Picking Peelers

[robbo 802]

Been thinking about going picking peelers at night. Have been told to pick up the jacks and remove hen from underneath, but are these the only ones you get or is it worth looking at the individual ones or will they all be hardbacks.Be grateful for any advice really.

[air gun ant 1,666]

not found any peelers yet up here but picked a box full of softies last week. just turning rocks over and giving them a prod as they try runing to the next rock

[robbo 802]

I was getting plenty during the day but they have dropped off at the minute. Was going to try it at night as a lot more moving about in darkness.

[Tiercel 6,986]

if your looking at night for peelers stick to shallow rocky water and just pick up the cock crabs carrying peelers. The cock crabs carry hens that are about to peel to make sure that they can mate with them once they peel, so they tend to be a bit aggresive. Not really worth searching for any other type. if you get jellies or soft crab leave them where they are as they do not keep and it's odds on they are pregnant.

 

When you get the females from under the cocks keep them dry in the fridge untill the side of the carapis starts splitting these I have found are the best bait of all. Crabs need moisture to moult so by keeping them dry they last longer. Say your going fishing tomorrow give them a drink of sea water about 12 hours before you go and they should be just ready to split and be perfect for the next day.

 

TC

Edited July 10, 2013 by tiercel

[robbo 802]

Thanks for that tiercel. Hopefully get out tonight and give it a go.

[NEWKID 26,211]

More great info TC, my peeler collecting is obviously very primitive lol...

 

Good luck Bry... When you fishing?

[robbo 802]

Every day mate . its a hard life being a kept man . Just fish for different things on different days. Dont know how i ever found time to go to work.

[NEWKID 26,211]

Nice one Bry, you've came down and your living the dream lol..

 

Had a couple of bass on Friday night, no real size, and a few mackerel on Sat night... Seen the shoals chasing the Brit around... I just free lined live eel, waited for the shoal to come within casting range and flicked the eel amongst them, it was nice fishing like that... More fun than dragging a load of feathers anyway... Sat it out then on the crab at dark but not a touch..

 

How you getting on down there, I'd imagine the bass are coming steady now with this warm spell?

[robbo 802]

yes mackerel are good fun on light gear. I spin for them with sand eels, its good sport. Was getting loads off a mark up here but they seem to have moved somewhere else. Going to try a different mark this evening for them. Also going to chuck a bait out as a few turbot have been coming off this mark. Nothing big but nice to catch summat different. To be honest kev the bass have disappeared altogether at the moment. Seas as flat as a witches tit dont help on most of the shore marks round here.Hopefully find a few when surf/swell picks up a bit. Im the same as you mate, cant see the pleaure in fishing with a load of feathers on.Those that do it keep me in three ounce leads though as i just go and collect all the ones that they have hitched up on the rocks and cliff

Edited July 15, 2013 by robbo

[NEWKID 26,211]

Good luck tonight mate,

I think we're going to the beach with the kids so me and the lad will sneak off for a spin somewhere lol

Cheers

Kev