Live bait rig

[davelace]

Howdy,

We are heading to a small island in northern Vanuatu on a family trip soon. Have seen some pics of Trevally (?bluefin) and other species being caught right off the small jetty where we are staying (hopefully see attachment). While I was planning on just taking poppers/stickbaits but I emailed the bloke who caught them and he said he used live bait the locals helped him catch. I have never live baited before. I would greatly appreciate any advice on live bait rigs - do I need a small sinker, is a single hook enough for small baits etc ? Any info would be great particularly as it relates to these trevally.

Any help appreciated.

Many thanks.

[Geoff]

Tackle stores sell a range of live bait jigs , they normally come with either 3 or 6 hooks in various sizes & normally only cost a few $$$$$ per packet . The smaller ones are the most common

Yes , u need a small sinker at the bottom of the jig

[JonD]

If you are catching them on a jetty chances are the bait will come to the surface if burlyed with some bread or mushed up bait. If they are on the surface or just bellow you could more than likely get them on a small hook un weighted. Depending on what live bait they are I would personally be looking at trace line of around 6 lb. or even less and hooks around the size 6 ish, not sure of the name of the small green square looking hooks but I find them very good on small fish, they may be a mustad model. If you need to use small sinkers try to use the smallest you can get away with, about half the size of a tic tac is about the biggest I use on finicky baits. My favourite all round bait for this style of bait catching is raw prawn (even catching small mullet) a Woolworth's sized raw prawn can easily be turned into 20 live baits in my area.

Jon

[davelace]

Thanks for the replies, once I catch some live bait what is the best way to rig them ?? Again, do I need sinkers or is it just a floating trace

Edited August 24, 2016 by davelace

[Guest Guest123456789]

Off a jetty you will be in shallow water. Me personally I would use a balloon. The advantage of a balloon is you tie the balloon to the line (not the other way around) so that when the fish hits your live bait the balloon is released and the fish can't feel the weight (the fish is less likely to spit your bait out before the hook is set). You can buy biodegradable balloons that will not harm the environment. Then it's just a matter is tightening up the drag. Circle hooks work well for this type of fishing.

But ask the locals when you're there I'm sure they have tried and tested methods.

[recurve]

Off a jetty you will be in shallow water. Me personally I would use a balloon. The advantage of a balloon is you tie the balloon to the line (not the other way around) so that when the fish hits your live bait the balloon is released and the fish can't feel the weight (the fish is less likely to spit your bait out before the hook is set). You can buy biodegradable balloons that will not harm the environment. Then it's just a matter is tightening up the drag. Circle hooks work well for this type of fishing.

But ask the locals when you're there I'm sure they have tried and tested methods.

I would also use a Balloon. You can see where it is, see if it is getting spooked and you can hold it up and away from pylons. Get a Live Bait Hook and hook under the skin behind the eyes. See you tube.

At about the 2min mark he hooks up the live bait.

[JonD]

Ok firstly don't mistake me as a raging greenie wanting to stop any kind of fishing. Each year I attend marine science seminars with my family and this years two day talks were on plastic pollution from different guest speakers.

The new biodegradable plastics may break down but often these still take many years. Even down here south of Sydney we have turtles living all year round and the further you head to the tropics the more you find. Turtles love feeding on jellyfish and often mistake balloons and plastic bags as their food source.

Most bird species also eat the plastics that get discarded into the ocean. We even did autopsies on several birds ranging from lord Howe to Montague island and all had plastic inside the gut.

As fishermen we can help our reputation by using methods where we don't break away balloons leaving them to who knows what. There are many floats on the market that release but then slide up the line rather than drift away. Search Redi rig release floats.

You can also rig a ballon so that it stays connected to your main after breaking a light elastic band so you can dispose of it when you've finished fishing.

Back on track with the main subject, I would personaly hook my bait through the soft tissue infront of the eyes and cast it out without a float if the water was shallow around the jetty. Chances are if the bait is big enough and strong enough it will keep heading back under the jetty for cover so keep a close eye on it which ever way you go.

Jon

[davelace]

Thanks for the replies. Although I am not a staunch greenie, I do agree with Jon and will look for alternatives to the biodegradable balloons or most likely just try without a float. I know where we are going there is a significant population of resident turtle and dugong that are seen around the jetty every day. Would hate to be responsible for harm to one of these. And I'm sure if the locals trace it back to my balloon, I will become the "live bait". Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Guest Guest123456789]

My understanding is the balloons break down in three months. Not sure rubber bands are a great solution as that will be harmful waste. You also have to consider the impact of hooks, sinkers and fishing lines. If you think hard enough about it and you want to be green, get out the spear fishing gear and skewer one instead.

[JonD]

My understanding is the balloons break down in three months. Not sure rubber bands are a great solution as that will be harmful waste. You also have to consider the impact of hooks, sinkers and fishing lines. If you think hard enough about it and you want to be green, get out the spear fishing gear and skewer one instead.

If they did break down in three months that's still plenty of time to do a huge amount of damage, I certainly wouldn't want a ballon in my gut for weeks months or how ever long it may actually take.There are simple solutions, even tying a balloon to a swivel on a short length of mono attached to a swivel to slide up the main line and still using a rubber band as a breakaway. The rubber band should still stay with the gear, all you are doing is breaking it.