Presentation
Gambas is a trade name for several species of shrimp. They are most often farmed and can be sourced from different countries. But they can also be fished in the Mediterranean or the Atlantic.
These are large shrimp, at least 10 cm long, some over 20 cm. Pink or greenish, prawns are long and wide, with an imposing mass of flesh.
Which ones to choose?
Prawns are widely used as bait, as they are readily available in most food stores' frozen food sections. There are so many varieties and origins that it's difficult to pinpoint a specific brand.
The three most important criteria for making your choice are cost, size and hook hold. It's by using different varieties that, in the long run, you can more or less determine which are the best for fishing.
Using prawns
Prawns are an easy bait to use and give very good results on most fish species. Already well known and highly regarded by all anglers, whatever the fishing technique used, the fairly recent emergence of practices such as tenya or maidai fishing has only enhanced its reputation.
Prawns have two main and important qualities: they appeal to a wide range of fish, from the smallest to the largest, and they hold well on the hook. Mullet, sea bass or wolfish, sparids, rock fish - the list of fish that can be caught with this bait is long and almost limitless.
Prawns can be used whole or simply cut into larger or smaller pieces. The wide range of uses for this bait includes a wide range of hook sizes. Simply adapt the size of hook to be used to the bite presented, and use elastic thread to ensure a better hold.
