What Do You Guys Use For Livebait And How Do You Catch It?

[wailua boy]

These are the ones I use. I don't play games. We are fishing for keeps. I've tried many brands. These are the best for the money. Put a diamond jig on the bottom. http://www.ebay.com/itm/sabiki-bait-rigs-6-hooks-offshore-fishing-lure-Size-1-0-2-4-6-8-10-12-14-6-99-/181921205117?var=&hash=item2a5b594b7d:m:m8Dl0wK1iI4zFJWEgU9Uiqw

Catching bait should be pretty easy. It has more to do with time spent and jig size. Mark the bait and play with speed. It depends on the species.

Learn to bridle rig. You will be way ahead of everyone else. Big baits, big fish.

I'll have to check them out. I was just glad not to be paying $5 like they charge locally, it can add up. I'll sometimes add a curlytail or a glowstick

[Swami805]

I have a few that come with a weighted basket on the bottom. Fill it with cat food,helps alot when bait making is scratchy.

[oc1]

Nice catch Wailua.

It wouldn't bother me to see a bunch of molly and cichlids dying off.  Putting stream flows back to their natural state doesn't sound like a bad idea either.  It's sad to see big sugar go, but it could be a plus for the environment.... at least until they replace sugar cane with condos.
-steve

[wailua boy]

True. Glad to see the water being returned to the streams for our native species. Too bad there wasnt more of a use for the fish in the canals, the night herons are taking advantage though and are taking cow patty sized dumps and seem to being feeding 24/7. If you head to the streams they are flowing like no one has seen around here. Could benefit some SW species too. I did hear alot of game fish use the river mouths as nurseries especially our white ulua. I do remember seeing as a kid, the Wailua river mouth would fill in with sand and every once in  a while you would see big uluas plowing thru the sand bars with dorsals exposed to get back to sea. People would rush out there with a gaff and try to get them.

[doradoben]

We used sabiki rigs like the ones in the link in Fat Tuna's post to catch small mackerels for Yellowtail baits last season in So. Cal. I've also used them to make bait in East Cape, Baja, Mx.

[wailua boy]

Nice. The sabiki seems to be a popular way to catch bait and for good reason. Also if anyone has pics of any bait fish post it up.

[Eddie K]

I use a sabiki rig and a cast net, not at the same time.  I use pilchards, killies and pinfish crabs (blue claw, fiddler) for live bait.  I use a small pail and a shovel to catch fiddler crabs.  Dig a hole deep enough to drop the pail into and push the sand up to the sides of the pail.  Walk away and come back a little while later.

[CW33919]

We are lucky to have lots of live bait choices in Southwest Florida:
Ballyhoo, Blue Runners, Pinfish, Bunker (menhaden),Pilchards, Threadfin, Striped Mullet, Finger Mullet, Mud Minnows. 
Fiddler Crab, Blue Crab, Pass Crab, Shrimp, Ladyfish, Hardhead Catfish, etc.

I use a pinfish trap baited with chum, sabiki rigs, and cast nets to load the live wells.  Of course, the bait harvested is dependent on the season and the targeted species.  Tarpon season is coming up and Pass Crabs are deadly - tourists pay up to $3 each for them at the bait stores but they are very easy to catch with a dip net if you anchor up into the current around bridge pilings and are patient.  Snook, Reds, and Permit can't turn them down either.

We used to use a shrimp light and a dip net for shrimp, but frankly it's a nighttime endeavor and can be a royal pain in the backside.  I don't gripe about paying $22/hundred at Anderson's Tackle. 

[Gfish]

Went to onea those Smith Family Luau's near the mouth of the Wailua River a couple of years ago. It was Ulua spotting time for me. I was surprised that they swim up the river and then into the garden ponds (brackish water?), but why the heck not? A lotta people like me wondering around, but so many prey species to chase down. It was very interesting to watch their hunting behavior. Usually 2 of 'em, side by side movin' slow and ominous lookin as they swung their heads side to side in unison. Talk about instant attack acceleration.
Nice Yellow Spot T's. What'ed they take?

[festus]

I fish strictly fresh water and have a variety of ways to catch bait. 

If I'm going after shad minnows, a 7' aluminum handled telescopic net that extends to 14'works very well.  Similar to this one, but much longer.  I've never owned a cast net and find this is probably more convenient.


For small shiners, fatheads, chubs, and suckers, the old original Gee's minnow trap baited with stale bread, crackers, or cat food is sufficient.  Those black minnow traps from Walmart aren't as effective.


Another baitfish, the skipjack herring aka Tennessee Tarpon is a hot commodity for catfish and stripers here in the southeast.  Stripers and cats aren't too finicky, they'll take them live or cut with plenty of blood.  Catching skipjack is a sport in itself, they'll hit small shiny baits about 2", jigs, spoons, spinners, or anythng else flashy.  I've caught them on bass crankbaits too.


Bigger bluegill, large shiners, big chubs can be caught on redworms or tiny hair jigs. 

[newport]

I sometimes make my own sabiki rigs. I thread in 1-2 holographic confetti I get from the arts and crafts section through each hook. Cheap and effective!

[David Hall]

primarily I use anchovies either frozen packs shipped from the PNW or if theyre abundant I get a few with my castnet or a sabiki rig.  Later in the season I use mackeral these are always caught on sabiki rigs.

[SoCalAngler]

There was a manufacturer that made 8 hook sabiki's. I would cut then half and get 2 rigs per pack and they worked great. I only have a few left but the packaging is long gone and I don't remember who made them. I think they even were made with fluorocarbon and not costly at all.

Making bait here in So Cal and Baja #1 is the sabiki for Macks and Caballito's (bigeye shad), #2 a squid jig unless you have all night and you can get the market squid to float and then you scoop them up. Large Humboldt squid means a really large squid jig. #3 a cast net for Sardinas in Baja, they are not the same Sardines we have here in So Cal. #4 the last and best way to get bait here in So Cal it to pull up to the bait barges and fill up your bait tank. All major landings here have these and they are great.

[philaroman]

There was a manufacturer that made 8 hook sabiki's. I would cut then half and get 2 rigs per pack and they worked great. I only have a few left but the packaging is long gone and I don't remember who made them. I think they even were made with fluorocarbon and not costly at all...

(sp.?) Hayabusa ?

[smnaguwa]

In Oahu, I have used sabiki rigs to catch nehu and halalu for bait. Hayabusa makes great sabiki rigs.