Fresh vs Frozen

[LiamNE]

Some opinions and advise on the matter please

I have been using frozen bait these past few weeks instead of my usual fresh just to save a bit of money really...our lass still lookin for a job and money being a bit tighter

Anyway I havnt had a nice fish since using frozen bluey, black (oiled) lug or squid. On 2 occasions the past few weeks I have blanked or had poor fish when the next day, or the day before decent fish have been caught - starting to think it is bait related...I am usually pretty lucky but this has been a bad spell for me.

Whilst fresh will always be best, is frozen bait really THAT much worse or am I just unlucky lately?

[cod head]

Ive often thought the same thing, ive personally never had a good session on just frozen bait

[Andy s]

Same here ive never had a decent catch on frozen baits! i always thought it was just conditions and lack of fish but as time has gone on and lots of money spent on it! i have come to realise although there doesn't seem to be any sense in it the freezing process seems to take something out of what should be viable bait. and EVERYTIME i use freshh baits i ALWAYS do well on the same marks. am sure someone must have looked into this and worked out what the freezing process changes but i can't fathom it at all. am just pleased its not just me

[conoflexman]

frozen

frozen blacks. mussel. squid .razour all fish well but fresh all ways first choice if possible runny down tipped off with squid mussel takes some beating fresh or frozen

[Billzo]

still getting all my fish l8'ly on frozen crab but with fresh mussel, i'm lucky in away that i can get fresh mussel & rag when ever i want it, its only 10 minute walk from my front door. but
would'nt b without fresh mussel.
still fish on the beaches just taking frozen crab.
bill

[g-force]

I do like my frozen bait! Like Bill says, this time of year I'll be using a bit of frozen crab along with mussel (always frozen for me) and frozen blacks (if I've got any - haven't used much this winter). The only bait I'll use fresh is lugworm, lugworm & more lugworm! Any mackerel I'll be using for the odd scratch for whitings etc will be frozen - likewise any bluey that I may have.

Even in the height of summer when I'm gathering fresh crab and fishing with it up the coast for the reddies I'll be using it 50/50 with some fresh-frozen. Frozen crab releases its scent a lot quicker and the fresh takes longer but doesn't wash out so quick. That's the only rule I go by really - change baits a bit more often if using frozen.

Gary

[Lee,j]

Bulk the frozen baits with fresh mussel mate it's cheep and works great

[Billzo]

I do like my frozen bait! Like Bill says, this time of year I'll be using a bit of frozen crab along with mussel (always frozen for me) and frozen blacks (if I've got any - haven't used much this winter). The only bait I'll use fresh is lugworm, lugworm & more lugworm! Any mackerel I'll be using for the odd scratch for whitings etc will be frozen - likewise any bluey that I may have.

Even in the height of summer when I'm gathering fresh crab and fishing with it up the coast for the reddies I'll be using it 50/50 with some fresh-frozen. Frozen crab releases its scent a lot quicker and the fresh takes longer but doesn't wash out so quick. That's the only rule I go by really - change baits a bit more often if using frozen.

Gary

could'nt have put it better myself gary lad i also use fresh & frozen crab in summer, i splint a fresh crab with a frozen & few fresh mussel (deadly)
bill.

[LiamNE]

Thanks for opinions.

Think I will go with the mussel technique then to finish off my frozen bait. I do have mussel but froze that aswell

[InCodweTrust]

Fresh V Frozen

Ive often thought the same thing, ive personally never had a good session on just frozen bait

Fresh every time for me....only thing is it's a minimum of 60-70 mile round trip to the nearest tackle shop selling bait ? If there is any left worth having ?
Thing is When they are having it, anything will do, but when it's hard fresh will always win.
Fish...Makky, blue, squid, sprats all O.K. frozen, as it's the oils in them, in fact it can make them better, when they fester a bit !
Mussel imho suffers... fresh every time, very underestimated bait.
I got some fresh gullies a few weeks back, coalies went barmy for them, had first cod this year on them, froze the rest, not had a bite on them in 3 sessions.
Fished the brig last year with my brother, using lovely jelly frozen peeler, got tuned, by lobbers's mate, 20 yds away, with 5 good cod, on fresh crab, we never had a bite....speaks for me ?
Mel....

[waco]

Some opinions and advise on the matter please

I have been using frozen bait these past few weeks instead of my usual fresh just to save a bit of money really...our lass still lookin for a job and money being a bit tighter

Anyway I havnt had a nice fish since using frozen bluey, black (oiled) lug or squid. On 2 occasions the past few weeks I have blanked or had poor fish when the next day, or the day before decent fish have been caught - starting to think it is bait related...I am usually pretty lucky but this has been a bad spell for me.

Whilst fresh will always be best, is frozen bait really THAT much worse or am I just unlucky lately?

frozen black and crab done right, should be ok, but stil think fresh is best

[broon shoe]

Have always used frozen baits over the years mixed with fresh "have never went out fishing thinking must use just fresh tonight on this mark or frozen on this spot always had both and really struggle to say which is best I suppose it just how goes when your baits in the water

[spongebob]

Imo every bait has its day my 3 biggest fish are on bluey some of my best sessions have been with frozen so wasting .money on fresh lol. Its always best taking both tho. NvS for me was a prime example,I had fresh yellows fresh and frozen mussel frozen razor and bluey,only bait they were interested in was frozen mussel!! .I mean how many people go fishing without any frozen bait? 99% of us will take bluey and macky just in case . I dont honestly think you can go wrong with bait, at the end of the day its upto the fish lol

[broon shoe]

Imo every bait has its day my 3 biggest fish are on bluey some of my best sessions have been with frozen so wasting .money on fresh lol. Its always best taking both tho. NvS for me was a prime example,I had fresh yellows fresh and frozen mussel frozen razor and bluey,only bait they were interested in was frozen mussel!! .I mean how many people go fishing without any frozen bait? 99% of us will take bluey and macky just in case . I dont honestly think you can go wrong with bait, at the end of the day its upto the fish lol

totally agree sponge bob most cod av taken this season have had frozen mussel on mixed with fresh yellows or blacks or a mix of the lot have had frozen crab in me flask and not needed it

[micky-quayle]

It depends on where and when you're fishing.
Some examples of where frozen baits outfish fresh, in the winter frozen runnydown tipped with frozen macky will outfish fresh worm almost every time for flounders in the river wear. Frozen crab normally oufishes fresh crab fishing for coalies on shields pier, frozen macky usually outfishes fresh macky fishing for whitings around roker, frozen runnydown sometimes outfishes fresh lug in the tyne for cod (some days fresh fishes better here sometimes frozen.

Other times fresh bait is a must for success, such as the river wear in the summer, if you dont have fresh crab you're not dancing.
Just after xmas i was fishing on the rathouse using frozen runnydown catching lots of good whiting but no cod, my mate fishing right next to me using fresh lug getting decent cod every cast.

Fishing is simple
Right bait
Right place
Right time

Don't discount using frozen baits, often MORE effective than fresh.