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View Full Version : The rising cost of Live Baits


Fish Bandit
11-01-2006, 09:11 PM
Guys,
This was started in the offshore forum and since a lot of Striper Fishermen dont check out the offshore forum during the Bass season, I thought I would continue it over here, since this pertains to the techniques guys are using now to get on a good bass bite.
The topic concerned the price of Spot that the Charter Captains are charging and also what the local tackle shops are charging.
I believe the Charter guys are charging the same or even less than what they are paying for their live baits, if you like to fish this way you will pay the price.

This was my response::
Guys its way too late to catch your own spot in our local waters, its time to fork out the cash if you want prime baits.
When I first moved down to Cape May County 5 years ago , there were a little more than of a handful of tight lipped guys and Charters that were fishing with live baits other than eels, we would catch Bass on the days when eels wouldn`t produce, it didn`t take long for the fishing community to pick up on what the live bait guys were doing and what they were using, I believe there are more boats drifting live baits now than fishing with eels, and as the popularity of live bait fishing rises , so will the price of the baits, they will only go up from here on out.
We are trying alternate live baits right now with pretty good success with only 1 trip made so far, 25 fish within an hour isnt bad, I`m biting at the bit to get a good day down at the rips to see if they produce some big bass.
At the rate that the southern boys are now keeping spot and selling them
to the haulers up here I wonder how long it will take before they start to diminish the supply down there.
If you are not willing to give up your summer days of fishing for fluke and spend the money for fuel in your vehicle to go out to pursue the live baits you will need in the fall, you will have to cough up the cash if you want to have your best shot at bringing home a fish.

To read the whole topic go over to the Off Shore Forum, under Spot Prices.

Guatemala Dave
11-01-2006, 09:33 PM
While the shrimp boats are allowed to to By-Catch all the spot and juvenile fish they want (common Knowledge is, at least ten pounds for every pound of shrimp) the amount that are caught for live bait is negligable. I'm sure the commy finfishers will blame the live baiters for all the problems in the fisheries tht they are, but the fact remains that live spot right now are probably one of the priciest commodies a commercial fisherman can catch.

I know he can make more off of spot than if he could sell stripers.

Then againNext week Deaware Bay Tournament will probably buy fishpicker a new truck.

BIGGESTJACK
11-01-2006, 10:38 PM
It Will Probanly Be Sh!t Yellow Again.