mussels for bait

[lumpy]

found a spot where theres quite large mussels, most are over 2 1/2 inches in length.ive used the smaller mussels for bait and never thought much of them. just to soft to hold on the hook. was wondering were the bigger ones a tougher bait and wats the best way to mount them. i no of pushing them onto a baiting needle and binding them with elastic.aslo whats the size limit for them just so im not breaking the law or anything

[m.b3]

come november thay will start to come into there own as bait. coctail with lug , crab, mackeral or small rag n u can target lots of species at the same time. flats, coalies, codling and the better sized whiting. open shells with a blunt knife/ butterknife and empty into a tray or pack into pallygrip bags for deep freeze storage. they can be whipped onto a lenght of wire before you go the beach and then 'sausage' can be cut into hooksize pieces. handy if you have the time- the less you have to do on the beach the better!!!

[corbyeire]

sometimes wrasse go mad for the mussels, on the float

dont think there is any particular law for mussels, think there is for scallops

[kissafish]

I fished a master shore comp about 10 years ago in Wicklow :P
Mussels used along with other baits where a Killer combo' for Irish Anglers
Put the Mussels in Boiling water untill the shells open. (No more)
They will be tough enough to withstand a long cast, But combine it with Lug for Cod. Or Experiment with other baits. Mussels on there own seem to be useless. But used in a cocktail they are the Killer Combo'' :? :? :?

[Ryan]

Have found mussels on their own a good bait for large coalies in the winter along the North Antrim Coast..

Apart from that don't really use them much, prefer to eat them after being marinated in a nice spicy sauce :D :mrgreen: