Cheap As Chips Mussel

[CosmicCat]

Well was sick of paying £2- £3 for a tinny small bag of mussel from tackle shops, so while I was shopping some nice live fresh Scottish mussels caught my eye. and I normally don't buy from supermarkets but these bad boys were massive and one touch on them and boom did they close up fast.
I've now de-shelled them all and for £3.48 for 950kg I thought was tidy price to pay.
should last a while if freeze some up

[bowsey1]

bloody hell,950kg will last you a while.!!!!lol

[big phil 123]

Spot on mate

[endurothumpers]

Yep spot on now all they need is a little white wine and garlic mmmmm

[<(Andy2009)>]

I can't complain with tackle shop mussel. At £1.50 a bag and quality fresh mussels, what's not to like!?

[codhunter40]

Mussels are an excellent cod bait, well worth the effort to do yrself.. I freeze them in bags of ten, rather than in a block.. Then just take enough for the session with you. Say 2 or 3 bags, depending on what other bait you have.. Quick to defrost + very little wasted..

[markt1225]

Any advice of anything you need to do add prior to freezing or any other tips to ensure in best condition when freezing down - advice appreciated

[codhunter40]

Basically just freeze them asap if yr not going to use them straight away. Using them fresh is better, then freeze the ones left over after yr session. An old fishing veteran told me to shell them into a bowl then put water in it + leave overnight in fridge. Apparently they swell right up, then use/freeze them. Never tried it though.. Hope this helpful..

[magpies]

How do you shell them without cooking ?

[codhunter40]

It takes a bit of practice really, i use a small bluntish vegetable knife (incase you slip with it!) prize open the mussel, run knife round edge of both half shells cutting ligament. Then scrape out the mussel. Personally I would never use cooked mussels as bait.. Main reason is they offer vertually no scent trail in water. As we fish mainly in darkness/coloured water, scent is only thing fish use to find our bait.. Its just about getting the best from your bait..

[markgg]

Which supermarket mate

[magpies]

It takes a bit of practice really, i use a small bluntish vegetable knife (incase you slip with it!) prize open the mussel, run knife round edge of both half shells cutting ligament. Then scrape out the mussel. Personally I would never use cooked mussels as bait.. Main reason is they offer vertually no scent trail in water. As we fish mainly in darkness/coloured water, scent is only thing fish use to find our bait.. Its just about getting the best from your bait..

Thanks mate, I will have a go at that

[codhunter40]

Try to get them from fishmonger if you can as they are generally bigger, although i just got some from sainsburys this afternoon which were a good size, try to avoid small ones..

[codhunter40]

No problem magpies, its good to be able to share info..

[CosmicCat]

Tesco mate at roker, there was only 3 bags of them there sitting on the ice, could not believe when I touched one of the big ones on it's shell it closed fast as, that's what made me buy them.
to shell then I put a knife in the point where the seaweed they were stuck to is sticking out then run the knife round till ligiment is cut and the shell opens easy as.
after this I do a few of them from shells I then use half of the shell from an empty one to scoop them out as I find this works better.
I've put them straight from fresh into the tub then taken them into small packets and put back into tub to freeze.
I would have loved to cook them but as our lass now says your fishing mad lol

these were fresh not cooked mussel's