Introducing the araped or limpet
Chapeau chinois, patelle, arapède or bernique depending on the region, this shellfish is abundant on all French rocky coasts. A gastropod with a thick, conical shell, limpets live attached to rocks. The shell can be of different colors, depending on the limpet species encountered. A herbivorous shellfish, it moves very little to graze on micro-algae. Limpets rarely exceed 5 centimetres in diameter and can live for more than ten years, depending on the quality of the biotopes they frequent.
Playing the araped
In the south of France, near Marseilles, there's a commonly-used expression: "Faire l'arapède" ("Doing the araped"). This can be translated as being too sticky, too invasive. In fact, one of the specific characteristics of the araped or limpet is its ability to stick to the rock. This makes it very difficult to pull off a Chinese hat easily if you don't have the knack.
To extract the shell from its rock, you'll need a thin-bladed knife to slide under the shell and lift the araped. It's also possible to detach them by hand, but you'll usually only get one chance! Barnacles move very little and very slowly. However, there are times when the pressure of their suction cup is reduced, and it's at this precise moment that you'll need to detach them quickly with a sharp sideways movement of your hand.
The araped, a resistant bait
The limpet remains one of those baits often used as a last resort. When you run out of bait, it's always possible to collect a few Chinese hats to continue your fishing trip. Such baits can be fished either with a jig or a float. Once extracted from the shell, using a knife slipped between the shell and the flesh, the flesh should be pricked on a hook from N° 10 to N° 2, depending on the species targeted.
The limpet's exceptional ability to hold a hook is also its weak point. The limpet's flesh is more than tough, which doesn't always attract fish. However, rock fish such as serrans, girelles or labrids can be caught with limpets quite easily. In rough seas, a nice bite of several limpets on the hook will tend to attract olds and sars.
