catching live bait

[Seahorse]

this may sound like a silly question. Many a time u read reports that we slipped out caught plenty livies and off we went to the reefs.
My question is what the best way to catch live bait and where to find it.
I read this so often and never saw the question asked. Whether that tell me something or not, i dont know.


cheers
greg

[lunatic]

G'day Greg,
I use a cast net to catch live bait, and I have an air pump to keep them alive.
Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Lunatic

[Jack_Hunter]

Generally use bait jigs at known bait grounds. This could be beacons, other structure etc.

Cheers
Mitch

[Seahorse]

thats the sort of info iam after. so usually structures? bait jigs are multiple hooks? if i was going out to mud, where would i catch live bait from.
Iam just about ready to change my fishing from estuary to bay fishing chasing the squire, snapper, reef fish.
Any help is appreciated

cheers
greg

[Rainbowrunner]

i like using sets of bait jigs, we just find the bait on the sounder while looking around, and drop the jigs over,if theyre there one per hook is not uncommon, pike are my favourite,

[Seahorse]

thanks rainbow, i will go and but set of bait jigs. I guess they r all the same.

[R_K_HILL]

Hi Seahorse, I use a cast net, their worth their weight in bait many times over. Probably cost you around $60-90. I think I have a 10ft or 11ft which is quite a good size. Im not a sp/lure fisherman (yet), so I use it everytime I go fishing and very rarely buy bait. Always have a livie out so I have a good chance of nabbing any big ones that maybe lurking about.

The best time to catch your bait in a net is on low tide, obviously because there is a lot less volume of water for fish to school in. So I usually cast for bait on low to 2hrs after low tide and fish the coming in tide til Full...

I use an air pump which will keep the bait alive for ages (up to 24hrs usually or until the battery goes flat ), they cost about $8-20 from tackle shops, Amart, etc..

You'll get bait pretty much anywhere in a net.... Boat ramps too!!!

If I were a SP/lure fisherman or when I get a chance to be, I will always have a livie out the side!! I think that when fishing if there's any monster about, he'll take it!

[Rainbowrunner]

a set or two of the small ones with paper tails and green beads, and slightly larger ones with the stringy tinsel stuff, look for bait tight on the bottom as well as midwater

[Rainbowrunner]

i also like to cut the sets of six in half and extend the sinker a foot from the bottom hook , helps avoid snags.

[timddo]

greg, the last red shipping channel marker from fisherman island is where the bait are most of the time, It's just west of mud island. (yellowtail and pike) If you want herring, try casting next to the sewage pipes at the month of the river.

offshore, off the goldcoast, just find the bait grounds, not hard to spot if you are there by 6pm.(about 10 boats are doing the same thing, so you can';t piss them. You can probably , when weather permitting venture offshore to the 24th fathom for reef fish now.

cheers

[HiRAEdd]

This is exactly the same question I was going to ask
My other question is do Snapper/Squire take live pike?

[bidkev]

This is exactly the same question I was going to ask
My other question is do Snapper/Squire take live pike?

They sure do and they like 'em butterflied too.

kev

Attitude might not catch fish, but it helps when you don't.

[ratherbefishin]

The type of livebait you're after will determine how to catch 'em

A Cast Net is a good way to get live mullet, but you'll have to practice casting it at home first. The experts make it look easy but it takes a lot of practice. A Cast net will catch anything and you can end up with live prawns, herring, mullet, whiting and pike, although the latter are bit harder to come by in a net.

Deeper waters you're better off with a bait jig. You can buy them from as little as $2.50 up to $6.00 depending on the tackle store. personally I havent found any difference between brands/types. Its more important to find the schools of bait on the sounder.

Out of the gold Coast Seaway head slightly South then line up the mast on the VMR tower with the end of the sand pumping jetty and travel out on that transit. At about 1/2 mile offshore you'll see bait schools on the sounder. This area ius called flat rock and its not a huge structure but the bait balls hang around it. Best times are dawn and dusk but they're there in varying quantities all day/night. They also often school around the wreck of the scottish prince a bit further south of there.

To keep 'em alive I found bubblers are OK but its important not to put too many livies in too little water they suck the oxygen out of the water pretty fast. I eventually gave up on bubblers and fitted a proper live well which pumps fresh sea water in through a spray jet and overflows back out to the sea. With this setup I have kept livies alive all day and into the night.

Get someone to show you how to rig'em too, remember to always have them facing back up the line, that way when they are tired of dragging the line about and they hang on the end of the line, they will be facing back into the current with the water flowing over their gills to keep them alive.

Good Luck and have fun!!!

[Seahorse]

thanks timddo and ratherbefishin.
Thats great info. Cant wait to try.

cheers
greg

[tiny_tinny]

I agree with the previous posts about cast nets (as long as it's legal in the state you live in). Provided it's clear of rocks and other snags, I like to have a few casts around the boat ramp before I leave. People often clean their fish or dump their surplus bait when they get back to the ramp. This attracts fish to the area (and those big lizards found in the northern parts).

Mike