Bait in a Pinch?

Started by jgp12000, April 15, 2021, 10:57:48 AM

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jgp12000

Do to the rising cost of bait I have built a worm bed box but have not started it yet. I drilled holes in the bottom and hinged lid for drainage and air. I lined the bottom with weed fabric. I was told the legs need to be in coffee cans full of old oil to keep ants out. Sometimes I use salad shrimp laced with garlic salt to make the shrimp tougher to stay on the hook, and bream love it. I also have a friend that has uses chicken breast chunks doused with red Koolaid and garlic salt, this is great for catfish. Not near as nasty as my old goto catfish bait mullet gut. Mullet gut is caviar for catfish the nastier the better....I am curious of any bait ideas anyone has?

Abombs

I fish Gulf coast saltwater, so this may not be applicable to you, but I think about long term strategies with bait as well. I do a rotation of baits... For lack of a better description.

Generally, I keep a few things in the freezer at all times, and a couple options brined in the fridge as well. Local bait shops here sell frozen shrimp for cheap. Whatever dies in their tanks, they freeze fresh, and sell a couple hundred for $5-6. So instead of $3 per dozen, you get a lot more. I keep some frozen, but I also pack some in salt. The brined shrimp stays on the hook really well, especially when tied on with magic thread. I also keep squid frozen, and also pack some in salt. I bring the brined stuff out with me, and rotate frozen --> brined as I need.

Also, if I treat myself to live shrimp, (which isn't always best), whatever I have left at the end of the day gets packed in salt for brining. Big live shrimp will attract more game fish, but you have to re-bait the hook much more often. I find it more enjoyable to use brined shrimp to catch bait fish, and work my way up the food chain. It's very easy to use a sabiki tipped with shrimp bits to catch pinfish or whitebait. Takes no time at all to have enough pinfish for an entire day of fishing doing this. Pinfish of various sizes will catch pretty much everything inshore.

Putting a combo of brined shrimp and squid together on a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook via double drop high/low rig typically yields more, bigger bait fish as well. I get some ladyfish, some jacks, whiting, even spanish mackerel, among others. I almost always bring home a couple of fish to freeze for cut bait later. The cut bait is great for most of the game fish I target. Even if all I am catching is catfish that day with this method, they make great tarpon bait, and tarpon season is just warming up now here....

So my strategy is to buy cheap frozen shrimp and frozen squid, which lasts a long time, and use it primarily to produce more bait, which is enjoyable fishing time to me. I get out there, feel productive right away, catch lots of variety, and work my way up the food chain with a small upfront investment. I almost always bring home more bait for the freezer, so the process fuels itself forward into future fishing outings.

I've given this a lot of thought, and I try to keep my bait costs as low as possible. I often go fish the beach with a couple of baits soaking, and throw a cast net or throw a lure while I am waiting for a big bite. It's an active process for me.

jgp12000

Sounds like you get a good workout in the sun as well,can't beat being at the beach doing anything enjoying outdoors.