cod

[michael rouse]

i caught codling off a mark in wales and wondered if i could targrt bigger species.the codling were caught at about 25 yards but any distance over 50 and its only doggies.would the big ones be close in also and what is the best bait?i have mackeral and small sandeel and can get peeler and hard back crabs.

 

[jason fisher]

you could try big cocktail baits tipped with squid, the crabs might work, i'm not sure which fish baits work for cod, or try a bigger version of what you caught the codling on.
cod will eat just about anything given the chance.
let's face it in the 70's they'd eat a chrome car door handle with a hook on the end.

 

[alan outen]

squid and lug seem to be working on the south coast at the moment, for other people at least

 

[michael rouse]

codling on small sandeel so ill try a big sandeel tipped with squid .thanks

 

[jason fisher]

i think squid and lug are the top cod bait all over if you can get the big black ones.

 

[Colin North, the one and only]

My wife Sue caught a 13lb 5oz Cod from Deal Peir a couple of weeks ago, on a whole squid, mounted on a 2/0 pennel rig. Both AT and AM published a picture of her with her catch in this weeks edition.

 

[Kieran Hanrahan]

Take a squid body, stuff half a dozen lugworm or well thawed frozen mackerel into it, tie it shut with bait elastic, then secure it with a pennel rig 3/0s or 4/0s are sufficent and more bait elastic. Crabs have difficulty in getting through the squid body, great scent trail and excellent for casting thanks to the aerodynamics of the squid body. Still recommend using a clipped down rig and just one bait per trace! I have never caught a small fish on it but you do have to be patient... and at night, big fish will come very close in...