Back up bait

[savit]

Most of my land-based estuary fishing is with lures . Sometimes , when the lures just do not work for the session, and I still have time - I switch to bait fishing. I used to bring bait (fish/chicken/squid/prawns/bread) as a back up plan. However If the lures work  - I have to throw the wasted bait away. Well, salted fish or bread stays a bit longer.

So,  I am interested in suggestions on bait (even the bait to catch some baitfish) that can be stored for a while in a tackle bag until it needed.

I tried artificial bait like Berkley Powerbait Dough on estuary species with no luck. Thinking about cutting Gulp 'plastics' into small pieces and try them as well.   

Thank you.   

[Kracka]

It'll be interesting to find out what Raider's suggest.

I've never tried Powerbait in saltwater. Works well for trout and carp in F/W IMO.

Whenever I bait fish ill gather/catch livies and use those...the unused are released. Ill buy bonito or pillies (salted works best) as they keep better - sometimes prawns - using majority of it either as bait itself or in the burley trail. What I used to do if theres a lot of remaining bait after an outing id triple bag it and freeze it for burley next time OR grind it up in an old "fishing only" mortar and pestle and use that as a scent additive to SP's. Bream love stinky stuff that moves in dirty water. OR If there were any other fishos around I'd give it to them.

Using dead baits now, I figure out my average needs for each of my fave spots and I know how much bait is enough now. I.e. for an early am session ill only need 500g worth of prawns or a whole bonnie.

[Kracka]

Other suggestion is (if your on a boat mainly) keep your bait in a big zip lock bag in an esky of ice-seawater slurry. Take out a few to thaw out as needed. After the trips over your unused bait should still be reusable. Not really ideal if your planning on being mobile land-based though.

Rock fishing is easy - bread or cooked prawns - you get hungry...munch away lol.

[campr]

This brought back memories of when I was a keen rock fisher many years ago (using the top gear for the time consisting of 6-to-1 Seascape Major and Silaflex FT70 rod) and I used to catch a lot of Kings and Striped Tuna.  The Stripies were filleted, trimmed of excess meat, covered in salt and individual fillets wrapped in heaps of newspaper and stored in a cool spot.  Every couple of days the wet paper was removed and fish re-salted and wrapped.  When fillets no longer weeped water the cured fillets looked like leather but surprisingly still soft and moist in middle.  These could be stored in newspaper in my backpack (under my bed) for months and were unbelievably good emergency cut bait for bream, snapper, salmon etc.

A current mate (who is an exceptional rock fisho) buys prawns and shells and beheads them before heavily salting them and wrapping in newspaper in fridge for a day.  He then packs enough for a days fishing into small plastic bags.  If kept out of sun and kept cool he reconds they will re-freeze again and be ok for a second day.       Good luck    Ron

[Berleyguts]

16 minutes ago, campr said:

This brought back memories of when I was a keen rock fisher many years ago (using the top gear for the time consisting of 6-to-1 Seascape Major and Silaflex FT70 rod) and I used to catch a lot of Kings and Striped Tuna.  The Stripies were filleted, trimmed of excess meat, covered in salt and individual fillets wrapped in heaps of newspaper and stored in a cool spot.  Every couple of days the wet paper was removed and fish re-salted and wrapped.  When fillets no longer weeped water the cured fillets looked like leather but surprisingly still soft and moist in middle.  These could be stored in newspaper in my backpack (under my bed) for months and were unbelievably good emergency cut bait for bream, snapper, salmon etc.

A current mate (who is an exceptional rock fisho) buys prawns and shells and beheads them before heavily salting them and wrapping in newspaper in fridge for a day.  He then packs enough for a days fishing into small plastic bags.  If kept out of sun and kept cool he reconds they will re-freeze again and be ok for a second day.       Good luck    Ron

“Stored in newspaper in a backpack under my bed”!!! I used to clean fish in the kitchen sink and my Mum would always be finding scales in strange places but she would have freaked at bait kept under the bed! But then, she could have probably rested assured that I’d have no girls in the bed!!! ???

Ah, the old 6-to-1 Seascape... does anyone still have one? And do they still use it? ?

[wazatherfisherman]

59 minutes ago, Berleyguts said:

“Stored in newspaper in a backpack under my bed”!!! I used to clean fish in the kitchen sink and my Mum would always be finding scales in strange places but she would have freaked at bait kept under the bed! But then, she could have probably rested assured that I’d have no girls in the bed!!! ???

Ah, the old 6-to-1 Seascape... does anyone still have one? And do they still use it? ?

I've still got a 6/1 "Major" that's going to my mates private 'fishing museum' at Murwillumbah(he's a collector and has quite a few 'Scapes' in Major, Minor and different spool colours) as it became outdated and for years parts were really hard to find. I've also got a Silaflex FT70 with the aluminium extension butt they came with. It's cut down at both ends and was made to match a 4/0 Senator for LBG. It's a real shame that blanks like them (and Sportex) are no longer made, they really handled the harsh treatment of getting down the cliffs.  As a matter of interest, Two of the pioneers of jigging('vertical spinning' they originally called it) - Joe Ritchie and Ron Lance both used 6/1 Majors out at the Peak for years, catching so many kings that the club(AFA) had to re-vamp the club competition. I tried jigging there with my Scape but found I often had it drop back into free spool, so replaced it with a Daiwa Sealine

[wazatherfisherman]

6 hours ago, savit said:

Most of my land-based estuary fishing is with lures . Sometimes , when the lures just do not work for the session, and I still have time - I switch to bait fishing. I used to bring bait (fish/chicken/squid/prawns/bread) as a back up plan. However If the lures work  - I have to throw the wasted bait away. Well, salted fish or bread stays a bit longer.

So,  I am interested in suggestions on bait (even the bait to catch some baitfish) that can be stored for a while in a tackle bag until it needed.

I tried artificial bait like Berkley Powerbait Dough on estuary species with no luck. Thinking about cutting Gulp 'plastics' into small pieces and try them as well.   

Thank you.   

G'day Andrew have you tried the dehydrated worms? They are available in Bloodworm, Sandworm and Tubeworm and can be kept in your fishing bag for really long periods of time, when you want to use them just take some out and rehydrate in water for about 5-10 mins. I've always got a couple of packs in my bag and while no substitute for fresh bait, can either 'pad-out' whatever you do have or be used when fresh isn't available. I've caught Bream, Whiting and Flatties on them when the fresh stuff has run out- keeps you fishing! I reckon the "Sandworm" works best - they are marketed under the brand name "dynabait" and are available in stores in Sydney as well as ebay. The same company make other baits like prawns, squid etc but I haven't tried them, only the worms. I also salt(make sure you use cooking or butchers salt NOT iodized salt) Bonito and Frigate fillets when I get them and find if you keep lightly salting them as Ron said above and keep changing the newspaper they're on until no more fluid comes out and become leathery that they also last for ages out of the fridge and can simply be put back in- just make sure they are well sealed. Cheers Waza

[Toilor]

Great chat topic, obviously something many of us consider. I've been using chicken thigh fillet frozen in approx 200 grm lots (wrapped in scrap paper) that I give to the dog if I don't use it.  

[Aardvarking]

I reckon salted pilchards can last a last time in the freezer, I would say they are the longest lasting in my experience. If you freeze them in a block, leave them in an insulated bag and take them out one at a time they can last a fishing session and then be tossed back in the freezer.

Prawns can last a little while, but as soon as you freeze them they loose a bit of their effectiveness, so I wouldn't recommend them. My uncle swears by the 10kg block he has of Tweed bait "fisho", which is they word for chicken gut for some reason, which he has kept in the freezer for about 2 years steadily chipping away at it. I'm not as convinced as he is, but he seems to like it. I guess you would take the same approach as the pilchards by freezing them, and then not letting them thaw completely.

Edited June 18, 2018 by Aardvarking

[connico]

Go to the asian grocer and get cheap cured / dried squid. Its good as emergency bait. You can make your own with salt if you want....

[savit]

Thank you guys for the suggestions.

I have completely forgotten about Dynabait worms, saw them 1000 times in shops though never tried them yet.

I salted  fish for bait with non-iodized salt however never kept in freezer. The efficiency of salted fish as a bait was decreasing significantly after few weeks in a fridge. I might get some small insulated lunch box + 1 or 2 small icebricks  to keep some bait cold/frozen during the session , and will store the salted fish in a freezer. 

My fishing experience with defrosted chicken is not so positive , and no dog or cat. Marinated chicken can last/work several days.

Will check dry squid in asian shops in my area. I love fresh squid, so all my caught squid so far ended on frying pan. Would be dried Woolworth squid ok for bait?

Is there some pet/human food in small cans that is OK as a bait( i.e. can stay properly on the hook, and not just as a burley) ? - I d rather keep some small can for bait emergencies than have "fun" each time with melting bait. I used to keep small corn cans (freshwater fishing background LOL) in tackle bag however they appeared useless in estuary/saltwater.

 

 

 

 

 

[wazatherfisherman]

25 minutes ago, savit said:

Thank you guys for the suggestions.

I have completely forgotten about Dynabait worms, saw them 1000 times in shops though never tried them yet.

I salted  fish for bait with non-iodized salt however never kept in freezer. The efficiency of salted fish as a bait was decreasing significantly after few weeks in a fridge. I might get some small insulated lunch box + 1 or 2 small icebricks  to keep some bait cold/frozen during the session , and will store the salted fish in a freezer. 

My fishing experience with defrosted chicken is not so positive , and no dog or cat. Marinated chicken can last/work several days.

Will check dry squid in asian shops in my area. I love fresh squid, so all my caught squid so far ended on frying pan. Would be dried Woolworth squid ok for bait?

Is there some pet/human food in small cans that is OK as a bait( i.e. can stay properly on the hook, and not just as a burley) ? - I d rather keep some small can for bait emergencies than have "fun" each time with melting bait. I used to keep small corn cans (freshwater fishing background LOL) in tackle bag however they appeared useless in estuary/saltwater.

 

 

 

 

 

G'day again if you look on ebay you will see dynabait make other products such as squid, occi, prawns, small sprats that look like whitebait and several other 'interesting' things for saltwater and various things for freshwater.We used to mix a can of Sardines in brine with our Bream 'pudding' though I doubt if used alone would stand up to casting any distance

[kingie chaser]

Don't take anything except bread, a poddy mullet trap & a nipper pump.

 

A lot of people who fish estuary tend to base their fishing around tides.

They will pump for nippers at the low on sand flats while having the trap in close by then fish the incoming tide.

 

Fresh is best ?

 

Its worked for years, you just  need to scope the area to find the prime spots for both.

[connico]

Bread is also good if you're just after bread and butter species...

[savit]

Thanks  again everyone.

Waza,  I have had a proper look on Dynabait  product range and product feedback on other websites and it looks like it is the best solution at the moment for my specific purpose. I will get "Sandworms" as suggested.  Are they good also for mullet or yakkas (i.e. to upgrade to fresh fish bait)?  

[wazatherfisherman]

3 minutes ago, savit said:

Thanks  again everyone.

Waza,  I have had a proper look on Dynabait  product range and product feedback on other websites and it looks like it is the best solution at the moment for my specific purpose. I will get "Sandworms" as suggested.  Are they good also for mullet or yakkas (i.e. to upgrade to fresh fish bait)?  

Hi Andrew they are ok for mullet if you're fishing in sandy type areas, yakkas are a different proposition though. As a kid fishing off Sydney wharves, I quickly discovered that coarse-ground mince(like hamburger mince) without much fat was the "supreme" yakka bait, followed by the dark or top half of the yakka's themselves, you just fillet the 1st one you get and use the flesh without skin(or you get too many choppers if they're around) If you used prawns,pillys or tuna you caught a lot more chopper tailor which were always a pest, often biting you off. To take a couple of prawns was always wise if you wanted to catch Mado's for Dory like the one that your "chicken" kept taking that day(interesting that it didn't go for the sweep also)-this of course doesn't really help with "long-life" emergency bait, but perhaps taking just a golfball sized blob of mince each time you go would be worthwhile as it can always be used for berley and is relatively inexpensive. Seagulls(and rats!) will also happily eat whatever mince is left. Another suggestion is to leave a really small airtight container in your bag with some plain white flour in it- a few drops of water would then give you dough which is good for yakkas, mullet(including bigger ones) and most baitfish bar Mados

[savit]

Thanks again Waza. Yes , sandy flats. Will take also flour. I have got some aniseed spray attractant - would it make a noticeable difference to the dough bait?

Bloody bird kept stalking me on the other end of the wharf on that day after it got its prize after 3rd attempt LOL.

[wazatherfisherman]

G'day mate yes aniseed is good to add to any fishing bait or lure- just remember to bleed any fish you keep for eating before they die as sometimes the aniseed flavour can go into the flesh via the bloodstream. Old Luderick fishers sometimes added it to their weed if the fish were biting timidly and Luderick in particular were susceptible to the"aniseed weed" tainting. The smallest tin of Tuna or Sardines in either oil or brine are also good additives for dough that you can simply leave in your bag with the flour. A potato can also be used for yakka burley, you simply scrape it finely. Those birds-cormorants- are the ones the Chinese used for fishing, with a leash and collar they would catch the fish but be unable to swallow them and were then confiscated by their masters. They obviously swim underwater as well as a fish! I was glad you managed the bird that day as it was very determined to get the fish. Wondered why it didn't go for the other fish-Sweep- they call them 'Newcastle Bream'- maybe they aren't as tasty as the Mado's?!