Live Baitfish - Where, What & How

[Sea-Dog]

If fishing for the medium sized Moreton Bay beasties - e.g. Longtail tuna, School Mackerel etc.

What species of baitfish should be used? (also where to find identification pics)

What sort of places would I find them? (not specific locations, just the type of features to look for)

What method used for capture?


Cheers, Sea-Dog

[tunaman]

A good box of lures, block of pillies,live yellow tail, potty mullet, garfish,
herring, slimey mac,s, mate take your pick and there,s more.
just ask questions at the boat ramp,some nice fisho will help you!




signed tunaman

[Sea-Dog]

Are those little baitfish traps that I see in tackle shops worth using or do I do some berleying with bread etc, then use one of those little multiple-hook bait jig thinggys for live bait.

Do I find more live baitfish near mangroves and use bread etc to attract them, then use castnet to catch or what?

The only livies that I've tried using were caught with a castnet from the breakwater at Manly.

I dont know what sort of fish they were. Shaped similar to a small bream, but more see-thru. A bit spikey too. Where can I see pics of various baitfish types?

I know these are more or less the same questions, but I thought I may get a different response if I put them a different way.

- Cheers again, Sea-Dog

[Jeremy]

Sea-Dog,

what you want is to buy the 6-hook bait jigs for around $2.50. Ties a 1-2 oz snapper lead to the bottom. When you go out, you go to the shipping beacons. Those in the Northern part of the bay in deeper water are the best. Use your sounder and motor up close to the beacon and see if you can see the 'clouds' of bait on your sounder. If you can't see any bait, move to the next beacon.

Drop the jig down to the depth the bait is holding at and jig it up and down - slow or faster, it is trial and error - until you catch some. Put them in the livie tank. Yellowtail scad and the most common and are good bait, slimies are the best baits, you will also catch whiptails which can also be used as baits. Yellowtail pike will also turn up and are also good baits, as are small legal size tailor. Don't use any bait on the jigs and there is no need to burley.

Where you catch your bait will probably not be too far from where you can catch the pelagics, as naturally the pelagics are attracted to the bait schools.

A good size live bait is at least 18-20 cm long and you should rig them up on a two-hook system with the top hook through the nose (ie facing up if you hold the top of the trace/leader). Wire is essential for mackerel and heavy mono is the go for cobia and tuna.

If you are interested in more info on this, Gordon MacDonald from the tackle Warehouse will be talking at our next club meeting on this. 9th August in Bulimba.

Jeremy

[Sea-Dog]

Thanks Jeremy, youre a champion. :)

Whats the name and location of your club?

Thanks, Sea-Dog

[Jeremy]

Brisbane Sportfishing Club.

Next meeting Wednesday 9th August, Brisbane 16ft sailing club, Quay St Bulimba 8 pm.

Gordon MacDonald "Moreton Bay Cobia"

Please see our website and have a look at the newsletter for more info (see bottom of this post)

Jeremy

[RayB]

Top question and top response. I was also after this information and might have to drop in to Bulimba on the 9th.

thanks
Ray