Tough baits

[Volitan]

All the baits that seem to work in my area are soft. That’s a problem because we have a vast number of small fish - little pickers that can strip off the bait as soon as it hits bottom. Some tougher bait might at least give the larger fish a chance to find it.

Does anyone use and find successful a tough bait? 

I’ve tried bait elastic and salted baits and they help a little but not nearly enough.

when we were kids in NZ we used to buy a type of squid in packets which would stay on all day. The fish loved it too. Wish we had that now.

[Fab1]

52 minutes ago, Volitan said:

 

All the baits that seem to work in my area are soft.

 

I think you answered your own question.Pointless using tough baits if they don’t work.

If I want a “tough” bait  I use squid,You can buy arrow squid or calamari or catch it.I buy squid tubes from the fish shop and cut it into strips.If the fish are there it works…if they’re not there it doesn’t.Same for soft baits like nippers ,worms etc.When there’s lots of pickers I tend to move spots more than up size bait.Im a pretty average fisho, below average probably but even I know a smaller bait will hook will catch more fish than a bigger bait and hook.

  Perhaps try something like strip squid tubes in your spot with a combination of moving spots if pickers persist,changing time of day like nights( way less pickers at night).

[Bluebenbomb]

Have you tried octopus?

Of course, catching them isn't the easiest. However, once you salt them properly, they're as tough as a boot.

[noelm]

Not much point in having the world’s toughest bait if you get no bites! If pickers are an issue, chances are you’re fishing in tourist type places in the middle of the day. Try using small lures and see if catches improve.

[Volitan]

On 1/29/2024 at 12:27 PM, noelm said:

Not much point in having the world’s toughest bait if you get no bites! If pickers are an issue, chances are you’re fishing in tourist type places in the middle of the day. Try using small lures and see if catches improve.

Can’t use lures - due to hand injuries. Otherwise would love to.

 

[Volitan]

On 1/29/2024 at 11:47 AM, Bluebenbomb said:

Have you tried octopus?

Of course, catching them isn't the easiest. However, once you salt them properly, they're as tough as a boot.

No I haven’t, but thanks for the tip.

catching them around here is no trouble. Not catching them is the problem,

[Steve0]

Instead of finding tougher bait, have you considered bait elastic tied a different way? Different people use different methods to tie it. A web search should find a source.

A web search should find a source. If you have a decent local tackle store, try there first. 

Edited February 9 by Steve0
Left out a few important words!

[Pafisho08]

Get a piece of skirt steak from the butchers and cut in strips 30 mm x 5 mm and use a lure scent on it . Also use a long shank hook size 4 or 2  .

[Volitan]

On 2/5/2024 at 12:23 PM, Pafisho08 said:

Get a piece of skirt steak from the butchers and cut in strips 30 mm x 5 mm and use a lure scent on it . Also use a long shank hook size 4 or 2  .

I will give that a try. My first thought was that I prefer baits of marine origin as at least the fish know what it is, but chicken fillet is good bait, and I’m told chicken guts is too though I’ve never used it.

triggered a memory. When I was young the go-to bait was  beef heart. I don’t remember what species we caught with it though.

[Burger]

We used to use skirt steak on the Hawkesbury many (many) years ago ... I think maybe it resembles a bit of guts or maybe a worm? and for a while the scent of blood adds to the allure ?

Used to get flatties and bream on it, was one of dad's favourite baits. 

[JustJames]

Have you tried salted baits?

 

The usual suspects sell salted pillies, or you can salt your own baits easily enough.

 

Another thought...  When I catch bonito, I save the belly flap pieces to use as bait (sometimes salted, sometimes not), and even un-salted it's pretty resilient.

[Green Hornet]

6 hours ago, Burger said:

We used to use skirt steak on the Hawkesbury many (many) years ago ... I think maybe it resembles a bit of guts or maybe a worm? and for a while the scent of blood adds to the allure ?

Used to get flatties and bream on it, was one of dad's favourite baits. 

I had friend that used to cut skirt steak into worm size strips and do very well on bream in around the oyster racks.

[XD351]

All depends on what these “pickers” are! If they are leatherjackets, toads , small snapper / bream ,tailor or even squid  it won’t matter what you use as they can bite chunks out of any bait with ease . Have you tried using berley? A good berley mix will keep the pickers occupied and turn them into an attractant to bigger predators or  even tried live bait ? It could be the area you are fishing also and sometimes you just have to move elsewhere or cast off to the sides of where the pickers are to get away from them , small fish will pile up in an area for a reason - usually either a food source or some form of structure that makes them feel safe and the bigger predators won’t be far away .

I have used the berley method many times to feed the pickers so they don’t eat my hard earned nippers - nothing more frustrating than having the nippers that you have worked your butt off pumping destroyed by pickers 🤬

Edited February 8 by XD351

[Volitan]

On 2/8/2024 at 4:32 PM, XD351 said:

All depends on what these “pickers” are! If they are leatherjackets, toads , small snapper / bream ,tailor or even squid  it won’t matter what you use as they can bite chunks out of any bait with ease . Have you tried using berley? A good berley mix will keep the pickers occupied and turn them into an attractant to bigger predators or  even tried live bait ? It could be the area you are fishing also and sometimes you just have to move elsewhere or cast off to the sides of where the pickers are to get away from them , small fish will pile up in an area for a reason - usually either a food source or some form of structure that makes them feel safe and the bigger predators won’t be far away .

I have used the berley method many times to feed the pickers so they don’t eat my hard earned nippers - nothing more frustrating than having the nippers that you have worked your butt off pumping destroyed by pickers 🤬

Mostly grunter, with bream, mado and  but really little versions of anything can join in the fray.

and yes, I know the presence of pickers is a byproduct of a non-ideal location but it’s my home turf and there’s an obvious benefit to being able to fish from my own back yard.

as I’ve posted previously, I often cast out an inline camera and this has told me that there are plenty of good size fish around, but they are way more wary and indecisive then the little ones. I see good size flathead, bream, whiting on every occasion, and many other species as well, even things like gurnard, flounder and estuary perch. Mostly they stay just at the edge of visibility as they seem to need time to build up their confidence, but by then it’s all over.

I am keen to try the skirt steak though.