Catching Spot and Other Baitfish

[Berg]

Hi guys. I'm new to the area, and have to say what a great forum! Hopefully someday I'll be able to reply with as much knowledge and insight as all of you. For now, i'm learning as much as I can.
My new place is in Waretown on a lagoon and I'm interested in catching some live bait off my dock for fishing this summer. I purchased a pinfish trap from frabill and have baited it with both bunker and clam but havnt caught anything yet except for a few crabs. If anyone could point me in the right direction with respect to technique for catching bait I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

Chris
:)

[Supafly]

Hi guys. I'm new to the area, and have to say what a great forum! Hopefully someday I'll be able to reply with as much knowledge and insight as all of you. For now, i'm learning as much as I can.
My new place is in Waretown on a lagoon and I'm interested in catching some live bait off my dock for fishing this summer. I purchased a pinfish trap from frabill and have baited it with both bunker and clam but havnt caught anything yet except for a few crabs. If anyone could point me in the right direction with respect to technique for catching bait I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

Chris
:)

Its way too early for spot. I would say mid July at the earliest.

[Berg]

Thanks. What's the best bait to use in the trap?

[OneMoreDrift]

Get yourself a castnet the peanut bunker will be all over the lagoons shortly. Fluke love em.:bow:

[striper2278]

Fishbites and tiny hooks. Croakers are good as well!

[timo14]

Best bait I've found for the spot trap is crab. Catch a live one in the crab trap, smash it with a hammer, and drop it in the spot trap. I routinely catch spot, perch, small sea-bass and eel's in mine.

[JoeyZac]

Bunker or bait in the spot trap - both work great, but no spot around yet for another month.

Get a cast net and learn how to use it now. It doesn't have to be big one; 8'-10' when open is big enough. Peanuts will show in your lagoon late June-early July, and they are spectacular Fluke bait.

A killie/minnow trap with crab or bunker will also produce enough killies that its worth the few minutes to check and bait it. Good fluke bait.

A small pole, sabiki rig and fish bites will catch spot as well right off the bulkhead.

Buy a pen to put the spot in, and another one to put the peanuts in. Or build one yourself. Yellow bait pails won't work, although they are fine for any killies/minnows you catch.

[StealthMode]

sabiki rigs, fishbites, and bloods work best to catch 'em...

You can also use a casting net, but they take some time to master...I would start out with an 8 footer at first if you are new to casting.

SM:cool:

[AKscuba713]

Cast net and sabiki with bloods is all you need.

[Berg]

Thanks guys great info! I'll let you know how I do.


Chris
:)

[bunkerboy23]

get a light off the end of your dick it wil take a week or two but stripers will be there at night as wel as the bunker just get an antenna basethat goes up and down a thick antenne cut real short and i nice spot light on the end youll be happy u did it if u dont wanna commint to all the ger yet u could just use a pole with a clamp spotlight on the end and an extenction cord to try it out its AWSOME ill sit out there for hours watchin the stripers zoom through the light picking off bunker.

[bunkerboy23]

DOCK not Dick sorry

[Even Steven]

^^^ was funny!! :D

[Berg]

uh ok does length matter?

:D

[Supafly]

Definitely get a light. It will at the least attract baitfish at best attract stripers and weakfish.

[dfishski]

Do you leave the light on all night everynight? Small light or large light? Going to set on up this weekend off the dock.

Thanks

[Berg]

I just rigged a flourescent drop light to the dock as an experiment about an hour ago and i already have some stuff swimming around...too cool.

[dfishski]

In the water or HANGING ABOVE? Looking forward to the update.

[Berg]

just hanging above. Looks like a bunch of shrimp like things swimming plus some worms about 1 1/2 long so far

[kenb1127]

Buy a $10.00 galvanized (not black) minnow trap and put in a singe piece of white bread or roll. The same bait in an eel trap works to catch eels. No light needed just leave for a few hours or overnite.Works from bulkhead or any little creek.:thumbsup:

[OneMoreDrift]

Instead of bread or roll in that minnow trap. Put some TIN FOIL in there.:thumbsup:

[StealthMode]

I just rigged a flourescent drop light to the dock as an experiment about an hour ago and i already have some stuff swimming around...too cool.

Berg, welcome to the BARN.

When using a dock light like you mentioned ^^, you should always be using a pink zoom with a jig. That will be your best bet when stripeys are around. Make sure to rig it correctly though.

You can always use live bait, but I guarantee I'll catch a bass quicker by your dock light with a pink zoom.

SM:cool:

[StealthMode]

just hanging above. Looks like a bunch of shrimp like things swimming plus some worms about 1 1/2 long so far

Berg,

If you have worms and shrimp coming by your light - you are in striper heaven! :bow: Is your dock in a canal close to the inlet?

...this whole week with the conditions and tides rolling through should be very very good action :fighting:

SM:cool:

[mattlist]

just hanging above. Looks like a bunch of shrimp like things swimming plus some worms about 1 1/2 long so far


Those are grass shrimp they are actually feeding on the worms and any other plankton eaters. After they develope the spearing and peanuts will show and start schooling in patterns around your light, its very cool to watch.

[chunking]

We caught just about 600 spots at our dock last summer with nothing more than a baited umbrella drop net. Unfold it and put a crab bait clip on the center eye. Hang a bunker on it and drop it straight down to the bottom. As the bunker gives off it's scent the baitfish charge in. No trap with holes for them to find. Just an open net to swim over. Also the best way to catch grass shrimp and shiners. Each time you pull up the drop net just peal back some of the bunker skin to expose more flesh then give it a good squeeze to get the juices flowing. Tried just about every bait out there and bunker works the best for me.

Second method is keep tossing your fish carcasses in the same location. Creates a feeding zone and fish will return daily to feed. If you are any good with a cast net you can do very good with just one toss. For some easy fun on light tackle just pick up a ultra light rod and reel with small hooks or sabiki rig baited with anything they will eat. Bloodworm, fishbites, clam and even small fish pieces. Take a seat and catch some bait.

Bottom line. The most entertaining way for us and you never know what to expect when you pull it in is the umbrella drop net. They cost about $12.00 and will provide you with an endless supply of assorted baits. Remember to keep tossing your fish scraps and carcasses near your dock. It will bring many visitors to the net, trap and baited hook.

Carefull if you try to hold live peanut bunker. They don't do well in holding pens. A pen full of dead bait serves no one including the fish.