Putting on live herring?

[chief 1]

Just starting to use live bait,how do you put on a herring for best results and keeping them alive?

[outsiderskip]

ive always put my single hook on herring
behind fin on top of fish
pete

[steve99]

Just behind the dorsal fin is fine. If live baiting is your thing,you would be better off using mullet. They are hardy livebaits and stay alive a lot longer than herring.

In my opinion, herring are lousy livebaits because they die too quickly !

Steve99

[tunaticer]

Depends on my target fish and how i am presenting them.

For jacks and trevally around snaggy areas i place the hook through just bove and behind the anal fin. This keeps the herring swimming upwards away from the snags more.

If I am slow trolling a live herring for mackeral i bridle hin through the eyes to a hook.

If im just tossing herring out for whatever is around i generally put the hook through his shoulders and hoy him out.

Jack.

[ffejsmada]

If I am slow trolling a live herring for mackeral i bridle hin through the eyes to a hook.

Jack.

Bridle a live Herring?????? for mackerel?????? That's a first.

I don't think he's talking Wolf Herring Jack!

Jeff

[fivefishes]

Chief 1,

Assuming you are talking bout the small school type herring about 3" long. Theres often heaps of them on big tides under the Calliope river Bridge.
I hook them through the soft section in front of the eyes, find heaps of fish hit the head of the bait and find the hook straight away.
Your location says you're in Gladstone do you ever hit the big Queenies in the river in Winter?, my PB was 15.5kg 1.3m.

By the way you can keep them alive all day. Two secrets, 1/ Don't overload your live tank and 2/ Keep fresh water flowing all the time, if you let them sit for any longer than a couple of minutes they will keel over. If you're landbased change the water as often as possible.

Matt

[DICER]

When you put the hook behind the dorsal fin (top one), keep away from the backbone, because if you hit this it will not swim and will die quickly. I usually put the hook a 1/4 of the way from the dorsal and just under the skin. Hope this helps, good luck. Live fresh bait is always the go.

[Fish_gutz]

dicers on the money chief , when hooking them on if you go too close to the spine they just cark it so just above the spine behind the dorsal. works best for me.and if you want to keep them alive for long periods an aerator of some description and new water regularly helps . we had four poddy`s and heaps of herring up the pine the other day and the mullet were still kicking @ home time and were realeased .two with a bit of accupuncture! no surviving herring. Muz

[whitingkiller]

chief 1,

if you don't have a live bait tank, when you catch them, have 2 buckets full of water, place them in the first bucket for about 30 seconds and then transfer them to the second bucket.
There scales come off in the first bucket and they swallow these and drown, hence the second bucket..
also change water every 20 mins and they will live for hours..
i use them for bream bait in the logan..excellent bait..

[chief 1]

Cheers everyone,i'll try all of the techniques and see what one works best and Matt (fivefishes) have you been to Gladstone alot? sometimes hit the queenies

[BLOOEY]

Depends on my target fish and how i am presenting them.

For jacks and trevally around snaggy areas i place the hook through just bove and behind the anal fin. This keeps the herring swimming upwards away from the snags more.

If I am slow trolling a live herring for mackeral i bridle hin through the eyes to a hook.

If im just tossing herring out for whatever is around i generally put the hook through his shoulders and hoy him out.

Jack.

Hadn't even thought of doing that with a little herring. Great idea , i don't think a schooly or a spotty could resist. Ben

[Mexikan]

I'm with Whitingkiller in keeping the water fresh and keeping the scales out of the water.If the herring can survive the initial shock of losing its scales they will stay alive for quit a while.Mullet are definently the more hardy bait they even survive longer in the bait tank and in the water(even the terror of being a barra lolly).
As far as hooking them in the shoulders or behind the dorsal fin.
Mex

[fivefishes]

Chief 1,

I lived in Gladstone for 2 years, 2000 and 2001. Used to get stuckin to good queenies from 6-10kg (9-10kg was average size) regularly at the H.W outlet. While all the "GUN" fishos were trying for Barra (up to 5-600 casts per fish) i used to hit the Queenies with Poppers and have a ball. Heaps more fish per cast, can give you some details if you like.

Matt

[chief 1]

cheers,could you give me some details

[fivefishes]

Chief 1,

Give me ten min, eating dinner!!

Matt