At sea, natural bait and a steady scent trail often bring fish in when lures go quiet. In this category you will find bait fishing accessories such as bait elastic, baiting needles and bait knives. You will also find chumming gear: chum bags, cages, scents and oils. The range is split into two groups by use.
Bait fishing is one of the most versatile ways to fish the sea. Whether you are casting a long way from the beach, dropping a rig to the bottom from a boat or fishing into the current from an anchored boat, natural bait tempts cod and flatfish as well as bigger predators. Two things decide the day: the bait has to stay on the hook, and the fish have to find it.
Bait elastic is a thin, stretchy thread used to bind soft baits such as mussel, shrimp or fish strips to the hook. It survives the cast and the current and is hard to see in the water. Baiting needles let you thread bait neatly onto the hook or trace, and a bait knife cuts fish strips and fillets to an even size right there in the boat.
Chumming takes the scent to the fish. A chum bag or cage is filled with minced fish or another attractant and lowered to the bottom or hung over the side of the boat, so the current carries the scent over a wide area. Scents and oils add extra appeal to both natural baits and lures.
Chumming works when it is steady and kept up long enough. Start as soon as you arrive at the mark and keep the trail unbroken, so the fish follow it towards your baits. Check the direction of the current to make sure the scent drifts over the fishing spot rather than away from it.
A good habit is to keep baits cool and cut them just before use, since fresh bait gives off more scent. Before you start, check the local rules, as chumming and the use of natural bait are restricted in some areas.