rsimms... live bait

[RUGER]

Just curious, when using live bait for bass do ya'll use circle hooks or what?

 

[cbhunter]

Dont be afraid to go big with your hook. Thats the mistake i made in a pond where there were some monster bass. Couldnt get a good hook set.

 

[Pilchard]

I am no bass fisherman but I have used a lot of live bait in saltwater. Hence my name on this board.

The key with live bait is to match your hook size to the bait— not the fish you are after. The bait needs to be able to swim naturally. A oversized hook will impair the baits ability to swim.

Then, of equal importance is to hook the bait in a way that allows the hook to pull out of the bait and into the fish easily. This is true for J and circle hooks.

 

[WTM]

cool, never knew what a pilchard was, now i do.

 

[cbhunter]

I am no bass fisherman but I have used a lot of live bait in saltwater. Hence my name on this board.

The key with live bait is to match your hook size to the bait— not the fish you are after. The bait needs to be able to swim naturally. A oversized hook will impair the baits ability to swim.

Then, of equal importance is to hook the bait in a way that allows the hook to pull out of the bait and into the fish easily. This is true for J and circle hooks.

Maybe that was my problem, not hooking the bait correctly. Where would you hook a small bluegill for it to effectively come out of the bait and into the fish?

 

[Dbllunger]

Like Pilchard, I'm very familiar with fishing live bait in saltwater. Primarily fishing live pinfish below popping corks. I'm going to definitely give this a try with some bluegill this weekend. I have a bait tank and can catch all the small gills I want in short order. Put them on a hook below a popping cork saltwater style and see what happens. Bout the only way I would want to target the ditch pickles. Might be fun and who knows, the river I would try this on is known for having muskie as well. That would be the Rocky River near Rock Island.

 

[Dbllunger]

I am no bass fisherman but I have used a lot of live bait in saltwater. Hence my name on this board.

The key with live bait is to match your hook size to the bait— not the fish you are after. The bait needs to be able to swim naturally. A oversized hook will impair the baits ability to swim.

Then, of equal importance is to hook the bait in a way that allows the hook to pull out of the bait and into the fish easily. This is true for J and circle hooks.

Maybe that was my problem, not hooking the bait correctly. Where would you hook a small bluegill for it to effectively come out of the bait and into the fish?

With pinfish in saltwater, I like to hook them through the top of the back just behind the dorsal fin usually.

 

[Pilchard]

I am no bass fisherman but I have used a lot of live bait in saltwater. Hence my name on this board.

The key with live bait is to match your hook size to the bait— not the fish you are after. The bait needs to be able to swim naturally. A oversized hook will impair the baits ability to swim.

Then, of equal importance is to hook the bait in a way that allows the hook to pull out of the bait and into the fish easily. This is true for J and circle hooks.

Maybe that was my problem, not hooking the bait correctly. Where would you hook a small bluegill for it to effectively come out of the bait and into the fish?

Bluegill used live should be hooked side ways through the nostrils IMO. I often used them for bait in florida when fishing for saltwater species that were landlocked in freshwater environment. Make sure you are careful to wiggle the hook through lightly. Don't force it through. If using a circle hook you should be even more careful at the hook needs to be gently rotated into one nostril and out the other.

 

[Pilchard]

Agree with Dbullinger about pinfish. Their scales are softer than a bluegill and therefore the hook will tear out of the bait easier.

 

[rsimms]

Just curious, when using live bait for bass do ya'll use circle hooks or what?

Sometimes, but not always. We often use Kahle hooks (usually 1/0). It often depends upon the size of the bait we have. If I'm fishing small shiners for smallmouth people are often shocked at the tiny hooks I use. But when you start bass fishing with 10-12 inch golden shiners, you've got to have a good sized hook.

And yes, sometimes with live bait bass will swallow them deep, especially with inexperienced clients who are not very adept at knowing when a fish has taken their bait. But if a fish is deep-hooked, we NEVER go digging it out. We always just cut the line. I can't say for certain all the fish survive, but I believe the majority do.