FROZEN BAITS
Fresh bait is a big advantage and is essential for achieving the very best catches. Nobody doubts that, but it's wrong to assume that all areas have adequate bait supplies and that there are good tackle shops within sensible travelling range that stock quality bait.
Confusion exists in telling octopus from the squids and cuttlefish. The squid and cuttlefish have five pairs of tentacles, four of equal length and one longer pair. The octopus has eight tentacles all the same length.
A quick way to separate prawns from shrimps is to check the outer antennae. On the prawns the antennae will be about one and a half times the length of the body. The antennae on the shrimps is only as long as the body, or less.
Most people recognize the mackerel from the fishmonger's slab. A sleek, slender bodied fish with an average weight between 6 and 10ozs, but growing to over
6lbs. Read the page.
The sand gaper is very common throughout UK waters and is the largest clam we have growing up to about 6". The shell is a rounded oval shape and varies in colour depending on the type of ground the clam is living in.
The first four varieties are all common right around the British Isles and Northern Europe as far as Iceland.
The Shore Crab is the commonest variety of crab found around the UK shoreline. The shell is wide at the front with a series of bony serration's along the
forward edge.
There are several other types of mussel found in UK waters including the Bean Horse mussel which is small and grows to only .75".
Very common throughout the British Isles. It's colouration varies between red and yellow with a dark brown abdomen. Adults usually measure upto 3ins, though larger ones can occur.
The smaller sword razorfish is named after the curved cutlasses used by pirates, it's shell turning inwards slightly at each end. It grows to about 6" long.
The black lug are the larger of the two species being from 6" long up to 18" long and usually black or dark brown coloured. Blow lug grow up to about 6ins long, the colouring is usually red to mid brown, though when living in rotted down weed amongst the sand they do turn almost black.
Usually attains a length of between 6 and 9cm, but can grow to 18cm. It's colour varies from beach to beach, but generally a pearly white to faint grey, but can carry a light yellowish tinge to it. The body shape is slightly flattened.
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