DEVON SANDEELS – FROZEN SEA FISHING BAIT
Our Devon sandeels are caught by us, packed by us and blast frozen by us, giving Wrigglers control of the bait from the sea to the freezer.
Sandeels are one of the classic natural baits for UK sea fishing and a major food source for predatory fish. Their long, slim shape makes them particularly effective for bass, rays, turbot, brill, pollack and cod.
They can be fished whole, doubled up or combined with squid, with the presentation matched to the size of the sandeel and the fish you're targeting.
BASS
A whole sandeel is a superb bass bait. Keep it straight and streamlined so it presents naturally and casts cleanly.
A Running Ledger or Pulley Rig works well, with a Wrigglers Chinu Hook for smaller presentations or a Wrigglers Takumi Wide Gape Long Shank Hook when using a larger sandeel.
TURBOT & BRILL
Sandeel is a natural choice for turbot and brill, particularly when fished whole.
A Running Ledger with a longer snood allows the bait some movement close to the seabed. Use a hook that doesn't overpower the bait — Wrigglers Chinu Hooks are a strong choice for a neat whole-sandeel presentation.
RAYS
For rays, step the bait up. Fish a large whole sandeel, two sandeels together, or sandeel with a strip of squid.
A Pulley Pennel or Up & Over Rig gives a larger bait plenty of support.
Wrigglers Octopus Beak Hooks are well suited to substantial fish baits, while Wrigglers Mutsu Circle or True Circle Hooks are another option when specifically fishing a circle-hook setup.
COD
For cod, a whole sandeel can be used on its own, but sandeel and squid is where the bait really comes into its own.
Lay squid alongside or around the sandeel and secure it with bait elastic. The squid toughens the presentation and helps the sandeel survive a powerful cast.
Fish it on a Pulley or Pulley Pennel Rig with a Wrigglers Takumi Wide Gape Long Shank or Octopus Beak Hook.
POLLACK
Whole sandeels are an excellent natural bait for pollack around rocks, reefs and deeper water.
Keep the bait presentation slim and natural. There's no need to bury a sandeel under excessive elastic — just enough to keep it secure while leaving the hook point completely clear.
SANDEEL & SQUID COCKTAIL
This deserves a mention of its own.
Whole sandeel + squid gives you the natural shape of a small baitfish with the extra toughness of squid. It's an excellent cocktail for bass, cod and rays, particularly when you need to cast the bait hard.
For larger versions, a Wrigglers Pulley Pennel Rig with Takumi Wide Gape Long Shank Hooks is a strong combination.
MATCH THE HOOK TO THE BAIT
Small sandeels: Wrigglers Chinu or Aberdeen Hooks
Medium whole sandeels: Wrigglers Chinu or Takumi Hooks
Larger whole/cocktail baits: Wrigglers Takumi Wide Gape Long Shank or Octopus Beak Hooks
Larger ray baits/circle-hook setups: Wrigglers Mutsu Circle or True Circle Hooks
The hook should complement the sandeel, not overpower it.
WHY WRIGGLERS DEVON SANDEELS?
This is the part that separates these from an ordinary bought-in frozen sandeel.
We catch our own Devon sandeels. We pack them ourselves. And with our 275 kg-per-hour blast-freezing capacity, we can get our catch frozen quickly.
That means we're involved from catch to pack, rather than simply buying a finished frozen bait and putting our name on it.
TOP TIP
Keep whole sandeels straight and streamlined. For normal fishing, use only enough bait elastic to secure them. For hard casting or bigger baits, add squid rather than wrapping the sandeel in excessive elastic.
DEVON CAUGHT • WRIGGLERS PACKED • BLAST FROZEN
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