With a corny title such as that it's pretty obvious the thread's subject. I have a Chinese wife and with her culinary skills, plus a policy of 100% no food waste, I learn valuable lessons from her every day. Now this subject requires a few pictures, I need to actually show my thoughts. This morning I visited my local supermarket and purchased some mussels, they were out of them yesterday so I knew these were fresh.
I always clean mussels, I remove the actual mussel that joins the shell, I also remove what is similar to a backbone.
With this kitchen policy of no waste, the liquid in which the mussels were cooked is also saved for fish stock. It's also ideal for chowders and most other fish related dishes providing they are not fried.
Now this is the important part and I wish to pass this snippet on to you. This is the first time I have ever really taken any notice of the part that is similar to a backbone, in truth my wife is always eating them as fast as I can get them out the body. I was immediately struck with the notion that before me I had a perfect small bait, look at this and you will see what I mean.
If examined carefully you have what could easily be taken for an immature crayfish. At six centimeters long surely an ideal tasty morsel for a small hook; with two or three, a handsome offering for a larger mouth.
Now these offerings are cooked, perhaps that may detract from being best bait, but consider this. If you purchased a feed of mussels, I always buy about fifteen, once cooked, remove this part and drop them in a small jar of pilchard oil and I am confident you have a quality bait in the making. The longer they are left in oil the more they will absorb. I don't target Moki, perhaps I should, but I find it hard to believe they would swim past a bait that is common food for them, especially one that is leaching out a beautiful oil attraction.
I am just adding a quick edit. I would suggest before immersing those pieces in pilchard oil, take a small needle of a large pin and pierce the brown part (especially) several times, this will really help the oil to soak in.
Re: Alive, Alive Oh.
Posted by GaryK on 2/12/2015, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Alive, Alive Oh."
Moki detest fish oils most of the time. The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
Most fish like fish oils. Why not add it to a fish instead of a mussel?The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
Gary, probably because this tip for anglers is about mussels, not fish bait. I am sure many already add oil to their baits, I carry a couple of line flushing medical syringes with me for just such a purpose.
The point has been made in the opening post this part of the mussel looks good, either if fished singular on a small hook, or with two or three for a larger bait. I am assuming as mussel is a perfectly natural bait, it will be readily acceptable to most species, I would imagine smooth hound, snapper and gurnard would be happy with such an offering.
If Moki do not like oil then just use them as they are extracted from the shell. I am confident a fish wont swim past such an offering.
The whole idea of this thread was to show there is a perfectly good bait available for free, at least to those who clean their mussels when cooked. To those who are happy to eat them whole then obviously they will not waste food on bait.
I have already had contact from anglers thanking me for this tip, especially the pictures, which show exactly what I am suggesting. I also thank the two members who took the trouble to phone me. I try to use my 60 plus years experience to pass on help, especially to new-comers. I will continue to do so in spite of continual put downs.
Andy, we will agree to differ. Had someone else taken the time to put a long post with several pictures on here my reply would have been along the lines of the following:
Be interested to see how that part of a mussel goes as a general bait. However, I would point out Moki are not keen on oily baits, but there is no reason why it shouldn't work with most fish. Thanks for sharing.
The seven word reply saying 'Moki detest oily baits most of the time' was unhelpful to say the least. I might add this sentiment has already been conveyed to me.
This morning I purchased a bottle of fish oil burley to give this idea a proper test. For anyone who is interested these are the flushing syringes that are ideal for treating baits without getting all messy.
These do not have needles, they are simply used for cleaning the plasic tube lines when a medicine has been administered intravenously. Their original content was a cleaning, sanitizing solution. These are only used once then discarded. If you know someone in the medical profession, i am sure they can get you one or two.
Thanks Andy, at least I can get clear messages that may help fellow anglers through to a few people. Now watch someone catch a moki on an oily mussel and claim it a as an everyday occourance. Contrary to Hanglers constant finger pointing, put downs and twisting of information I present I must say that my aim on this board is to support the hosts and to give all I can to any fisher that wants information. Even you Hangler although you are not listening. Your personal vendetta is insulting and not funny as you seem to think. In future, you can keep my wife out of your caustic comments too. I will continue to help where I can when questuions are asked. If you have other views express them in a decent manner. The snapper don't know where the car park is! Sometimes it is better to travel than to arrive.
on 2/12/2015, 1:51 pm
