Fishing with Baitrix

[Kisinana]

I have never fished with Baitrix nor real anchovies before so I am looking for some input on length of leaders and how much bend to put to the Baitrix glo tunable Anchovy.

Are leader lengths different from herring to anchovy?

Is it the same as fishing herring or is there a different action to the bait in the water (i.e. the amount of tuning to make the action seem real)?
How much bend do you put in and is it to the right or the left or does it matter?

Do you use the artificial scents with them?

What size hooks and are you using trebles or singles?

Thanks in advance,
I am looking to try something different for a while.

 

[Slay Belle]

Get a rigged one and it will answer most of your questions on the package. Their website too. They rig them with a single trebble hook.
I like to rig a natural (or artifical) anchovie with a single barbless to imbed in the mid-section of the bait and have a trebble tied in as a trailer hook. The trailer should ride just past the tail of the bait.

Silver Sun Charters
Prince Rupert B.C.
www.silversuncharters.com

 

[Charlie]

Check out Baitrix's website... fish them as you would natural bait!
http://www.baitrix.com/fishingpresentation.html
Here, maybe this will help?

The Anchovy & its Action </u>
This is the single most important thing to understand to insure you put fish in the boat!

It all started with the Pacific American Natives rigging herring on bone hooks and trolling handlines behind their canoes to catch salmon and halibut. In the 30’s anglers started trolling baits and lures behind 8-10” flat shinny metal plates that spun and swayed back and forth through the water known as a “dodger”. The dodger creates the action of a small wounded fish which bringing about the term “crippled anchovy”. In the 40's herring was processed by brining and was packed in glass jars and fished behind the dodgers. The 50’s brought in frozen herring available to the fishermen and the need for the bait holder. Now with the combination of these two the anglers could combine the bait holder and frozen bait to provide the action and effectiveness to imitate live crippled bait. It was in 1972 with the evolution of plastics that Jack Gaunt (founder of “Hot Spot Lures”) modified the action creating not only being a back and forth spinning motion, but also a rotating action now known as the ‘flasher’ and this immediately became one of the most predominate standards used to date. The combination of actions of the flasher, bait holder, and frozen bait is by far the most effective way to put fish in the boat, period.

Rigging the bait is actually the simple part; controlling its action is the important part and that is a skill, which requires understanding. It is amazing that people believe, if they have bait on the hook end of their line they are fishing. They do not understand or know the most productive action for any Chinook salmon is a spiral roll; regardless of type of bait used! I personally start with a slow to medium roll most of the time, but actively feeding Chinook in coastal waters where the current is 3-6 knots prefer a fairly fast roll. Fast is faster than one revolution per second on its axis. These exact same salmon after moving into the bays or inlets with little current prefer a slower spiral roll. So, when you hear the constant debate between anglers concerning a ‘fast roll’ or ‘slow roll’ and which is best, just smile, and agree with both! Coho always prefer smaller bait with a snappy roll with more of a loop. The speed of the roll can be controlled by varying the troll speed and by adjusting the curvature of the bait. The faster the troll, the faster the revolutions, the slower the troll speed the slower the revolutions.

The curvature of the bait determines the speed of the revolution and the type of spiral roll. A 'banana' shaped curve will impart a corkscrew fast roll. A slight curve in only the tail leaving the remainder of the bait straight will result in a tight slow roll rate and you can fine tune by either bending the tail up or down.

When fishing spend time observing the bait's action in the water prior to letting the line out; make slight adjustments in the troll speed, hook position, placement, and the actual curve of the bait. The time and efforts making these changes will be most productive and worthwhile.

Salmon are not that intelligent or smart, but can be very fussy, particularly if there are large amounts of natural baitfish around. Remember salmon do not constantly feed. They have a certain activity or 'bite' periods were they literally gorge themselves. The most predominant time for this is usually just prior to sunrise. They will not feed again for hours or even days, but they will strike simply out of instinct, natural reactions. During these times when the ‘bite’ is not on the bait must be rigged and presented properly appearing as a wounded or crippled baitfish taking advantage of the natural reactions of the fish. Making the bait appear as an irresistible and an easy prey for them is an absolute must.

Learn to observe the slight differences in the bait's action that is working and be able to duplicate this when the bite is on. Fine-tuning the bait is one of the main reasons 90% of the salmon are caught by 10% of the anglers. If you remember these rules and recommendations, you will put fish in the boat:

• Always start by brining the bait, in a good brine solution.
• Match the hatch; match the size of bait the fish are feeding on.
• When in a current between 3-6 knots use a faster roll, with less current use a slower roll.
• Constantly fine-tune the bite and find what is working now; not yesterday.
• Keep the lines in the water when the bite is on; this not the time be tying anything.
• Leader test of 30 lb is usually enough and leader weight does influence the action, adjust bait accordingly.
• Front hook #2 or 1/0 treble snelled to the leader, hooks do affect the action.
• Rear hook 3/0 Octopus 1½ inches behind the front hook eye-to-eye, ending just behind the baits tail.
• Bury one leg of the treble through the anchovy’s lateral line, with a treble the hook can penetrate the bait through the other side, but have found with a single it is better not to penetrate through the bait; let the stinger hook swing free.
• Pull the leader through the teaser head putting the desired small curl to the anchovy.
• Watch the rotation of the bait prior to letting the line out, adjusting as needed for the ‘perfect’ roll.

When the correct "roll" is achieved, the bait will have the deadly action needed, with or without a flasher to produce fish.

Your method may vary, but with the correct action on the bait your chances of catching a 30 plus pound Chinook, known as a ‘Tyee” will increase significantly.

If you master this, welcome to the club known as, “10 percent of the fishermen catch 90 percent of the fish”!


The Cut Plug Herring</u>
Some people around refer to fishing with a cut plug as old-fashion by today's standards. What that means, I am not sure I know? So, first, I guess I would not call anyone "old-fashioned by today's standards", for using a cut plug? There are a lot of us floating around that still use it, maybe because we are the only ones who know how to cut one? I will often switch to a cut plug, if I have herring and especially targeting larger fish! Unbelievably, it is still a practice used up and down the entire west coast. It can be used with or without a flasher and depending on how you rig it and the cut, it usually will produce better results at a very slow troll (less than 1.5 mph), motor mooching, or just plain mooching. If you do decide to use a flasher, use at least a 6-foot leader not impeding the action of the bait.

All the rumors floating around about large Chinook and cup plug herring; could be some truth there? The presentation of a cut plug is usually very slow and if done right, a tight spiral roll, making it ideal as bait for the "very large", and "very lazy" Chinook.

The use of the cut plug did indeed slowdown a lot with the growth and use of downriggers, plus the development of some very effective artificial baits, especially the "teaser" heads. Nevertheless, it can still be a very effective way to fish particularly around kelp beds. Try "casting" the cut plug next to a kelp bed, where you cannot get your boat.

There is a bit of skill and art to it! You just do not go out and by some herring and chop off their heads. Make sure the initial cut is made at an angle allowing the herring to roll smoothly and mimic a wounded baitfish. That is very important! If rigged properly the cut plug should turn over smoothly in the water in a spiral roll inside a 3-inch diameter. If your target is Coho, leave the side hook free, as Coho will normally attack from the side; with Chinook rig it with the rear hook in the tail, as they tend to attack from the rear.

Instructions at Salmon University and Pro-Cure websites both have some good pointers. Read them both! Most importantly, use either "live" or "brined" herring. The frozen and fresh herring (not brined) will blow out very quickly!

http://www.pro-cure.com/technique.html
http://www.salmonuniversity.com/ol_htrh_pc1_index.html

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