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mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 10:26 pm Post subject: Whelks
There are whelks in our waters, a well-kept secret apparently. Question: How are they caught and where can one buy the equipment?

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 10:28 pm Post subject:
Don't you just pick them off rocks at low tide? Last edited by Nick on Sat Feb 15, 14 10:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 10:28 pm Post subject:
You catch them in traps. Bit like crab/lobster pots. Don't know where you'd buy them though.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 10:56 pm Post subject:

i just pick them up at low tide,be careful to only gather them from clean waters .as they are predators they can concentrate toxins from the critters they eat.

the big ones are a bit tough and improve with a hour boiling ,deshell ,mince and fry as burgers .the little ones are ok after a half hour boil

i spose if they are in deep water some sort of trap would work ,good baits might be mussels or clams

i recon i would eat the mussels or clams and ignore the whelks

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 10:58 pm Post subject:
They taste like fatty snakes though!

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 11:00 pm Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

They taste like fatty snakes though!

Is that a reason for, or against, eating them?

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 11:01 pm Post subject:
Ask Nick junior.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 11:04 pm Post subject:
He's adder fatty snake?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 11:08 pm Post subject:

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 11:15 pm Post subject:
a look at google images indicates that most traps are the lobster style baited with crab or fish so easy to make

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 14 11:42 pm Post subject:

The whelks I'm thinking of are these Buccinum undatum. They are much bigger than the smaller varieties we find at low tide. I have friends with boats and they will take us far onto the fjord where the water is clean. The critters are highly praised - and priced - as choice food for parties. I'm curious at the taste; I do love escargots. We shall see, I'll read up on how to catch them from the net.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 14 8:03 am Post subject:
those are the ones ,often called dog whelks in the uk ,the flavour is ok but they are a bit tough and chewey. they do seem to be quite quite fussy about location so one finds a lot where they find good habitat so i spose for trapping it is a matter of finding the right spot . with the right trap you will probably get crab/lobster as a bonus bycatch

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 14 8:24 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

He's adder fatty snake?

Dpack cooked him limpets, and he loved them. One of those childhood memories that'll stay with him forever, I reckon.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 14 8:59 am Post subject:
he will never be hungry at the seaside

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 14 9:05 am Post subject:
He's a teenage boy. He's always hungry, everywhere, even in the middle of an all you can eat buffet.

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