04-24-2012, 12:04 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Don't use canned or otherwise processed sardines. There are bait shops in the Sacramento area that sell them. They have been commercially netted in Peru, frozen and then shipped to the bait industry in California. There they are kept frozen until needed for the day's bait sales. You can actually buy them frozen if you want to keep a supply for yourself.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Best to keep them frozen for as long as possible. But they remain firmer and better to use for bait than anchovies...which get very soft after being frozen. And sardines are much larger than anchovies...except for the tiny ones in cans. Those are usually Norwegian packs. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not many sardines in the US anymore but due to protective measures they are increasing. There used to be huge populations of them along the Pacific coast but...like other species...they were overharvested and the population crashed. Steinbeck's novel "Cannery Row" was about the sardine canneries in Monterrey California in the early 20'th century. They have long since been closed for lack of product.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are still good stocks of sardines in the southern part of the Pacific and that is where the frozen bait sardines come from.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It is possible you could find them in a well stocked Asian fish market. If not, try some mackerel or anchovies...or smelt...or any one of a dozen other small saltwater fish. They will almost all work. So will squid.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Best to keep them frozen for as long as possible. But they remain firmer and better to use for bait than anchovies...which get very soft after being frozen. And sardines are much larger than anchovies...except for the tiny ones in cans. Those are usually Norwegian packs. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Not many sardines in the US anymore but due to protective measures they are increasing. There used to be huge populations of them along the Pacific coast but...like other species...they were overharvested and the population crashed. Steinbeck's novel "Cannery Row" was about the sardine canneries in Monterrey California in the early 20'th century. They have long since been closed for lack of product.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are still good stocks of sardines in the southern part of the Pacific and that is where the frozen bait sardines come from.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]It is possible you could find them in a well stocked Asian fish market. If not, try some mackerel or anchovies...or smelt...or any one of a dozen other small saltwater fish. They will almost all work. So will squid.[/#0000ff]
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