Octopus the going bait, says man at Morrisons

The sight of fresh sardines in Morrisons is often enough to make me spend a Lady Godiva or two on bait.

This time, the Chipper Fishmonger has just nine of said fish - and little else that grabs my fancy.

I'll have the lot, I say. Chipper Fishmonger can tell by this that I am the sort of customer who knows what he wants.

The sort he's seen before, apart from on his days off, when I am clearly served by other fishmongers.

"Going fishing?" he asks. "Bloke came in earlier who's a big pike fisherman. Nearly cleaned me out, he did. Comes in every week, usually has a few mackerel as well."

Que sera, I say - in case the fishermonger is multi-lingual or a fan of Doris Day, who won an Oscar for best film music with a song of the same name, in 1956.

"Tell you what I have got though," he says, picking up a large octopus. "Bet you've never tried one of these for bait."

I look at the creature and can't quite picture it on two size fours. No thanks Mr Fishmonger.

"Go on, I can let you have it for a fiver..."


Not my sort of bait I'm afraid. In my experience, pike like eating fish not octopi.

"Not what the other bloke says you know. Swears by it he does. He catches some big ones too - I've seen the pictures. Tell you what, I can do you half for £3.Or how about a couple of tentacles...?"

I have my sardines and am already perusing the carrots in the root vegetable aisle. The Chipper Fishmonger shakes his head and goes back to filleting salmon.