Sardines as bait

[Beach]

I have eaten them fresh caught in the Algarve barbied on the beach restaurant

 

[Angle2dangle]

I don't know that I'd fancy eating them if they haven't been cleaned, and I would imagine they would be diffult to clean if they have been frozen. I've got whole frozen Mackerel here for bait from a tackle shop, and once it defrosts, it stinks like nothing you've ever smelled.

Can report that once defrosted, the sardines were as if fresh, no smell other than fishy , and simple to remove heads and guts (they will make a bait!). Dusted in oatmeal and lightly grilled 3 mins each side, absolutely delicious. Regarding softness, not apparently over soft/mushy as Ammo type frozen bait can be. I think this is a result of quick freezing freshly caught fish, possibly at sea, and I can recommend this product for all its qualities.
But as it says at Lidls ", when its gone its gone"

 

[flappy]

I have always eaten the guts as well I thought it was how you were supposed to eat them…?

 

[Thrasher]

Found LIDL have Spanish sardines as an offer at present. 1kg pack frozen whole (with guts) containing a dozen plump fish, seperate not in a block.
With mackerel not visible here (yet?), seems a reasonable offer.

I bought a couple of bags this week, £3.99 a bag.

 

[jambop]

I have always eaten the guts as well I thought it was how you were supposed to eat them…?

Agreed it is but fishing methods have changed over the years. What would have been done in the past was to hold the fish in the net for a while to allow them to clear themselves now I think the nets are just hauled and the fish put straight into the cold store.
If you buy a can of sardines the guts are still in the body cavity. Only the head of the fish is cut off before they are packed into the tin for cooking. Of course the way these fish are canned and cooked does sterilise them so as with all canned goods they have a very long shelf life.