Fishing Victoria Forum

I've sourced mussels from the local fishmonger and used them straight from their shells, however, find it difficult to keep them on my hooks for any length of time. Wondering what others might do re: sourcing mussels, preparing them and in particular how they're attached to your hooks.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Regards, pedro@cliftonsprings. :water:

never used them myself but I've seen 2 things posted from time to time that might be of help:
first is to take them out of their shells a day before and put them in salt to toughen them up
the second is to get the NZ green lipped mussels (or whatever they're called) because they're cheaper and tougher and work just as well as the local ones

as I say, that is second hand info so hopefully someone else has tried them and can vouch for their usefulness (or lack thereof)

I've heard that you open them at home, Salt them and pop em in the fridge. They toughen up and stay on the hook better.

Steal you wife's sewing threads. Do not use elastic baitmate. It will ruin your mussels

Clean them and put them in szive drain them of most of the liquid and salt heaps put in freezer , they wont freeze they work a treat

Fish-cador wrote:Steal you wife's sewing threads. Do not use elastic baitmate. It will ruin your mussels

what does the elastic do to them?

4liters wrote:

Fish-cador wrote:Steal you wife's sewing threads. Do not use elastic baitmate. It will ruin your mussels

what does the elastic do to them?

My experience with the elastic bait mate is that it is too thick and stretchy and just cuts through the mussels and destroys them.
I use a very fine bait mate called Black Magic that is $5.95 a roll (more than the elastic stuff but better) and is like fine silk/cotton to tie my Pippies, Mussells, Pillies (if they're not toughened by salting them) and when you snap it you don't rip your bait in half and you don't need scissors t cut).

Use the thread and twist method when putting it on the hook. E.g. Thread then twist then thread then twist till it's all on

Misheen wrote:Use the thread and twist method when putting it on the hook. E.g. Thread then twist then thread then twist till it's all on

that will work too but you there is a big chance it will fly when you cast.

Use sewing thread ($1 for 500m) or bait buddy as shown in the photo. Both works just fine. I can cast as far as I can when chasing KGW from the beach.