BAITS
You will hear all sorts of different interpretations as to what's the most important aspect of fishing success. Some think its line others think its hooks or high tech rods and reels. The bottom line is , that the quality of the bait determines weather or not your hook is going into the fishes mouth. Bait is the vehicle that takes the hook into the fishes mouth. If the fish rejects it then it will lay there on the bottom and it doesn't matter how expensive or high tech the rest of the outfit is there will be no fish in the tub.
A bait might get taken for a number of reasons . Smell or taste is one , the other is movement. For example , the question must be asked , does a flathead take a prawn bait on the drift because it's moving or because it smells like food . A flathead will take a lure bounced along the bottom and it has no smell or taste.
Therefore a natural baits presentation must be taken into consideration when concluding why a fish might have taken it. On the other hand , take for example a lure like the Berkley 'power baits' range of soft plastic lures. They are primarily designed as a lure but I know as a fact that fish will take them as a bait if they are left to sit on the bottom . Are they a bait or a lure? This is an issue that will surely come to a head as the popularity and prize money of lure fishing tournaments peaks. We can assume that an unscented lure has been hit because of its movement but we cant always assume that a natural bait has been taken because of smell. There's no denying though that a bait is very often taken because of its initial smell. I am trying to highlight the importance of bait presentation. Assuming that a fish can be coaxed into taking a bait on presentation alone there's no denying that once it is in the fishes mouth smell and taste come into play. An artificial bait with no scent will be rejected almost immediately. A natural bait will be rejected on a time scale in accordance with its acceptability to the fish. Stale baits will go first , right through to a point where the bait is fresh enough for the fish to decide to swallow it. Fresh or live bait is therefore the obvious choice.
In summary its all very simple: Presentation is very important , your bait might be taken on presentation alone especially by predatory fish. Presentation doesn't just mean the way the bait is put on the hook either. It also refers to the way it is presented in the water ie; moving floating or fixed etc.Fresh bait is important for both the initial attraction and it's acceptance once taken Live bait is the ultimate . Providing it is presented properly live bait offers the best in sensory attraction. Firstly it's wriggling , throwing off reflection and vibration -- it might even be kicking up sand or mud offering further visual attraction. Once it's taken , it feels right , it smells and tastes right because it is right.
LIVE BAIT
Most of the frozen packet stuff you buy , with the exception of things like gut and fillets, can be obtained one way or another in its live state. Its exactly the same creature as in its frozen form but infinitely more effective. Availability of live baits through tackle and bait outlets is sparse. The cost of collecting and then maintaining live bait is the limiting factor. Prawns and shellfish are commonly available , live , through the fish markets thanks to the needs of our ever growing Asian population. Livies available through tackle and bait outlets include worms (beach, blood and squirt ) and Nippers or yabbies. If you want anything else live you will have to catch it yourself.PrawnsMost of our rivers estuaries and especially lakes have prawn stocks to some degree. They are gathered at night using a bright torch and a scoop net or a drag net. They keep well in either an airated bucket or in wet ribbon weed or sawdust. Keeping them cool is very important. Live prawns are the ultimate estuary bait and will take virtually every species. To hook a prawn a number 4 - 1\0 , depending on the size of the bait , is pushed up from underneath the last segment towards the tail and out through the top of the shell so the barb is exposed.
Yabbies
Yabbies are found in the sand banks towards the lower reaches of rivers and estuary. The only practical way method of extracting them is via a yabbie pump. I've had an alvey pump for over twenty years and have replaced the washes only once. We brought it for about fifteen bucks , and have , over the years , pumped probably thousands of dollars worth of bait. They also work on squirt worms so as you can see they are well worth the investment.
Yabbies are kept alive in much the same way as prawns.
They are pinned on a number 4- 1\0 bait holder pattern hook by pushing the hook along the body , starting from the tail , until it reaches the eye of the hook. The point and barb should come out on the under side of the yabbie.
Fish
The most effective live fish baits include yellowtail , garfish , mullet and herring. If your living in a part of the country where cast nets are legal then they are a very worthy investment and once you've mastered them are highly effective method of collecting live bait. In other areas a good burly trail , light line and a size 12 hook will do the job. Alternatively , for mullet , a bait trap baited with bread is highly effective.
Hook size varies greatly with the size of the bait and could range anywhere between 1\0 and 8\0 . Hook placement depends on how the bait is to be fished. If it is to be fished under a float then it is best placed through the shoulders just behind the head. If it's to be free swimming ( unweighted ) or anchored to the bottom then the hook is pushed through , just ahead of the tail. In both cases the hook must not penetrate the lateral line. The lateral line indicates the position of the backbone . It runs the length of the fish and on bait species especially , is quite prominent.
Livies are kept alive in a container of airated water with regular water changes necessary for prolonged life.
Squid
Squid are one of the estuaries top live baits for big predatory fish. They make a pretty mediocre bait as dead bait. The best way to catch them is with a squid jig fished slowly around the kelp or ribbon weed beds somewhere near deep water.
They are very hard to keep alive but high airation , plenty of water changes and room to swim are the key. As with live fish the hook size varies according to the squid size.
They are pinned around the middle of the tube being careful not to pierce the intestines.
Worms
The two major bait worms used in the estuary are blood and squirt.
Squirt worms are found on the sand banks well up stream towards the waterways freshwater reaches. They are best extracted by pumping sand into a fine gauge sieve. You can also place a empty jam tin over the hole and stamp on it, forcing the worm out the other entrance but I prefer pumping.
Blood worms like the firmer mud areas upstream around mangroves and weedbeds. The only effective way to extract them is to dig them out . This is a fairly destructive practice and large scale digging on Sydney harbour eventually forced it to be banned in that area.
They keep for short periods in a well airated container of water or for longer periods in a box layered with Hessian . The bottom of the box is perforated to allow water to drain then a layer of Hessian is placed on the bottom . The worms are placed on the Hessian and another layer of Hessian is placed over the top of them . Store them under the house where it is cool and dark and periodically pour water , taken from where you caught the worms , over the top layer of Hessian so it rinses them and then drains out the bottom.
The worms are threaded lengthwise along the hook until a bunch forms , it is then nipped off about three centimetres below the hook leaving a small length waving about enticingly.
Hook size varies from a number 8 to a 1\0 depending on species.
PACKAGED BAIT
Prawns
I always buy big frozen prawns and I have found none better than the big Hawkesbury prawns packaged by Bellissimo Bait. They are essential if you want to consistently catch soapy Jew up to three kg. If they are too big for bream then cut them in half or into smaller pieces for the likes of leather jackets . A 400g packet is usually adequate for a days outing.
The hook is fed along the body starting at the tail with the point protruding out from underneath . It is very important that the prawns body lies straight along the hook. Good quality prawns are the next best estuary bait to live bait. If you buy Hawkesbury or Harbour trawled prawns then you are in no position to protest against trawling . By buying their produce you effectively become a sponsor of this highly destructive and unsustainable industry
Gut
The two common gut baits include mullet and chicken.
Chicken gut is often marketed under the brand name of fisho . They are both readily available and cheap and make a conveniently bait .
The gut is cut into lengths about eight cm long and thread on in the same manner as a worm with a short length trailing free.
Fish Flesh
Whole fish or fillets can be either purchased packaged or caught yourself.
There a number of ways to use fish flesh Fish such as whitebait and pilchards can be used whole either on a single or ganged hooks.
Fillets of fish like yellowtail , pilchards, mullet and slimy mackerel make a very attractive bait by threading the hook through the tail end of the fillet so that the hook comes out with the barb on the flesh side
Fillets of much larger fish like tuna and tailor can be further cut into smaller baits by cutting across the fillet widthways and feeding the hook through so , once again , the barb comes out on the flesh side.
Tougher flesh fish like trevally , yellowtail and the tail end of tuna make excellent flesh baits by skinning the fillet and cutting the flesh into cubes or long thin pieces
Weed
Cabbage and hair weed collected on the ocean rocks or the fine strand weed found on the upper reaches of rivers and estuaries (especially Parramatta weed) is used primarily for the capture of estuary blackfish. It's easy to collect once located and easy to keep .
It will last for about two weeks kept in a damp Hessian sack in the fridge , or for months by putting it in an ice-cream container , covering it in water and freezing it. When you want to use it just place it in a bucket of water until it thaws.
Cabbage weed is threaded on and hair or strand weed is platted on a size 10 or 8 hook.
There are heaps of other live and packaged bait used in the estuary but these are the most common and the most successful.
You will hear all sorts of different interpretations as to what's the most important aspect of fishing success. Some think its line others think its hooks or high tech rods and reels. The bottom line is , that the quality of the bait determines weather or not your hook is going into the fishes mouth. Bait is the vehicle that takes the hook into the fishes mouth. If the fish rejects it then it will lay there on the bottom and it doesn't matter how expensive or high tech the rest of the outfit is there will be no fish in the tub.
A bait might get taken for a number of reasons . Smell or taste is one , the other is movement. For example , the question must be asked , does a flathead take a prawn bait on the drift because it's moving or because it smells like food . A flathead will take a lure bounced along the bottom and it has no smell or taste.
Therefore a natural baits presentation must be taken into consideration when concluding why a fish might have taken it. On the other hand , take for example a lure like the Berkley 'power baits' range of soft plastic lures. They are primarily designed as a lure but I know as a fact that fish will take them as a bait if they are left to sit on the bottom . Are they a bait or a lure? This is an issue that will surely come to a head as the popularity and prize money of lure fishing tournaments peaks. We can assume that an unscented lure has been hit because of its movement but we cant always assume that a natural bait has been taken because of smell. There's no denying though that a bait is very often taken because of its initial smell. I am trying to highlight the importance of bait presentation. Assuming that a fish can be coaxed into taking a bait on presentation alone there's no denying that once it is in the fishes mouth smell and taste come into play. An artificial bait with no scent will be rejected almost immediately. A natural bait will be rejected on a time scale in accordance with its acceptability to the fish. Stale baits will go first , right through to a point where the bait is fresh enough for the fish to decide to swallow it. Fresh or live bait is therefore the obvious choice.
In summary its all very simple: Presentation is very important , your bait might be taken on presentation alone especially by predatory fish. Presentation doesn't just mean the way the bait is put on the hook either. It also refers to the way it is presented in the water ie; moving floating or fixed etc.Fresh bait is important for both the initial attraction and it's acceptance once taken Live bait is the ultimate . Providing it is presented properly live bait offers the best in sensory attraction. Firstly it's wriggling , throwing off reflection and vibration -- it might even be kicking up sand or mud offering further visual attraction. Once it's taken , it feels right , it smells and tastes right because it is right.
LIVE BAIT
Most of the frozen packet stuff you buy , with the exception of things like gut and fillets, can be obtained one way or another in its live state. Its exactly the same creature as in its frozen form but infinitely more effective. Availability of live baits through tackle and bait outlets is sparse. The cost of collecting and then maintaining live bait is the limiting factor. Prawns and shellfish are commonly available , live , through the fish markets thanks to the needs of our ever growing Asian population. Livies available through tackle and bait outlets include worms (beach, blood and squirt ) and Nippers or yabbies. If you want anything else live you will have to catch it yourself.PrawnsMost of our rivers estuaries and especially lakes have prawn stocks to some degree. They are gathered at night using a bright torch and a scoop net or a drag net. They keep well in either an airated bucket or in wet ribbon weed or sawdust. Keeping them cool is very important. Live prawns are the ultimate estuary bait and will take virtually every species. To hook a prawn a number 4 - 1\0 , depending on the size of the bait , is pushed up from underneath the last segment towards the tail and out through the top of the shell so the barb is exposed.
Yabbies
Yabbies are found in the sand banks towards the lower reaches of rivers and estuary. The only practical way method of extracting them is via a yabbie pump. I've had an alvey pump for over twenty years and have replaced the washes only once. We brought it for about fifteen bucks , and have , over the years , pumped probably thousands of dollars worth of bait. They also work on squirt worms so as you can see they are well worth the investment.
Yabbies are kept alive in much the same way as prawns.
They are pinned on a number 4- 1\0 bait holder pattern hook by pushing the hook along the body , starting from the tail , until it reaches the eye of the hook. The point and barb should come out on the under side of the yabbie.
Fish
The most effective live fish baits include yellowtail , garfish , mullet and herring. If your living in a part of the country where cast nets are legal then they are a very worthy investment and once you've mastered them are highly effective method of collecting live bait. In other areas a good burly trail , light line and a size 12 hook will do the job. Alternatively , for mullet , a bait trap baited with bread is highly effective.
Hook size varies greatly with the size of the bait and could range anywhere between 1\0 and 8\0 . Hook placement depends on how the bait is to be fished. If it is to be fished under a float then it is best placed through the shoulders just behind the head. If it's to be free swimming ( unweighted ) or anchored to the bottom then the hook is pushed through , just ahead of the tail. In both cases the hook must not penetrate the lateral line. The lateral line indicates the position of the backbone . It runs the length of the fish and on bait species especially , is quite prominent.
Livies are kept alive in a container of airated water with regular water changes necessary for prolonged life.
Squid
Squid are one of the estuaries top live baits for big predatory fish. They make a pretty mediocre bait as dead bait. The best way to catch them is with a squid jig fished slowly around the kelp or ribbon weed beds somewhere near deep water.
They are very hard to keep alive but high airation , plenty of water changes and room to swim are the key. As with live fish the hook size varies according to the squid size.
They are pinned around the middle of the tube being careful not to pierce the intestines.
Worms
The two major bait worms used in the estuary are blood and squirt.
Squirt worms are found on the sand banks well up stream towards the waterways freshwater reaches. They are best extracted by pumping sand into a fine gauge sieve. You can also place a empty jam tin over the hole and stamp on it, forcing the worm out the other entrance but I prefer pumping.
Blood worms like the firmer mud areas upstream around mangroves and weedbeds. The only effective way to extract them is to dig them out . This is a fairly destructive practice and large scale digging on Sydney harbour eventually forced it to be banned in that area.
They keep for short periods in a well airated container of water or for longer periods in a box layered with Hessian . The bottom of the box is perforated to allow water to drain then a layer of Hessian is placed on the bottom . The worms are placed on the Hessian and another layer of Hessian is placed over the top of them . Store them under the house where it is cool and dark and periodically pour water , taken from where you caught the worms , over the top layer of Hessian so it rinses them and then drains out the bottom.
The worms are threaded lengthwise along the hook until a bunch forms , it is then nipped off about three centimetres below the hook leaving a small length waving about enticingly.
Hook size varies from a number 8 to a 1\0 depending on species.
PACKAGED BAIT
Prawns
I always buy big frozen prawns and I have found none better than the big Hawkesbury prawns packaged by Bellissimo Bait. They are essential if you want to consistently catch soapy Jew up to three kg. If they are too big for bream then cut them in half or into smaller pieces for the likes of leather jackets . A 400g packet is usually adequate for a days outing.
The hook is fed along the body starting at the tail with the point protruding out from underneath . It is very important that the prawns body lies straight along the hook. Good quality prawns are the next best estuary bait to live bait. If you buy Hawkesbury or Harbour trawled prawns then you are in no position to protest against trawling . By buying their produce you effectively become a sponsor of this highly destructive and unsustainable industry
Gut
The two common gut baits include mullet and chicken.
Chicken gut is often marketed under the brand name of fisho . They are both readily available and cheap and make a conveniently bait .
The gut is cut into lengths about eight cm long and thread on in the same manner as a worm with a short length trailing free.
Fish Flesh
Whole fish or fillets can be either purchased packaged or caught yourself.
There a number of ways to use fish flesh Fish such as whitebait and pilchards can be used whole either on a single or ganged hooks.
Fillets of fish like yellowtail , pilchards, mullet and slimy mackerel make a very attractive bait by threading the hook through the tail end of the fillet so that the hook comes out with the barb on the flesh side
Fillets of much larger fish like tuna and tailor can be further cut into smaller baits by cutting across the fillet widthways and feeding the hook through so , once again , the barb comes out on the flesh side.
Tougher flesh fish like trevally , yellowtail and the tail end of tuna make excellent flesh baits by skinning the fillet and cutting the flesh into cubes or long thin pieces
Weed
Cabbage and hair weed collected on the ocean rocks or the fine strand weed found on the upper reaches of rivers and estuaries (especially Parramatta weed) is used primarily for the capture of estuary blackfish. It's easy to collect once located and easy to keep .
It will last for about two weeks kept in a damp Hessian sack in the fridge , or for months by putting it in an ice-cream container , covering it in water and freezing it. When you want to use it just place it in a bucket of water until it thaws.
Cabbage weed is threaded on and hair or strand weed is platted on a size 10 or 8 hook.
There are heaps of other live and packaged bait used in the estuary but these are the most common and the most successful.
posted by te oki at 12:03 AM
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