I was wondering does anyone have any tips on keeping lug in good condition for any period of time.
For example say I dig about 80 - 100 lug for 2 sessions on a friday morning, the lug on friday night are fine but if I use the rest on saturday I find they've gone 'mushy' and fill with sand - just not as good as they were.
I usually keep them in the bucket in which they were first put in and store it in a cool place, Is there anything I can do to keep them fresher.
Keeping Lug Fresh
Moderator: donal domeney
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http://www.the-lounge.org.uk/content.php?article.76
Most lugworm will keep alive for a day or two if kept cold and out of the sun / drafts. The best option is to wrap no more than a dozen worms - having checked them for damage and discarded any dodgy ones - in newspapers with a bit of weed thrown in to keep them damp / apart. Alternatively some people put them into a bucket with a load of coarse sand and a little bit of sea water, mainly to keep them cool and damp.
If you plan to use them quickly, you can store them in a bucket of seawater - this has the added advantage that the worms will eject (ahem!) most of the sand they have consumed.
If you plan to keep them longer than that, you can freeze lugworm. The method used in freezing depends on whether they are blow lugworm or black lugworm. Most people here do not freeze lugworm for the simple reason that they are so plenitful but if you have some left over from a session, here are the best options...
For black lugworm, take them home, remove the tail, thread them onto the hooks without puncturing them, whip on shirring elastic as required, wrap them in newspaper and put them and the traces into the freezer. When you go to use them, take them out of the freezer and drop them into a large thermos flask, or a cooler box. They stay frozen until you get fishing, but will 'degrade' and defrost once cast into even cold sea water.
For blow lugworm bring them home, cover them in salt for a few hours to draw out all the water, and then freeze them individually wrapped in paper. They never go fully ""hard"" for the lack of water and get rubbery and tougher, but they will work and tend to stay on the hooks longer than fresh lugworm. They rehydrate to a degree once cast into the sea.
All this said, fresh lugworm is a far superior bait since it is the scent trail that is a lugworm's vital ingredient.
For other baits, see
http://www.the-lounge.org.uk/content.php?article.cat.51
I love Google..."
http://www.the-lounge.org.uk/content.php?article.76
Most lugworm will keep alive for a day or two if kept cold and out of the sun / drafts. The best option is to wrap no more than a dozen worms - having checked them for damage and discarded any dodgy ones - in newspapers with a bit of weed thrown in to keep them damp / apart. Alternatively some people put them into a bucket with a load of coarse sand and a little bit of sea water, mainly to keep them cool and damp.
If you plan to use them quickly, you can store them in a bucket of seawater - this has the added advantage that the worms will eject (ahem!) most of the sand they have consumed.
If you plan to keep them longer than that, you can freeze lugworm. The method used in freezing depends on whether they are blow lugworm or black lugworm. Most people here do not freeze lugworm for the simple reason that they are so plenitful but if you have some left over from a session, here are the best options...
For black lugworm, take them home, remove the tail, thread them onto the hooks without puncturing them, whip on shirring elastic as required, wrap them in newspaper and put them and the traces into the freezer. When you go to use them, take them out of the freezer and drop them into a large thermos flask, or a cooler box. They stay frozen until you get fishing, but will 'degrade' and defrost once cast into even cold sea water.
For blow lugworm bring them home, cover them in salt for a few hours to draw out all the water, and then freeze them individually wrapped in paper. They never go fully ""hard"" for the lack of water and get rubbery and tougher, but they will work and tend to stay on the hooks longer than fresh lugworm. They rehydrate to a degree once cast into the sea.
All this said, fresh lugworm is a far superior bait since it is the scent trail that is a lugworm's vital ingredient.
For other baits, see
http://www.the-lounge.org.uk/content.php?article.cat.51
I love Google..."
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m.b3
- SAI Megalodon!
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Alby how are you? i have kept lug for over a week with the following method- all varieties.
keep half a dozen to a dozen in a tray/tub at a time. no sand or seaweed. place a sheet of newspaper over them that has been soaked in seawater. keep them in the fridge like this checking occassionally to remove any dodgy ones. don't worry if you don't have a fridge you can keep them in a coolbag/box. using two freezer blocks, alternate between them from the box/bag to the freezer. put a freezer box into the box/bag in the morning. then change it in the evening. change again the following morning. i have kept them for nine days at a time this way and didn't need to keep them any longer. this was in the heat of summer. the worm will be as fresh as the day you dug them. give it a try- it will make you happy!!
keep half a dozen to a dozen in a tray/tub at a time. no sand or seaweed. place a sheet of newspaper over them that has been soaked in seawater. keep them in the fridge like this checking occassionally to remove any dodgy ones. don't worry if you don't have a fridge you can keep them in a coolbag/box. using two freezer blocks, alternate between them from the box/bag to the freezer. put a freezer box into the box/bag in the morning. then change it in the evening. change again the following morning. i have kept them for nine days at a time this way and didn't need to keep them any longer. this was in the heat of summer. the worm will be as fresh as the day you dug them. give it a try- it will make you happy!!
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dingbat
- SAI Bait Ball
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- Location: Ballyshannon.Co. Donegal
keeping lug.
When I dig lug and want to store them. I put the material I have dug them out in the bucket. Then I place bucket and all in the fridge, not to cold. I then take what I need and wrap them in newspaper the day I am going fishing. They will last for over a week, in the bucket.
dingbat
dingbat
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Guest
Hey Ed, been away in Thailand no less, looking forward to getting back to freezing my nuts off all night on some beach in wicklow to catch a fews doggies. All that plugging in 35 degree heat catching a 5lb trevalley a cast, and a bevvy of topless swedish chicks all wanting a cast...
I'll give you a call, monday or Wednesday best for me.
I'll give you a call, monday or Wednesday best for me.