Rigging bait suggestions

[fish stalker]

Just came back from camping to fish canada day. Id like to try bait. ive tried to read threw old threads.

Couple quick questions! most people say they run 2's now how do I know when people mean 2 or 2/o? 2/o seem big. What do you prefer for main body treble? Should I run the stinger? (I think if I do I would only like to run a single for easier release since so many coho around.) What size for the stinger? What type of hook? Is offset eye ok? if so Hook up or hook down? or siwash better? 40/50lb test leader?

Not as important questions for me right now When do you run chovies when do you run herring? Smaller now 5" bigger later? Can I just run frozen bait? or can I just throw pickling salt a jar with them in the morning? Bullet nose roll seem for bigger chovies only? Can they be used for 5 inchers? Old teaser heads work just as good?


From what I gathered from old threads #2 owners are pref with a single red 4/0 gammy stinger with chovies done in blueing,garlic,powered milk and salt...? I might try this someday but not tomorrow.

I picked up some vmc pretied 72" 40lb 'steelhead' rigs incase I cant get that knot you you need for offset eyes tied right. Am I nuts to run these? Not sure if theyll work but they look fast and handy.

Sorry im trying to learn by interent here

 

[spring fever]

Bait or chovy's are where it's at for most people' but it's not for everyone. Rigging correctly is one thing but most people who want to try it have no idea how vigilant you have to be on your rod tip. One little dip and you are probably not fishing anymore-the rig comes up for a check and a reset. There is no sitting around for 20 min. sucking back a beer and taking in the scenery. The size trble is a no 2. The hook under the flat of the eye is the one that goes into the chovy. I don't use a stinger anymore-they seem to get broken off in the net anyway. That way all you need to tie is an improved clinch if you are worried. It takes time to be good. Be fussy about the roll -if it doesn't look right- it isn't . Handle the bait as little as possible. The brine recipe on Salmon univ. is good-works. Go with somebody who is good with bait-not everyone is. If a good bait man is not getting fish then I wouldn't put too much money on anyone else doing well!! My 2 cents.

 

[fish stalker]

Thanks for helping me out Spring Fever! I realizing asking for advise on probably the busiest night of the summer was not a great idea

 

[fish stalker]

194 views and one reply. I hope you no repliers/leechers werent some of the guys I shared my depths and information with as you walked by the cleaning station and I cleaned my stack of fish

 

[trendsetter]

I keep it simple and it catches fish. Either fresh bait or salted. It works fine with no brine fresh from the package until it has been thawed for 4 or 5 hours when it becomes too soft.

To cure, simply cut a slit in the chovie pack plastic and pour in a cup of coarse salt. Shake well and let sit for a few hours.

I find the best roll comes with one treble hook just behind the dorsal fin. Sometimes a single 3/0 stringer works too but you can end up gill hooking a lot of fish.

Try to make the bait roll once per second at your trolling speed. Adjust the roll by increasing or decreasing the bend in the bait.

 

[bigbruce]

I was one of the 194 but am in no position to respond as I rarely use bait --- probably because I'm doing it wrong!

 

[casper5280]

Can't add to much more than what Spring had to say. One thing I do, do is tie stingers with Dacron to the lead hook. With Mono it gets pinched in the treble and breads off. Dacron holds up way more. But most of the time just use a single treble. For that matter starting to fish just hardware not as much dicking around with gear. Hardware stays in the water longer with less fuss, more time in the water more chances of catching a fish. But bait doe's have its places.

 

[fish stalker]

Its about time I learned how to run bait. Pretty sure I didnt have them tied right. Will practice at home. Had a nice slow roll going. I got two on the treble and two off the single stinger today. Thank goodness the treble hooked where fat hatches. I dont think I like to fish them, to hard to release. Can I do single single like they do for cut plug?

 

[spring fever]

Its about time I learned how to run bait. Pretty sure I didnt have them tied right. Will practice at home. Had a nice slow roll going. I got two on the treble and two off the single stinger today. Thank goodness the treble hooked where fat hatches. I dont think I like to fish them, to hard to release. Can I do single single like they do for cut plug?

Yes you can but you have to be very careful how you put the single into the bait or you can tear it up. Also you will probably want to use an octopus hook or some off-set hook and I thought you didn't know/want to tie those? May I say that with a single no 2 treble under the tongue of a big Spring they seldom get off. Most coho if you don't have the stinger -are not that badly hooked. If you go to 2 singles I don't think you are doing the coho any favours-one single I can see. Guess it really comes down to a personal choice-and that is really what bait fishing is about-you make it happen-not Gibbs or luhr Jensen.

 

[fish stalker]

lol ya I get nervous trying to tie two hooks at exactly the right distance I think ive only tied one snell knot and that was in my living room with a book on my lap. Not in the boat bouncing around and by memory. But now that I see a better knot animation its not that much different then a clinch knot!..

My problem was I bought a bulk teaser head so it came with no instructions and there was like 6 different holes in the little thing! I found some instructions in with another one I had but of course it missed that first part of where the line goes in.

 

[Adler]

Sorry Stalker, I'm still somewhat intimidated by running bait and so attempt to use spoons/hoochies whenever possible. I do run an anchovie on occasion, but it's only using a pre-rigged set-up from Wise-Buys! So far this year, though, my focus remains on getting that first hali of the year in the boat - tried again today, but nothing doing - just doggies, and bumpy water! Will turn to salmon next weekend perhaps. Good luck!

 

[Karma-Kazi]

The past year I noticed that I started getting alot of action slowing down and acctually drifting back slowly or holding still in the current with my bait. Remember you dont always have to be making headway to be fishing

I run single treble and get a decent roll. But I am more of a spoon and hootchie guy myself.

-KK

 

[SlabChaser]

I've always tried to get a real bullet roll where the tail follows the head evenly when the bait spins. I just bury the treble in the lateral line putting the hook in just behind the dorsal fin by a tiny bit. I don't like to see a "tail walker". I've been using the 4x strong #1 Mustad treble hooks or the red gamakatsus and (touch wood) haven't lost any after a hook-up on the last couple trips. Cheap hooks suck and the good ones don't - they are sticky, sticky. If you end up using a single stinger, just make sure it doesn't dangle and get caught up in the tail of the bait. The tip of the hook should hang just past the fork in the tail. Measure and set the treble to where you hook it into the bait near the dorsal fin and then tie a snell knot which is very easy after the first couple tries. (you tube it) Since changing to the better hooks I don't think the stinger is really needed but we've still been running one. The two little holes in the teaser head near the back are for attaching a wire to rig through the bait if you want to. I have also been using the bait brine you can buy in the white tub for $6 or $7 bucks and it works great to get the bait nice and firm. I've done the Salmon University one too and it does the same kind of thing to the bait but is just a little more work. Just tie up a few rigs the night before you go out and you will be good to go...Tying stuff on the boat is too tough. Turns the fingers into pin cushions!

 

[spring fever]

One other tip-before you go out into the rollers and chop I pre -rig about 4 heads with chovies-hang em in the brine bucket-then you don't miss the bite-if you have nothing to do keep loading those heads-you'll become more efficient which is the thing most people who don't fish chovy's claim is against them. Efficiency is the answer-keep a chovy rolling correctly in the water . Time out of the water is time you aren't fishing-the main draw-back on bait.

 

[Rum Buddies]

that's the biggest problem with bait, if you get lazy you'll spend a lot of time not fishing. Sometimes its more effecient to fish hardware if you can't keep bait in the water fishing perfectly

 

[Karma-Kazi]

My dad always fished spoons against me when I fished bait we always seemed about even until he was back in the water before me and hooked up on another fish and all I hear from him is "WHAT IS THIS? DOWN-TIME CHARTERS?" Always remember that now that i fish alot of spoons

-KK

 

[drilleryells]

One other tip-before you go out into the rollers and chop I pre -rig about 4 heads with chovies-hang em in the brine bucket-then you don't miss the bite-if you have nothing to do keep loading those heads-you'll become more efficient which is the thing most people who don't fish chovy's claim is against them. Efficiency is the answer-keep a chovy rolling correctly in the water . Time out of the water is time you aren't fishing-the main draw-back on bait.

X2 on this , its part of my routine when I get to the Boat in the Morning. Always have some ready to go and I love the feeling of cold Brine in the Morning. Driller

 

[dragginbaet]

A recent airing of Mark Pendleton's show at Bear Cove, Port Hardy included a demonstration of a two hook rig. It looked easier than the versions I've used but it was too fast for me to remember. I have tried to find the video without success. Maybe this group can help to track down that demonstration.

 

[hambone]

Never seen this one before [4ylKDIkPubQ] http://youtu.be/4ylKDIkPubQ

http://youtu.be/4ylKDIkPubQ

 

[Falcon]

I'm gonna have to try that.