how do you hook limpets??//

[bear]

im keen to try for wrasse this year and read in a post that limpets can be used as bait although they wouldn't be no. 1 choice for bait they could be saviour to last minutes sessions and there cost suits me fine :lol: is there any specific way to hook limpets and stop them falling of the hook :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :D :?:

[George]

If you are talking about common limpets they are very tough and can be simply hooked twice through the tough flesh. Use a blunt kitchen knife to extract the flesh. Get them fresh from the rocks you are fishing. Don't let them stick to your bucket though!

[DAMIEN]

dont think so hook them same way as mussle

[clare angler]

Never mind the limpets for wrasse collect some hardback crabs take a journey to Green island in Co Clare between June and Oct bring a light carp or pike rod or if you really want to fish on the edge like me use a match rod for coarse fishing from the rocks for the wrasse.
They are not far out just in front of your feet I broke a rod fishing for them the light way but it was worth it.
If its a real calm hot day you can see the porbeagles cruising up and down in front of you actually they some times swim really close to the rocks as the water is deep they have an unusual brown color and swim kinda sideways.

Word of warning the people who own the land have the right to stop people from walking through the fields as some messers caused trouble over the years..............

[Guest]

I've used limpet to good effect for wrasse in Sligo when on hols. Convenient if you can't be bothered to dig lug before a session - Only trouble I find is if you miss the first few knocks of a wrasse bite then in all liklihood the limpet is stripped. Sometimes the rubbery sucker bit of the limpet is left but this is pretty useless when recast as it lacks the juices of an intact limpet with gut sack (which is what draws the fish in, in the first place I think).

It's sometimes worth hooking 2 or 3 big limpets and lashing them on with bait elastic (ala mussels). Although fiddly this does usually mean the wrasse have to give your bait a real good mauling before they strip it. Hence you can leave it down there with some confidence for a retry if you strike and miss after the initial attack.

To get the limpets off the rocks, I use an old dinner knife. Shove it flat under the edge of the shell before the limpet is aware of what's going and can stick like buggery. Once under, rotate the knife at right angles to the rock and it should come off easy(ish!). Use a cheapy imitation swiss army knife to get the limpets out of their shell as you have to saw around the edge between flesh and shell if you want to get everything out in one piece (including that juicy gut sack) - it isn't a job for your sharp/dangerous, and expensive filleting knife.

On another note, when wrasse bashing I always pinch the barbs down on the hooks with some pliers. It's nicer on the fish and makes unhooking and release alot simpler for you. I've never lost a hooked wrasse which I've got into clear water on a debarbed hook (....yet anyway!).

After seeing it on the forum, I tried freelined hardback crabs without any success in late september last year, but rest assured I intend to give it a good go this summer ;o)

[bear]

thanks to all for the advice i was given a tip once to get the limpets out of their shell once of the rocks is to use some hot water in a flask and put it on the shell the limpets just come straight out the shell with the gut sack in tacked :P

[Ross]

I use Limpets for bait to 'weed out' small wrasse when they are robbing lug and crab intended for bigger fish. Usually when the smaller fish have been removed and put back in a different area the bigger wrasse move in. I have also taken triggerfish to specimen weight, on limpet ,at Ross, Co. Clare. Push the hook in and out through the limpet a few times and this rubbery bait is hard to remove even for a wrasse or triggerfish.