Baits

Cockles

Cockles are not a very commonly used bait. They make a good bait for flatfish, or in a cocktail (especially with lugworm). This combination is great for winter species such as whiting and codling. The smaller ones are perfect as a tipping bait. Some people say that it is the best bait of all for dabs. Cockles can be dug with a fork in the muddy estuaries of West Cork. It is usually necessary to dig deeper than you would for worms.

Crabs

Crabs: There are basically four types of crabs which can be used for angling. Without a doubt, the best is peeler crab. A peeler crab is an ordinary crab which is moulting, and almost ready to shed its shell. When a crab is peeling it is gives off a strong scent, which makes it an excellent bait.

A softy crab is a crab which has shed its shell, but is not yet hardened. It is not as good as peeler crab, but is still great for flatfish. Ordinary shore crabs don't have much use as bait, except for wrasse, and hermit crabs are a fairly decent bait for a variety of species, incuding flounder.

Limpets

Limpets have very limited value as bait, but offer other advantages. When you're left out on the rocks without the car and you forgot the bait, you are left with little choice but to use limpets. They can be easily dislodged from wherever they are clinging by a rock or a knife. All I have ever caught with them were wrasse and small fish. They actually make quite a good bait for wrasse.

They are great for little rockling and blennies (which can be used as live conger bait). You can just cut a limpet into small pieces, and pierce one piece with a tiny coarse fishing hook and drop it over the side of the pier. You can watch them picking away at it, and eventually, you'll get one.

Lugworm

Lugworm is one of the most popular sea baits of all. It is easily obtained and found in abundance on most sheltered beaches and muddy estuaries in West Cork. You can dig a trench with an ordinary garden fork, and get all you need in just a little while. You'll know where to find them by their little spiral on the surface. An added bonus is that you might get some ragworm and cockles while you're at it. Lugworm makes a great bait for a number of species. Flounder, wrasse, plaice, dabs and bass should all accept it readily.

Mackerel  

Mackerel is the most important sea bait. It is a very oily bait, and there aren't many fish that won't go for it. Pollack and wrasse are the main ones that do not take mackerel baits. It is excellent for deep-water species. Cut into a small strip, it is great for dogfish, flatfish, codling, rockling, mullet, small bass. sea trout, and even mackerel! A mackerel head, tail or a mackerel "flapper" is deadly for the bigger species, such as conger and ray. It is even a great freshwater bait for pike!

One of its greatest advantages is that it is very easy to get. Tackle shops usually have it frozen, and this will do in the winter, but in the summer and autumn, they are everywhere and are very easy to catch.

Mussels

Mussels: When all else fails, use mussels. Mussels are the most effective of all shellfish baits. They are among the most versatile sea baits, working well in all conditions. They are especially good for flatfish and cod. I have heard that they leave a scent similar to that of peeler crab, and can make a good substitute. They are very soft and in order to be cast a long way, they should be secured with elastic.

Sometimes large mussels can be found on the shore. The best place I know of is the pier road in Rosscarbery, where loads of fully grown mussels can be collected at low tide in just a few feet of water.

Ragworm

Ragworm is one of the best marine worms for use as bait. A wide range of species of ragworm (known by some Americans as clam worms) are available. In an estuary and for flatfish, I have found that small harbour ragworm, or "maddies" are the most effective. From a beach, I would usually opt for larger white ragworm, while in the deep-sea, king ragworm is great. Harbour ragworms are easily dug with an ordinary garden fork in a muddy harbour. In the best places, there are small mounds everywhere (caused by the worm). I know of nowhere that king ragworms can be dug, but, they can be bought in some tackle shops. White ragworms are usually found in sandy areas.

Sandeels

Sandeels make a great bait for a wide variety of fish, especially bass, ray, pollack and flatfish. They are very effective, live and frozen. There are a number of ways to attach a sandeel to a hook. I like to thread a frozen sandeel on the hook, as I would a lugworm. Live sandeels can be hooked through the tail or the lip.

Very large sandeels are known as launce. These can be caught with feathers, occasionally. Sandeels can be bought from most good tackle shops. In order to obtain your own, you can either net them, or "scrape" them out, by slicing horizontally, six inches below the surface of the sand with a long knife, or similar device. This should cause a sandeel to wriggle to the surface.

Squid

Squid is a fairly good all-round bait. It can be cut into small strips for small fish, such as flatfish, or used whole for bigger fish, such as cod. Sometimes, two or three squid are used for big cod. Squid are very tough and can easily withstand rough casting and tides. Despite this, I don't particularly like to use squid as a bait, but some people use little else. It is related to cuttlefish, which is a great conger bait, and can also be used in strips. It can be bought frozen from most tackle shops and from some supermarkets. Along with sandeel, it is the most common bait available in tackle shops.