# Found the Bait, now what?



## gonetroppo (Jan 29, 2011)

Guys wondering if you can give me a hand, you see on my last few trips ive come up stumps, however ive always been able to sound up schools of bait on the sounder, often hanging in the top and mid water in 10-15m, and evey now and then they have a bigger return crusing outside the school, so its not a lack of fish. I reckon id have a real good chance if I could get some of that bait and sit in the open a few meters away, but how do i catch it when i have no idea what it is? If i had to guess, it would be herring or gar, as thats what ive seen breaking the surface in this area in the past, but really it could be anything.
Any suggestions on how to catch it or at least identify it?


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Have you tried a sabiki or bait jig?

They can be a little awkward in the yak but if you cut them down to 3 hooks long you get two per pack and they are then a bit easier to handle.

Kev


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

A bait jig ? Really small soft plastics ! Small bits of prawn/squid/pippis on little hooks eg #10-12. A small metal slice/slug jigged through the school. All of which can be done with a bream style rod or even a light handline if you want the space for another rod. First one you get put it back down on a heavier line straight away and keep jigging up more (if you've got a live well/bait bucket/tank with an aerator that is). That's what I would do anyway. Good luck Pat.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Well there you go, just learnt something new.


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## gonetroppo (Jan 29, 2011)

Wow just checked the rigs out on the BCF site, only cost a couple bucks. I have a mini hand line I dont use that looks perfect, ill give it a shot. Do you think berley is a good idea or will the jigs work if i just drop them down as soon as I see them, do you have to try and drop it right into them?


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Youtube 'how to' on sabiki jigs.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

That's good, Kev. Nice vid.

On a yak, though, best thing I can recommend that takes a lot of headache out, is if you use a dedicated bait rod. Once you take a sabiki off you are into knitting rather than fishing. I always take a dedicated sabiki rod, and I also put a small spoon or plastic on the bottom, sometimes. I commonly get (green) mackerel on the spoon first when trolling around a school.

If I get multiples, I start w, the top bait and unhook them on down the line to the end, with the sabiki hanging overboard. The bait just go into the footwell as I remove them, to get them off the sabiki as fast as possible. Don't bother getting them in the tank or tube one by one or the others will tie you in knots. You will get yourself hooked. I found it easier when I'm wearing my splashpants, as the hooks don't penetrate.

Keep cool, there is a certain amount of frustration with several macks coming in all at once, plus a sabiki hooked into your glove and another your paddle leash and a third on a deck line. Sometimes you just want to abandon ship and let someone else deal w/ it. Be forewarned, it's a pita in close quarters on a yak, but having fresh lively bait can make the difference.


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Yes a good vid!

The rod is a piece of kit I have not seen before.

Noted well, however is the absence of comment on legality of having so many hooks in play, on one rod. I don't know about the rules in other states, but in Queensland it would be frowned upon.

Cheers all andybear


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

As mentioned they get cut into 2 or 3 sections and new swivels etc tied on (maximum of 3 hooks per line allowed in NSW).
As I found out recently sabikis do make collecting bait alot easier as far as line control and stopping any larger fish that take the bait.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

andybear said:


> Yes a good vid!
> 
> The rod is a piece of kit I have not seen before.
> 
> ...


Good point AB.

6 hooks max in QLD. I usually just buy the Wilson brand and they only have 6 hooks anyway so not much of a concern there for me, plus I also cut them in half for ease of handling.

Kev


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

SharkNett said:


> As mentioned they get cut into 2 or 3 sections and new swivels etc tied on (maximum of 3 hooks per line allowed in NSW).


Actually, in NSW you can use six hooks on a sabiki.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/rec ... sw/methods


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## kiwipea (Jun 17, 2008)

andybear said:


> Yes a good vid!
> 
> The rod is a piece of kit I have not seen before.
> 
> Cheers all andybear


Sabiki rods for sale on ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PELAGIC-CUST ... 3cbf88389b

kp


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Hmmm!

I wonder how hard it would be, to attach a reel to some skinny pvc pipe, and whack a funnel flange in the tip, and do a work alike?

Somehow I feel, that I am not the only scabby miserable old miser, on this forum who has thought of this.

Cheers all andybear


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

With the depth we usually get our bait you would not even need the reel. Just secure the line at the bottom end to stop the whole thing going out the tip. May be in trouble if a decent fish grabs your bait jig tho.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

andybear said:


> Hmmm!
> I wonder how hard it would be, to attach a reel to some skinny pvc pipe, and whack a funnel flange in the tip, and do a work alike?
> Somehow I feel, that* I am not the only scabby miserable old mise*r, on this forum who has thought of this.
> Cheers all andybear


You're not. My dad made one. Heh. Used it for a while, but then went to a dedicated standard rod. Even the Shimano ones have issues. They don't work as smooth and clean as you would expect. If you happen to bust off inside the tube, you're screwed. Re-threading it inside the tube on the water is a major pain especially on a kayak. With a regular rod you can slow-troll around and actually see the bend in the rod if a single small bait hooks up.

On a 7ft rod, I can keep all the flies intact, with the top swivel outside the 1st eye of the rod, and the terminal lure hooked on the reel. I've used it like that for years with only minor errant hookups of the flies --one being the cat, but that's another story.


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Zed said:


> andybear said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmm!
> ...


Can we hear about the cat??

Please :twisted: :twisted:


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Since you asked nicely.

I was at my dad's rounding up some gear to go out the next morn. He was due home from work soon, and I was just organizing the rods in the hall, and talking to his girlfriend. I sat down on the couch to wait, and I heard a rattling in the hall. I got up and looked around the corner to see one of their young cats pulling against the rod w/ a sabiki fly in his top lip.

I bolted over there and grabbed the cat, bit off the offending fly, and grabbed the diagonal cutter to snip the hook, as it was well past the barb. I put the cat down and he wondered what all the fuss was about. It didn't even bleed, and he had zero trauma. He hasn't done that again, though, as far as I know.


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2011)

I seem to remember a trip report with that story in it a while back... Or am i mistaken?


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

That was actually the other one. She got into a unconnected sabiki with a spoon on the end. She went tearing thru the house with the spoon jangling behind her, colliding w/ my ankle causing me to jump and knock my skull on the header of the bedroom door. That was traumatic, for the both of us. She was tangled in several flies plus the treble of the spoon. She's also the least docile of the 2. I was house-sitting for that fiasco. What a nightmare. Thanks for reminding me.

Sabikis are much better for catching bait!


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

Zed said:


> Sabikis are much better for catching bait!


From your description they seem to be pretty effective at catching cats as well. :lol:


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2011)

Zed said:


> That was actually the other one. She got into a unconnected sabiki with a spoon on the end. She went tearing thru the house with the spoon jangling behind her, colliding w/ my ankle causing me to jump and knock my skull on the header of the bedroom door. That was traumatic, for the both of us. She was tangled in several flies plus the treble of the spoon. She's also the least docile of the 2. I was house-sitting for that fiasco. What a nightmare. Thanks for reminding me.
> 
> Sabikis are much better for catching bait!


Actually now that you say it, that sounds much more familiar. Made me nearly cry laughing at the time and has done it again. Thanks for reminding *me*.


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## gonetroppo (Jan 29, 2011)

Went out with my new sabiki rig today and, of course, no bait to be found anywhere. I did manage to hook a ribbon fish while trolling a harbody for stripeys but lost it yakside. Got absolutley drenched by rain showers and called it a day when one of them started rumbling and flashing electricity. Lifes a bitch sometimes aint it!
I ended up spliting the rig so it had only 3 hooks, much more managable that way, hopefuly next time i can give it a proper try.


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

What size sabiki?
Size #10 is usually the go.
I buy them in bulk and just toss them (in a bin) after use.


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