5mm stainless steel rod on site here, so I'll get some of that and shape it up with a Dremmel.

Surely this hurts the worms though?

Ian

Thanks guys. I have some 2.5mm stainless steel rod on site here, so I'll get some of that and shape it up with a Dremmel.

Surely this hurts the worms though?

Ian

2.5mm rod would be a bit thick...the needles are less than 1 mm think. For the time it'll take you to make one you could buy a few, pack of 5 there stainless so they last a long time. I have some for the last couple of years and still are fine.

John

I am going to retry the baiting needle for sandeels. I had not been sticking them through the white flesh, hence their stomachs bursting.

Johnhig - that 1mm does sound less painful to the worms! Who needs an enema anyway?

I use baiting needles sometimes mainly for tieing up 10 or 12 mussels so I have them ready to go on the hook..They are however very helpfull for baiting up Lug as you can then not damage the body of the lug and the juices stay inside longer. That said if you are good at baiting up you don't really need a bait needle.

John

These things are great especially for downshire rag worms,they average 6 inches and to get them onto a hook you really need a needle.
at some stage in the near future i will post a photograph of a native downshire rag worm. :lol:

Thanks to you all - never had one or knew how to use a baiting needle until I read it here. On a rare trip out this weekend, thought I would give a needle a try and testing it on some ragworm - I will never be without one again!!
They really do work when the worm is long. Without a needle you can only get worm on the hook 1 hooklength before you have to let go of the hook-eye. With a needle you can easily (and quickly) thread up 6 inches or more. This means more worm body is undamaged and hopefully will last longer. Worms never complained once.
Tim