KEEPING PILCHARDS FIRM

[squire]

Does any one out there know how to firm up pilchards as im pretty tired of buying pilchards only to find out they come off the hook to easy? any help would be appreciated!

[imported_admin]

It depends on the type of Pilchard you buy, I find the IQF Pilchards to be fairly firm and last a lot longer on the hook, usually need to buy them in 1kg boxes or bigger.

You can also salt the pilchards. Use a plastic container and place a layer of rock salt then a layer of pilchards, layer of salt layer of pilchards and so on. Seal up the container and put back in the freezer.

Keeping the Pilchards on ice while you are fishing and not needing them will also make them last longer. It doesn't take long in the sun to turn them into mush.

[squire]

Thanks AUSFISH rock salt it is then.

[Lucky_Phill]

Steve is on the money there Squire. ;)

Depends on how many you wish to use in a session. I like to freeze mine ( with salt ) in snap lock bags with 12 pillies in each. Take the packets out of the " bait " esky, one at a time. Try to keep the rest as frozen as possible. IQF are the way to go in the 4kg boxes for value.

Even if you buy the block of pillies, drop them into a brine of salt water and rock " course " salt, that'll certainly help a little.

[Volvo]

Squire, most ya Australian , West Aussie or Sth Aussie Pilchards stay firm no probs as long as yourve kept them Frozen or on ice as your using.
Most the imported Pillies ive found ta be Crap, pardon the language and have either stayed off the ice or outa the freezer for too long or the Refrigerated containers thay come over in (If That) must kark it once or twice on the way cause with most their Pillies as soon as they thaw out and ya lay on your hook, come castin time the Pillie goes one direction and ya hooks in the other.
My opinion would be ta buy local and whats left over use the rock or butchers salt as explained above.
Though what ive found is. Salt as above for three days then take pillies out and place in plastic zipper bags.
The three ta four days of salt firms em up without gettin em too dry also.
Cheers
Volvo

[aquarius]

Squire.......use the IQF ones and your problem will be over.
Don't throw away any soft ones.......(USE THEM FOR THE BERLEY POT !!) ::) GOOD LUCK
Cheers Brent

[Heath]

You can only do so much with pilchards if they are crap to start with. I find the bulk 15kg box provied an outstading Pilchard. The ones we have at the moment are still firm after 3 trips.
A 15kg box will set you back about $65.00 but the quality of fish is streaks ahead of the normal block variety.

[Ratsack]

We did a trip to North West island a few years back and I bought a 4kg box of IQF pillies layered them in a bucket with rock salt and put the lid on. No freezer. They lasted the 10 days well and were still useable and catching fish towards the end of our stay. We had to do the trip on ice as generators are no longer allowed on the Island.
Hope this helps
Chow
Ratsack

[Live_Bait]

Does any one out there know how to firm up pilchards as im pretty tired of buying pilchards only to find out they come off the hook to easy? any help would be appreciated!


Have you tried putting one rubber band just before the head and one just after the tail it works

[bugman]

Phil,

I'm thinking one of those 15kgs IQF boxes is what we're after.

Heath where do you get yours from?

Brett

[mick]

. #I like to freeze mine #( with salt ) in snap lock bags with 12 pillies in each. #Take the packets out of the " bait " esky, one at a time. #Try to keep the rest as frozen as possible. # IQF are the way to go in the 4kg boxes for value. #


how do you seperate the pillies from a block to put in zip bag. does this mean thawing them and re-freezing them?

[webby]

Hi Marty,
Any fish baits left over from a days outting, can be reused, lay the baits on 6-8 sheets of newspaper, cover in butchers salt, and pour some tuna oil over them, wrap and put in your fridge doesnt have to be freezer, thats if the missus (00ps) allows.
Whats happens is the salt dries the flesh and the oil adds some flavour.
This also firms them up. You can do this with pillies strait from the shop also. It also toughens the skin up for better hook staying.
regards

[rick k]

G'day Mick,

IQF stands for individually quick frozen. All being well, they are loose in the box. If they are sold as IQF and they are not loose in the box, I would be thinking about buying something else, as they may have thawed and been refrozen.

[Bushbasher]

I'm in Port Lincoln and all I have to do is wander down the warf with a bucket and wait for the pilly boats to pull in and unload. A polite "any chance of some pillys mate" to the guy on the back of the truck filling the bins will get you as much as the bucket will hold of last nights catch. What doesn't get used that afternoon gets brined and/or salted. I've got a freezer full of plastic containers ( I use the ones you get your chinese takeaway in [$6 for 50 ])
The thing is ,I don't seem to get around to using them as whenever I go out I can get the fresh ones free. ;D ;D ;D

[Volvo]

I'm in Port Lincoln and all I have to do is wander down the warf with a bucket and wait for the pilly boats to pull in and unload. A polite "any chance of some pillys mate" to the guy on the back of the truck filling the bins will get you as much as the bucket will hold of last nights catch. What doesn't get used that afternoon gets brined and/or salted. I've got a freezer full of plastic containers ( I use the ones you get your chinese takeaway in #[$6 for 50 ])
The thing is ,I don't seem to get around to using them as whenever I go out I can get the fresh ones free. #;D ;D ;D

Ya put your foot into it mate, now your gunna have everyone down there grabbin some Pillies n next time ya venture down its gunna be$$$ ;D first Please. :-X when your on a good thing lol.

[Bushbasher]

you'd think so but believe me , I'm not the only one . The salmon follow the boats in so there could be as many as 30 or 40 ppl lined up around the boats throwing in lines for them and 90% would be using the fresh pillys bludged from the boat, haha , I've even seen shovels full of pillys be tossed over the side from the boat ,much to the delight and cheers of the crowd ,to help berley up the water around the boat.
Last time me and the missus went down there and tossed in a line we caught about 30 or 40 salmon between us in just over an hour ,all of which we gave away or tossed back cos we got plenty in the freezer anyway, but it's good fun and a good way to let the missus get some practice in pulling in something bigger than a tommie, haha(she's only 4'10" and needs a gimble to brace the rod in but she loves it )
Now the wants to go out on one of the half day charters and have a go at a blue fin tuna ; that should be interesting, hahaha

[Dominator]

Just wondering where i can get my hands on some of those IQF Pillies?

Cheers,

Dominator.

[jaybee]

I like to buy the export quality pillies, they come in 15kg boxes and are fit for human consumption usually around $48 a box, just salt em dont worry about keeping them in a freezer, besides they are good eating if you get hungry out fishing :)
cheers.

[Dominator]

And where would one purchase a 15 kg box of export quality pilchards? ??? ??? ???

Cheers,

Dominator.

[jaybee]

check your instant message dom, sorry cant advertise the place.
cheers.

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Guys

Anyone tried Viagra, that should keep them firm.

Hahahahahahahahaha. Wooooooooohhhhhhhhhoooooooo.

Cheers

Derek

[lures]

Get a 19 year old blonde to rub her hand up and down on them really fast it works on me , I stay firm for aleast 5 minutes
regards Lures

[duckman]

:Dthe old man swears by a string I think is called bait mate u can get from any good tackle store. it is like a fine cotton string that u wrap diagnally down the fish then back again with the hook put through the fish first and it hold the bait together alot longer than normal and doesn't seem to effect the way fish bite the pilchard. He uses it in moreton bay and has caught some pretty good fish without as many rebaits.
Best of luck Duckman

[coochie_fisher]

If you do buy a block of pillys and they are frozen just drop them flat on the concrete a feq times and they will break up so you can freeze them in smaller lots.

[vtrfirestorm]

Hello Jaybee,

I am chasing your 15kg blocks too.
Can you please also pm me your supplier

[Jitlands]

What about a bit of lateral thinking.
I have given up on pillies.
Whenever I come across a patch of yakkas I pull a few for next trip, straight in the ice.
At home I split em diagionally from behind the head to betweed the vent and tail. This gives me two baits suitabe for fishing on a gang be it in the surf for tailor or floated for schnapper.

[Tassie JR]

keep them half frozen works good

[pappy power]

hi guys can any one can tell me where i can buy a 15kg box of pillys plus solution how to make a brine please

[TREVELLY]

hi guys can any one can tell me where i can buy a 15kg box of pillys plus solution how to make a brine please

You certainly dragged this one out of the archives.

Suggest you put this into google for your answer:-

15 kg box of pilchards

[wags on the water]

Better to rehash an old informative thread than start up a new one. That's the idea of the search function.

But I have no info to help on this one.

[TREVELLY]

Yes you are right Wags - it's good people look up old stuff and others learn from that thread.

I read all the posts and there is a lot of good info there which is worthwhile.

[clevelandv8]

could help if you put where you're from, alot of people here are not that flash with internet so most are happy to help. just put up your location and someone may pm you.
mick

[Lucky_Phill]

15kg IQF or otherwise blocks of Pillies can be sourced by any of your local Retail Tackle Shops.

Certainly, if you live near the water,( easy access ) most Co-Ops or wholesalers will sell you a box.

You can go online to places like this one:- http://pilchards.com.au/#

I just " googled " pilchards " and looked around.

As for the brine.

fresh water with a bucket of salt ( pool salt, rock salt or Flossy Salt ) A fairly healthy ratio is required and I would suggest 10ltr water add. 2kgs Salt.

Probably easier to half defrost the pillies, pack tem into zip lock bags with a hand full of salt... :)

Ideally, you buy Aussie Pillies that look NOT OLD. 8-)

Are you using them for bottom bashing, float lining or casting from the beach for Tailor etc etc... lots of variables will have different answers.

At all times, to assist with them staying on the hooks, pin the gang through the backbone from the top... or side :-?

Good luck........... LP