CUTTLEFISH – FROZEN SEA FISHING BAIT
Cuttlefish is a tough, durable sea bait that is particularly useful when you need a bait that will withstand hard casting and stay fishing for longer.
Its firm flesh can be cut into thin strips, long tapered baits, chunks or larger sections. Unlike softer oily fish baits, cuttlefish's main advantage is its texture and staying power, making it particularly useful from the shore and for combining with softer fish baits.
A good bait for bass, cod, rays, huss, conger and other bottom-feeding sea species.
HOW TO FISH CUTTLEFISH
For bass, cut a neat tapered strip that moves naturally in the water. A simple running ledger or pulley rig gives a clean presentation.
For cod, use a thicker strip or several pieces bound together. Cuttlefish can withstand a powerful cast, making it useful when fishing at distance.
For rays and huss, use a larger strip or section on a longer snood. Its toughness means the bait can remain intact while you're waiting for a fish to find it.
For conger, cut a substantial chunk or thick strip and fish it on tackle matched to the size and power of the fish.
BEST WRIGGLERS HOOKS FOR CUTTLEFISH
Wrigglers Chinu Hooks — a good choice for smaller, neatly cut strips when you don't need a large hook.
Wrigglers Octopus Beak Hooks — particularly well suited to thicker strips and chunks because the compact, strong pattern works well with substantial baits.
Wrigglers Takumi Wide Gape Long Shank Hooks — ideal when using longer cuttlefish strips. The wide gape gives plenty of room for the bait while the longer shank helps accommodate an elongated presentation.
Wrigglers Mutsu Circle Hooks & True Circle Hooks — suited to larger cuttlefish baits for rays, huss and other bottom-feeding species where a circle-hook presentation is wanted.
Wrigglers Stainless O'Shaughnessy 10/0 & 12/0 Hooks — for genuinely large cuttlefish baits and heavy fishing for species such as conger, rather than normal everyday cuttlefish presentations.
BEST RIGS
Running Ledger — particularly good for bass and other fish where you want a straightforward, natural bottom presentation.
Pulley Rig — a strong choice for cod and bass from the shore, particularly when you need to cast a cuttlefish bait some distance.
Pulley Pennel — better for a long or substantial cuttlefish bait where two hook points help support the presentation.
Up & Over Rig — useful when targeting rays and huss with a larger bait and a longer snood.
CUTTLEFISH & FISH COCKTAILS
This is where cuttlefish really earns its place in the bait box.
Its tough flesh can be used alongside a softer, oilier bait to produce a cocktail with both durability and scent.
Cuttlefish + Bluey — combines tough cuttlefish with a rich oily fish bait. Excellent for larger ray and huss presentations.
Cuttlefish + Mackerel — a strong all-round fish-and-cuttlefish combination for cod, rays and huss.
Cuttlefish + Sardine — sardine is very soft, so a strip of cuttlefish can help produce a much more durable cocktail.
Cuttlefish + Launce or Sandeel — use a strip alongside the fish to create a long, streamlined bait for bass, cod and rays.
Bind larger cocktails neatly with bait elastic, but don't turn the bait into a solid lump. Keep the hook point and gape completely exposed.
WHY HAVE CUTTLEFISH IN THE BAIT BOX?
Cuttlefish isn't simply another alternative to mackerel or squid. Its big advantage is durability.
It's especially useful when:
You need to cast hard or fish at distance.
Small fish are destroying softer baits.
You want a bait that can stay fishing for longer.
You want to add toughness to an oily fish cocktail.
You're making a larger bait for rays, huss or conger.
COMPLETE YOUR SETUP WITH WRIGGLERS TACKLE
For smaller baits: Wrigglers Chinu Hooks
For medium and larger baits: Wrigglers Octopus Beak Hooks • Takumi Wide Gape Long Shank Hooks
For larger bottom baits: Wrigglers Mutsu Circle Hooks • True Circle Hooks
For serious heavy baits: Wrigglers Stainless O'Shaughnessy 10/0 & 12/0 Hooks
Match them with Wrigglers Pulley Rigs • Pulley Pennel Rigs • Up & Over Rigs • Power Swivels • Rig Line • Clips and Rig Components.
TOP TIP
Don't waste cuttlefish's toughness by cutting it too thick. A long tapered strip gives you a streamlined bait with plenty of movement while still retaining the durability that makes cuttlefish so useful. For a cocktail bait, use the cuttlefish to support the softer fish bait rather than completely covering it.
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