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Best bait for cod


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Fairly sure this may have been asked before, but I'm curious to hear what bait everyone uses for cod? With thoughts turning to the winter cod season I'm interested to break my duck with a Solent cod this year. What have you used with success? What rigs too?

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4 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

Squid on a running ledger. 
The couple I caught last season were surprisingly enough on small squid rings as opposed to the standard 2/3 on a 4/0 hook! 

Mmmm, squid rings! If I tried using squid rings they wouldn't make it as far as the hook. 😋

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1 hour ago, Andy135 said:

Fairly sure this may have been asked before, but I'm curious to hear what bait everyone uses for cod? With thoughts turning to the winter cod season I'm interested to break my duck with a Solent cod this year. What have you used with success? What rigs too?

150g slow jig works for me 👍

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21 minutes ago, JonC said:

I would go for squid if I had to pick one bait that would deliver. Squid is a bait that keeps on delivering and it will deliver. It also delivers. Deliver deliver deliver. 

What's the delivery time, and is there a charge?

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7 hours ago, Andy135 said:

Anyone tried that crab cart stuff?

It's a shore bait used when there has been rough weather as that is what they would expect to find. 

Small (4" mantle) squid stuffed with the chopped head etc, lug, mussel and anything else you have. You can even build it onto the hook and snood and place it in the freezer so that you are ready to rock and roll. If doggies,  crab and tings are a pest try filling the nylon mesh skins that garlic bulbs come in with all things tasty and 4/0 - 6/0 hook/s to garnish. 

If you're drifting try muppets or similar baited with mackerel. 

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43 minutes ago, Malc said:

It's a shore bait used when there has been rough weather as that is what they would expect to find. 

Small (4" mantle) squid stuffed with the chopped head etc, lug, mussel and anything else you have. You can even build it onto the hook and snood and place it in the freezer so that you are ready to rock and roll. If doggies,  crab and tings are a pest try filling the nylon mesh skins that garlic bulbs come in with all things tasty and 4/0 - 6/0 hook/s to garnish. 

If you're drifting try muppets or similar baited with mackerel. 

So is it basically mashed up crab stuffed into a bag? And any reason why it wouldn't work from a boat?

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13 hours ago, Andy135 said:

So is it basically mashed up crab stuffed into a bag? And any reason why it wouldn't work from a boat?

It probably would work but it's much better for shore fishing just after an onshore gale in the winter. I think you would be better off with squid/lug/frozen prawn etc as they give off good scent, are what they expect to find and aren't as costly. I really rate mussel for cod, lovely scent trail but needs whipped on gently or encased in a squid mantle 

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On 9/6/2022 at 10:00 AM, Malc said:

It probably would work but it's much better for shore fishing just after an onshore gale in the winter. I think you would be better off with squid/lug/frozen prawn etc as they give off good scent, are what they expect to find and aren't as costly. I really rate mussel for cod, lovely scent trail but needs whipped on gently or encased in a squid mantle 

Not heard or tried mussel before but I can see how it could work, being all about the scent. Presume you mean regular mussels that you'd find growing on piles in marinas or on harbour walls?

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1 hour ago, Andy135 said:

Not heard or tried mussel before but I can see how it could work, being all about the scent. Presume you mean regular mussels that you'd find growing on piles in marinas or on harbour walls?

Yeah, the marina that my friends moor in has them growing on the pontoons, all you need is a landing net and something to scrape them off with. I presume that there will be plenty of youtube videos to show you how to open them, but never use a sharp knife!

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55 minutes ago, Malc said:

Yeah, the marina that my friends moor in has them growing on the pontoons, all you need is a landing net and something to scrape them off with. I presume that there will be plenty of youtube videos to show you how to open them, but never use a sharp knife!

I'll give that a go when I'm at the marina next then I reckon and save them for stuffing into squid tubes at home. I can see a bait prep session on the cards.

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