Fin-nor, I have experienced a very good past twelve months for gurnard, and like you they are a favoured table food. They are a very obliging fish, I must also add they have been in remarkable condition and of very acceptable size.

Everyone has a favourite bait, there is no right or wrong answer, if it works and it has your confidence, then that is the bait you should use. My own favourite in a frozen anchovy, with the head removed an a slight angle to let the gut cavity juices flow out as the bait thaws.

This was the bait I used with huge success in the Bay of Plenty, and the red fellows love it just it much here in Hawke's Bay. A personal opinion, I would rather use anchovies than pilchard, sometimes pilchards are quite big and they are cumbersome to use whole. This is not a problem with anchovies, it's as if they only grow to the perfect size for a hook bait.

Hope this helps.