Bait is probably the single most important element to successful sea angling. It’s quality and presentation is fundamental and more important than rods reel or line in the majority of situations.
There is a wide variety of bait available and it can be obtained in various different forms. Fresh, frozen, dried or artificial. We recommend that you stick to fresh or frozen baits whenever possible as these are the most natural forms of bait and they are what the fish is expecting to see in its day to day life.
Your local tackle shop is the best source of information on bait and what is best to use at the time and location you are planning to fish. Tackle shops get a constant flow of information regarding how areas are fishing and you should listen to their advice carefully as it is in their interest to make sure you are successful because if you are it’s more likely that you will come back and buy more from them.
Good tackle dealers will usually have fresh supply of fresh live lug and rag worms and regular supplies of peeler crab. They usually also stock good quality frozen bait. We recommend you choose a good quality brand in frozen baits like ‘Ammo’ for example that consistently produce to a high standard. You can also buy fresh sea baits straight from the fish markets as the daily catch is landed. Even the local fishmonger's shop might have what you are looking for. Bait is often neglected by anglers who are more interested in spending time and money on the latest rod or reel but this is no substitute for quality bait and the purchasing of good bait and learning how to present it well is more important than any other element of your fishing.
You need to keep your bait in the right conditions at home particularly in the summer. Keep frozen bait at a suitably low temperature. Keep fresh lug worm, rag worm and peeler crab in the fridge at between 5 and 6 degrees. Fridge temperature and kept by the warmer in summer to reduce any shock factor that the bait might suffer when transported to a warm beach. This applies particularly to rag worm.
Consult your tackle dealer about the best bait
Purchase or obtain the best bait you can
Keep your bait and the correct temperature at home
Frigid temperatures should be slightly warmer in the summer