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Thinking to start using live bait - general chat


Denisfisho

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Hi all,

I normally lure fish each time I go out and I can definitely say I have put in alot of hours and have been lucky enough to catch both legal fish for a feed and small fish for fun.

I've logged about 68 catches since May last year the majority of which have been small live bait.

I was thinking to start using the live bait for fishing and just wanted to ask what do you normally catch on live bait and what rod ratings and line is the usual go and the setup etc?

Is live yakkas usually giving a good chance for a catch or is it more or less the same as dead bait ?

On a side note I caught a legal trev today with lures and found a red hook inside its stomach contents which indicates good survival rates even if a fish shallows the hook entirely.

IMG_20220318_220740_437.jpg

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Personally I like the black magic pink shrimp size 10 sabiki, never tangled and I always just wrap it up and put in back in the packaging. Works wonders for me. 

You will catch anything preditory, sorry if that's was kind of an obvious answer. You can target specific species with particular live bait types and sizes and location. I'm guessing you just want to get a yakkas and pop in under a float or a running sinker and get what ever bites. 

Yakkas give you a bit of a can better chance then dead bait, theres no guarantee though, but usually live bait is better. 

As for the gear to use, it all depends on your target species and the size of your live bait. 

For your estuaries with small mullet, probably a 4000, with 20lbs braid max, just up it to a 5000 with 30 if your going for jewfish, with a rod ranging from 4-8 kg to 10-15. 

For prawns in the estuary 2-4kg with a 2500 reel with 8lbs braid. 

For around the harbour peirs, with yakkas for tailor and salmon, 4000 with 20 lbs braid or maybe a 5000 with 30 lbs braid, on a 8-10 to 10-15kg rod, around the 8ft mark 

For the harbour peirs for king's, using squid, slimely, yakkas, a a 8k to 10k Shimano, or a 8500 slammer, with 50 lbs to 80 lbs braid to suit. On a heavy rod, anywhere from PE 5 to pe 8. You need to be able to drag the fish out of the pylons. 

Off the rocks for using gar, yakkas, slimey for long tail, king's ect, 9500 - 10500 spinfisher or slammer, Heavy mono or braid, on a 15-24 or 24-37 prevail rod.

Off the rocks like Avoca, using live bonito, tailor, salmon, for monster king's and long tail. This is where your big overheads come out, from 30w to 50w on a custom rod to match. 

If you don't mind the weight, there are the options of overheads, the tld 15 and 25 would be a great size for just using yakkas. On a 10-15 kg rod. 

And for off the beach for jewfish, a 10k size reel with 50lbs braid on a 10-15 kg prevail rod would be perfect. 

Hope this helps  

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Best off securing bait available in the area your fishing, estuary  and harbours usually prawns, nippers and  small bait fish poddies, whitebait you'll need a proper trap also try for squid. No need for super heavy outfits just play the fish right,  plenty of big fish get caught on light lines makes it more fun. Obviously you will get dusted occasionally part of the sport.

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