I have the bait. What can I catch.

Ragworm

Ragworm is dug, not bought, if you want it at its best. Estuary mud and sheltered harbour ground hold both king rag and harbour rag.

Dig the last two hours of a spring ebb, work one small patch rather than a wide area, and backfill what you turn.

How to dig, keep and hook ragworm

Sandeel

Sandeel is raked or netted out of clean sand, and it fishes best the day you get it.

Work clean low-water sand on a spring tide from late spring through summer, when the eels are in close.

How to get and rig fresh sandeel

Lugworm

Lugworm is dug off open sand. The cast beds sit low on the shore and only uncover on the bigger tides.

Big spring low water exposes the beds; dig below the last line of casts and give a worked patch a few weeks.

Where to dig lugworm in Wicklow

Peeler crab

Peeler crab is collected, not bought. You turn it out from under rock, weed and loose stone on the bottom of the tide, then hold it until it sheds.

Peeler availability follows the moon and the tide: collect on big spring low water, when the most ground uncovers.

How to find, keep and fish peeler crab

Mussel

Mussel is picked off mid-shore rock and pier legs on the ebb, then bound to the hook.

Pick on any low water, take only what you will fish that session, and leave the small ones on the rock.

Soft-back crab

Soft-back crab is collected, not bought. It is the same crab a day or two after it peels, found in the same low-water ground.

Softies follow the same moon and tide as peelers: collect on big spring low water and fish them the same session.

How to find, keep and fish crab bait

Hermit crab

Hermit crab is picked out of low-water pools and gullies, shell and all, then cracked out at the water when you need it.

Any low water will show a few, but the big spring tides open the pools that hold the larger ones.