Snails.

[cg74]

I was browsing through this: Derbyshire Angling Federation Win Angling Trust Division 2 National Championship - The Angling Trust

And came across this report; "Mark’s tactics were fishing loose feed of 7 pints of hemp through the feeder feeder to catch 10 barbel to 5lb and one chub. Mark caught a couple of barbel on caster and the rest on snails!"

Does anyone know which species of snail were used or which species has worked for you (if any). I've fished with common garden snails for carp and chub, and found them a pretty poor bait.

 

[sam vimes]

I can't say that I've ever used a snail as bait in my life. However, this appeared on the market not that long ago.

 

[binka]

I've tried the product which Sam linked to above on a few occasions on both river and stillwater, I was convinced they would be THE thing for tench and crucians in particular.

Initially I didn't have the confidence to try a snail as hookbait or the need when I was already catching on other hookbaits whilst feeding them but when I did try them (on a few sessions) it yielded nothing in the way of any interest.

Quite surprising really as I thought such a natural bait might bag me the odd bonus, wary fish.

On a similar slant I recall Des Taylor talking about how good lobworms worked in relation to them being considered a "natural" bait and then putting everything back into perspective by asking how many of them do you think actually inch their way along the bottom of a gravel pit forty yards out?

Maybe a thing for really hard fished waters and maybe a need to present the bait in a situation where the fish are likely to encounter them naturally eg. the very close margins but I drew a blank on them every time.

Which in turn raises the question of fish possessing a natural instinct for evaluating and knowing what is good for them especially if they don't associate it with a slap on the snout or the much simpler theory of their curiosity towards unfamiliar food items which might just smell/taste (?) good?

Personally and in relation to positive reports I've heard from others I think they are slugs MKII... The fish (and the angler) will love 'em or hate 'em.

Edited to add: Given that this guy fed seven pints of hemp through the feeder over the duration of a match my gut instinct is that the very regular flow of bait going in via repeated casting, in conjunction with being on a few fish to begin with along with those that joined the party, was more the reason for his success than the actual hookbait itself.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

If he's looking in, Christian, (Chav Professor) may be the guy to contribute here, I'll try to find the thread but I'm confident he has been using snails for Chub over a considerable length of time and posted on here about their effectiveness.

 

[barbelboi]

I have used garden snails for chub (free lined) with varied success, a bit like minnows for barbel early season seems best. Unlike some I always leave the shell in tact, after all that is how they'll be if they enter the water naturally. The best results by far have been from the small black snails that inhabit silkweed, the free growing weed from the river (I've never seen any in the silkweed that clings to weir structures, or similar - not sure why).

 

[Alan Tyler]

Kiddology - and Winkles? Just a guess, but they are snails, and available in bulk...

 

[no-one in particular]

Which in turn raises the question of fish possessing a natural instinct for evaluating and knowing what is good for them especially if they don't associate it with a slap on the snout or the much simpler theory of their curiosity towards unfamiliar food items which might just smell/taste (?) good?

.

Just a bit in relation to that Binka-something I posted on another thread recently- I fed some maggots to a big pond full of Goldfish the other week and they did not want to know. A few were sucked in and spat out again including a few casters and that was it, they just sunk to the bottom. They had never seen them before and did not recognize them as food and even distrusted the taste. Maggots of all things ! The day before I caught 50+ fish on them ! Weird.

Just a question are these snails fished without the shell? I mean, slugs, cockles, mussels all seem to work.

 

[peterjg]

I used to fish a lake for carp, if you were scrape a bucket in the edge along the bottom you would gather lots of small snails. I looked them up and they were (I think) called 'Jenkins Spire Snails' and apparently they reproduce by the thousand fold. Anyway, I did try them as bait, resulting in not a bite! Though surely the carp must have been eating them?

 

[rubio]

Just a bit in relation to that Binka-something I posted on another thread recently- I fed some maggots to a big pond full of Goldfish the other week and they did not want to know. A few were sucked in and spat out again including a few casters and that was it, they just sunk to the bottom. They had never seen them before and did not recognize them as food and even distrusted the taste. Maggots of all things ! The day before I caught 50+ fish on them ! Weird.

Just a question are these snails fished without the shell? I mean, slugs, cockles, mussels all seem to work.

I recall your original thread comment about the goldfish and maggots. I would bet if you tried it again with fresh bait there would be a positive response. The ammonia that taints maggots is strong enough to put off even tiny perch long before we can smell it. Drop some in the margins and observe reactions there. Frequently fish will mouth the bait on the drop but blow it out again. A succession of spat out maggots will quickly lead to falling baits being ignored. Drip feed some fresh ones again and they will switch on.
How many times we struggle to get bites when plenty of fish are in front of us, and how fresh the bait (especially maggot) is are strongly correlated.
They will eat sour maggots but not for long and not with enthusiasm. Even a quick wash can bring dramatic changes.
The french, and many others love to eat snails. Fish love snails. Cockles etc. too of course. I was once given some snail 'education' by an ageing French peasant. She was out collecting them one damp night as I cycled back to where I was staying. She had 5 upturned large flower pots outside her backdoor. Each one contained snails at a different stage of cleansing. No feed in the first to eliminate the bitter weeds it would have consumed. Carefully selected fresh herbs in the next 3, and finally Vermicelli under the last pot, the ones for dinner.
I have had very little success with snails myself but I've not yet tried preparing them in the way I might look to care for other baits.
Maybe Madame Ida's recipe would be the perfect thing.

 

[trotter2]

Never tried them but could be worth a go . After all chub will eat a slug with gusto. Don't think the shell would prevent them from being eaten,after all chub will eat crayfish no bother.

 

[blackout]

On a similar slant I recall Des Taylor talking about how good lobworms worked in relation to them being considered a "natural" bait and then putting everything back into perspective by asking how many of them do you think actually inch their way along the bottom of a gravel pit forty yards out?

I dropped a slug in with my goldies last week as coulnt find a worm even though it was raining outside. all 3 fish sucked it in and spat it out. Then after a short time I looked again and coulnd see it so thought great one of then has eaten it, but no. It slid its arse up the glass and out all within 3 minutes of throwing it in. I suspect most slugs and garden snails that fall in will know its a little too wet down there and climb out. So maybe the margins are best for naturals?

 

[no-one in particular]

I recall your original thread comment about the goldfish and maggots. I would bet if you tried it again with fresh bait there would be a positive response. The ammonia that taints maggots is strong enough to put off even tiny perch long before we can smell it. Drop some in the margins and observe reactions there. Frequently fish will mouth the bait on the drop but blow it out again. A succession of spat out maggots will quickly lead to falling baits being ignored. Drip feed some fresh ones again and they will switch on.
How many times we struggle to get bites when plenty of fish are in front of us, and how fresh the bait (especially maggot) is are strongly correlated.
They will eat sour maggots but not for long and not with enthusiasm. Even a quick wash can bring dramatic changes.
The french, and many others love to eat snails. Fish love snails. Cockles etc. too of course. I was once given some snail 'education' by an ageing French peasant. She was out collecting them one damp night as I cycled back to where I was staying. She had 5 upturned large flower pots outside her backdoor. Each one contained snails at a different stage of cleansing. No feed in the first to eliminate the bitter weeds it would have consumed. Carefully selected fresh herbs in the next 3, and finally Vermicelli under the last pot, the ones for dinner.
I have had very little success with snails myself but I've not yet tried preparing them in the way I might look to care for other baits.
Maybe Madame Ida's recipe would be the perfect thing.

You may have a point Rubio, These maggots had been treated with a yeast concoction that made them smell very beery and probably hid the ammonia smell. However, when I fed them to the goldfish they had been left for a couple of days so probably developed an ammonia smell but they also spat out the casters as well. This pond is enclosed by a 2ft wall so worms will not enter and there are no trees or bushes overhanging for caterpillars etc to fall in. All they see is their floating pond sticks pretty much. I am often amazed when a fly or something gets stuck in the water and these fish ignore that too. Yet the odd thing is an apple core thrown in which they never see either gets devoured pretty quickly.
I think your right about the maggots though, maybe sometime I will try some treated clean maggots to see what happens out of curiosity.

 

[rubio]

Just something I've observed many times in the past. Since paying attention to the condition of maggots even on the day of purchase I think I'm catching more with them. We have 3 tackle shops selling bait in town but I only trust one for maggots that aren't already tainted.
I would never have believed that perch fry could be so picky. That was the first time I noticed, on a slow day when bites were few and finicky. Since then it has been confirmed many times. They expect the little wrigglers to be tasty but spit 'em out pretty quick. Casters will get tainted too unless you are very fastidious and riddle 3 times a day. Much easier to handle once washed tho.