freswhwater mussels

hi guys,
last night found me working alongside the k&a cannal
and while having a general mooch around i took a shufti at the old lock gates that have just been replaced.
i found the base of them covered in small freshwater mussels, i've not seen these before, just some large freshwater ( i was told they were queen mussels?) dredged from the bottom of the bossington lake that looked more like clams.
i was just wondering if any of you 'darkside guys '
have used shelfish as hookbaits & weather marine mussels off the wet fish counter would make a more availiable alternative?
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Gord, Mussels are a great bait I feed most of my tropical fish on them and there a treat in the summer for my pond fish.

I would add Killing of freshwater mussels has been illegal since the late 90,s, I was watching a very young john Wilson’s using swan mussels for carp a few weeks back as in that day and age it was ok.

Just had a quick Google to make sure I’m right Killing of freshwater mussels has been illegal since 1998, with a maximum fine of ………………. £10,000

yes its a total no no to kill mussels

i have to say they are ameant to be a very good bait but never used them but the alternative what i do use a rate highly are cockles had some superb tench session in the past on them

and Prawn top carp and Tench bait

oh yes forgot about the old prawn

Whats Nidge got to do with this

by Stotty Today at 9:03 am
Whats Nidge got to do with this

Stotty wrote:and Prawn top carp and Tench bait

Too true i've had many good day sessions at woodlands on the old prawn

yes i searched on after my post last night & leaving any mussels in peace has got to be good for water quallity,
& esp the white pearl ones that are endangered

seeing as they were 'bearded' i recon they were these-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussels#As_an_invasive_species

but i can't be sure due to my general ignorance +it was too dark to get a good i'd.

thats an intersting comment from kev about the cockles, i'm wondering if fresh marine mussels could be used.

i also found this nice little f going on

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/water-life-forums/884-fresh-water-mussels-whats-eating-them.html


to those who are fighting the anglers corner,

geejay wrote:yes i searched on after my post last night & leaving any mussels in peace has got to be good for water quallity,
& esp the white pearl ones that are endangered

seeing as they were 'bearded' i recon they were these-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussels#As_an_invasive_species

but i can't be sure due to my general ignorance +it was too dark to get a good i'd.

thats an intersting comment from kev about the cockles, i'm wondering if fresh marine mussels could be used.

thats what i feed my tropical fish and my pond fish they lone them

a cool rig for mussels when carping etc..

As you are all aware mussels when brought from the sops can be a pain in the ass to hook/hair rig and the welly out as cast.. well here's how to have deadly Mussel bait.

get "shop brought" mussels in the raw form and defrost if necessary......

then get yourself a knitting needle and theread them in through "the lips" and keep threading them till the needle is full to capacity...

then get a roll of elastic thread and start wrapping up and down the whole legth of the needle...

eventually you will end up with a good coating of thread at which point you can puul the knitting needle out thus giving you a sausage of mussell..

now here's the best bit... you can now cut this into sections and you get a very high attract/leakage of natural juices with the confiedence of the bait staying in position and if you have no action you will bring back in the sausage as per a boilee...


it works lads.. and on the right water can prove to be deadly...


Oh and once done can be frozen for future sessions too....

sardarel wrote:a
it works lads.. and on the right water can prove to be deadly...


Oh and once done can be frozen for future sessions too....

east coast cod & prob elsewhere too

your right there ..

Its a very much universal bait...

I use them a lot for Tench (or used to ! lol) The best thing about them is if your not getting a bite with them, you can eat them yourself!

hahaha i wouldnt fancy eating a weathered prawn>

that sounds like a great idea daz can you use standard bait elastic? presumably then you are just wrapping the mussels in the bait elastic so when you have your sausage of mussel and you cut it how do you stop the elastic from unwinding? do you then just hair rig this bait or fish it stick style?

Henry Gilbey swears by elastic wrapped around his baits, Every show i've seen him do he always uses the elastic, He says he goes through loads of the stuff and it always seems to do the trick.

Dave The Rave wrote:hahaha i wouldnt fancy eating a weathered prawn>

Oh i have eaten worse dave

billy barbel wrote:that sounds like a great idea daz can you use standard bait elastic? presumably then you are just wrapping the mussels in the bait elastic so when you have your sausage of mussel and you cut it how do you stop the elastic from unwinding? do you then just hair rig this bait or fish it stick style?

as you keep going up and down it inter winds and therefore when cut it will not unwind....

I would then fish it on the hair...


just use the fine stuff

i bet u have up north its called HAGGIS lol