Mussels.
How Fresh Are Your Mussels?
Hooking Your Mussels
Mussels are an excellent bait but have soft bodies and are therefore difficult just to hook. Indeed you will need to use bait aids to keep your mussel where you want it and so it does not fly off on the first cast. The answer? Easy just wrap an elastic around it or use other such attatchment aids. This will keep your mussel in place and still keep the fish interested.
Want Big Mussels?
Yes you do the bigger the better. Big mussels mean more meat soft juicey meat and better attraction for fish. The smaller ones are not as effective as meaty or as nice. You can pick your own. If you live near the sea then you will find mussels but where? Well they cling to rocks, harbour walls, piers anywhere really in large clumps. Harvest the big ones and leave the small ones to grow eco harvesting if you like. If you do not live by the sea then your fishmonger or supermarket sell mussels alive which are equally as good as the one picked yourself.
For the best appeal to fish your mussels have to be fresh. If you live near the sea go pick your own if you don't most fishmongers sell mussels alive .
Storing Your Meat
Getting in to your mussels can be difficult and is an art form but if you have difficulty in shelling your mussels then the last thing you want to do is to be trying when fishing. Therefore the best thing to do is pre prepare your mussel. You can after extracting them from their shells store them in a clean jar or even freeze them. They freeze really well and it is suggested this is done in batches of twenty on a freezer bag.
Keeping Them Alive
If you pick your own then you can keep them alive for around a week. Simply wrap them in a towel dampened in sea water and put them in the bottom of the fridge. If you do not have any sea water readily available then instead of letting them dry out use fresh water this will also do the job. To keep your mussels alive for longer get a bucket and fill it with sea water and put them in. Remove the dead ones (these do not close when handled) because if you dont then they will affect the remaining mussels and kill them. Also if you intend to keep them alive for any period of time change their water once a day.