What do you use?
- Thread starter jmas
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This is gonna be informative for somebody. Your in Florida and I was in Alaska.
Fishing off shore for Salmon I used Herring almost exclusivly. There are guys who use big spinner n' other stuff but I caught all mine on Herring. Cut Plug is the term we used for a Herring with its head cut off at Two angles. Fresh Herring is best.
For Halibut I used Herring. Cut into chunks and slid up onto the hook.
Once, for Halibut I tried a giant Rubber Herring. Nope! they wanted the real thing.
For other bottom fish, use Herring.
Pretty simple eh?
Fishing off shore for Salmon I used Herring almost exclusivly. There are guys who use big spinner n' other stuff but I caught all mine on Herring. Cut Plug is the term we used for a Herring with its head cut off at Two angles. Fresh Herring is best.
For Halibut I used Herring. Cut into chunks and slid up onto the hook.
Once, for Halibut I tried a giant Rubber Herring. Nope! they wanted the real thing.
For other bottom fish, use Herring.
Pretty simple eh?
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While every day/species is different and it changes without any notice, in general lures are much more "species specific", where as "natural" bait tends to catch more, but not necessarily what you were looking for.
ie: Trolling for billfish a lure generally will get you a billfish, and the size often determines the probability of the size. But you will get more action, not only from billfish, but pert-near everything else, if you use a nicely rigged ballyhoo.
The same general idea holds true even if sitting and bobbing under a rig...
Note that ( as you already likely know ) "conditions" pretty much pre-select the sub-set that might hit the line. ie: "green water" likely a sailfish ( in La waters ) and cobalt blue is more likely a Blue Marlin. On a rip, look for the mid-range predators, dolphinfish, wahoo. And so on etc blah, blah, blah...
ie: Trolling for billfish a lure generally will get you a billfish, and the size often determines the probability of the size. But you will get more action, not only from billfish, but pert-near everything else, if you use a nicely rigged ballyhoo.
The same general idea holds true even if sitting and bobbing under a rig...
Note that ( as you already likely know ) "conditions" pretty much pre-select the sub-set that might hit the line. ie: "green water" likely a sailfish ( in La waters ) and cobalt blue is more likely a Blue Marlin. On a rip, look for the mid-range predators, dolphinfish, wahoo. And so on etc blah, blah, blah...
yes to both conditions depending...while I do enjoy live bait, there are plenty of times I need to go dead/strip bait or artificial. Nothing like the strike off a topwater plug though...I am starting to use the new Shimano Jig system while chunking...pretty cool results.
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I never thought of fishing for Silver Salmon with a Top water plug! That sounds good now, and I just wonder about all those days when I could see them down below the boat but they weren't hitting, how a big Frog looking top water gurgeling flopping Bass plug might have worked?
Back before we were required to use circle hooks for salmon, I mooched(drift) exclusively with anchovies and herring. At lest that felt like fishing. You had to see the bite and hook the fish.
I hate the circle hooks so much that I quit mooching. Salmon readily go after almost any lure(or bait) but can be picky on any day as to what they will and won't hit or what might strike their fancy.
From the variety of lures for albacore, it seems they will hit almost anything also. Black and purple feathers and cedar plugs are generally my most productive.
I hate the circle hooks so much that I quit mooching. Salmon readily go after almost any lure(or bait) but can be picky on any day as to what they will and won't hit or what might strike their fancy.
From the variety of lures for albacore, it seems they will hit almost anything also. Black and purple feathers and cedar plugs are generally my most productive.
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Charlie, are you saying you MUST use Circle hooks for Salmon?
What's the logic behind that?
Circle hooks are for Soaking, leaving them set.
J-hooks are for Trolling with Herring?
Jeez, why did we ever let the Governement have control of anything?
What's the logic behind that?
Circle hooks are for Soaking, leaving them set.
J-hooks are for Trolling with Herring?
Jeez, why did we ever let the Governement have control of anything?
Yup! for a few years now.
I guess the premise was so the undersize salmon wouldn't get gut or gill hooked. Supposedly the circle hook would always hook in the corner of the mouth. Didn't work for me. They would readily swallow the hook but when trying to set the hook, you could feel the hook pull out of the fishes gut. On top of that, the circle hook was very hard to get out of a live salmon without hurting it.
The barbless J hook was easily removed. That's what happens when you put people with no idea of what they're doing, in charge of making rules.
Very simply put, that's what happens when government gets into things.
I guess the premise was so the undersize salmon wouldn't get gut or gill hooked. Supposedly the circle hook would always hook in the corner of the mouth. Didn't work for me. They would readily swallow the hook but when trying to set the hook, you could feel the hook pull out of the fishes gut. On top of that, the circle hook was very hard to get out of a live salmon without hurting it.
The barbless J hook was easily removed. That's what happens when you put people with no idea of what they're doing, in charge of making rules.
Very simply put, that's what happens when government gets into things.
Here in Florida, drifting with Live bait seems to work the best, especially Goggle eye, for Sailfish.
Trolling Fresh Ballyoo for most other species.
Goggle eye have been harder to find and too expensive to buy,$50-$80 a dozen. Used to fill a baitwell in an hour years ago.
I have been trying some of the lures for Mahi and wahoo but not having much luck.
Trolling Fresh Ballyoo for most other species.
Goggle eye have been harder to find and too expensive to buy,$50-$80 a dozen. Used to fill a baitwell in an hour years ago.
I have been trying some of the lures for Mahi and wahoo but not having much luck.
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jmas on the way out of Biloxi we caught a boat load of Goggle eye with Bass casting gear, using a small Jig. I cant remember the colors, but they loved that jig. If you hit a bunch you'll get all you need in 15-20 minutes of fishing.
The Same jig worked for Dolphin out in the Deeper water.
The Same jig worked for Dolphin out in the Deeper water.
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Live bait is always best. You catch the darndest things with live bait.
