N. Ireland Black, blow or "yellowtail"

[Des.c]

Alright all. New to forum.

I'm from Belfast and have been pumping lugworm. Now I've 2 questions, first is, is there such a thing as yellowtails. There's mixed views when I look on the net. Second question is, any recommendations where I can pump for blacks over here?.
Where I'm going they are decent size (whatever they are) but are few and far between.
I've just been salting them as I don't know if they can be frozen.

Here's a pic of one. Could someone identify what type it is.

Thanks in advance,
Des

 

[Where’s Wally]

That’s your right hand

 

[Des.c]

That’s your right hand

Your observation skills are 2nd to none

 

[Had1]

They are a real good size I'd say black lug although they look like huge blows . @concrete might know more accurately he does a lot of digging .

 

[Topwater]

Big black dobber. Perfect for blanching and freezing. Scientists say there's 2 only species some anglers/diggers say there's 3.

 

[Where’s Wally]

Your observation skills are 2nd to none

Since scientists didn’t know there were two separate species until 30 years ago using dna sequencing, a picture will only give a hint.
You’d probably be better off photographing the depression, or lack of it and the cast too. The two different species have totally different types.
Cheers

 

[Wolf]

That looks like a big blow lug,but not 100% sure

 

[Des.c]

They come from mostly uneven cast but no blow hole. When I read up it ones say blow don't generally grow past 20cm. The ones that I get are into the 30's. To my uneducated mind, they're a mixture of both black and blow. Black because of the size, blow because of the casts. Thanks for the replies guys. Someone told me we don't really gets blacks in N.I so this is the reason I'm asking.

 

[Valleyboy]

Big black dobber. Perfect for blanching and freezing. Scientists say there's 2 only species some anglers/diggers say there's 3.

I can remember when the scientists said their was only one species with regional variants. They are saying the same thing now for blacks and yellow tales

 

[Valleyboy]

Alright all. New to forum.

I'm from Belfast and have been pumping lugworm. Now I've 2 questions, first is, is there such a thing as yellowtails. There's mixed views when I look on the net. Second question is, any recommendations where I can pump for blacks over here?.
Where I'm going they are decent size (whatever they are) but are few and far between.
I've just been salting them as I don't know if they can be frozen.

Here's a pic of one. Could someone identify what type it is.

Thanks in advance,
Des
View attachment 64855

@Fedstar is the man you want. He should be able to put you on some worms. Just don't tell him where you live

 

[Des.c]

I hijacked fedstar's thread regarding this but deleted my post as I felt a touch of guilt : )

 

[Shirleycodlin]

1st, welcome to the forum.
Blows, cast plus blow hole. U shaped burrows
If left undisturbed can top 12" and as thick as your thumb.
Blacks / yellows. Cast only straight burrows
Dug/pumped Gutted and wrapped they are blacks
Dug/pumped ungutted they are poppers.
Dug ungutted in very shallow trays of sea water, they are yellow tails.

 

[Des.c]

Thank you and thanks for reply. So even though there's no visible blow hole from these, they're still blowlug?

 

[Dutchman]

They are Lug!

 

[Fedstar]

Bout ye Dec
The worm ye have there looks like a "yellow tail" easy way to tell is,,,, do they leave a yellow stain on your fingers? But the way thon worm has a black tail and brown upper, don't look like blacks te me fella.
Best way to use yellow tails is to gut them then they stiffen up quite a lot and can be frozen.
Are you pumping down the Lough? Lol North shore at Carrick, or South shore down around Hollywood.

I only know one place to gather blacks and that's in Comber but it's National Trust land.

I myself would say three types of Lug can be gathered, with yellows being in the middle between black and blow.
Scientific or not yellows seem like a completely different species to a wee dunder head like me.

If ye wanna have a slabber? Send me a PM an we can talk.


Mark...

 

[Wolf]

Forgot to say welcome to the forum

 

[Des.c]

They do leave a yellow stain on the fingers, but apparently so do blacks....head melt.

PM sent mate

 

[Valleyboy]

Blow lug as well will stain your fingers

 

[Cwab]

Catherine wheel type cast with vertical shaft with large worm with long yellow tail section that can shift and go deep we call gulley worms with regional variations in colour and sand can grow to a fair old size and if dug can be kept weeks in trays of salt water in fridge if changed regular and gut and freeze well.
Beds of yellow tails with untidy cast and in u shape tunnel and blow hole can be trenched when at high density and also keep well in trays and stain hands like gulley worm.
Blow lug casts as yellow tails easily dug and do not keep well in trays or freeze to be kept.
Do not know the Latin names and the three names blow lug, yellow tail, and gulley worm just names I was brought up using, yellow tail and gulley having similar qualities but different hole and cast structure though blow lug having similar cast/ tunnel to yellow tails.
Suspect regional names will differ and identities blurred a tad, for me gulley worm and yellow tail good blow lug less so imo.
Would not like to say what picture is of edit, gulley worm commonly called blacks and when mature can grow really big and take some digging, if pumped do not keep well in trays for some medical reason same as yellows

 

[Des.c]

Meh, whatever they are, they're being salted down for a week then frozen, guts an all. Appreciate the replies guys