Live Bait

Swamprider · Post by **Swamprider** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:20 pm

I know I am going to catch flack for this but I want to fish this summer with some white bait. What or how is the best way to keep white bait alive in a yak and how much can I carry safely? Thanks in advance.

Rik · Post by **Rik** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:06 pm

I feel dirty just having read your post.....

Todd · Post by **Todd** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:09 pm

Other than building some 75 lb live well for your kayak keeping greenbacks alive on a kayak is next to impossible. You can carry a few in a flow troll bucket but not enough to be effective.

seeinred · Post by **seeinred** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:15 pm

You can cast net white bait off most piers if you have a livewell system that you could move from your car to your kayak. I know you could catch bait from the Skyway and Gandy most times of year, as well as many of the bridges around the ICW.

Be careful that you're cast netting white baits though and not threadfin herrings, threadin will die quickly after being cast netted and put in a well. When you knock their scales off they die pretty quickly. Whitebaits are much hardy baits and better on the hook.

Redfisher · Post by **Redfisher** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:55 pm

What I do for tarpon and kings is;
Get a bubbler and mount it on a a small cooler. I think the cooler is important because the water needs to stay cool.
Use a sabiki and only put a few in the cooler at a time.
Change the water every couple of hours.

jfreak · Post by **jfreak** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:05 pm

I usually use pin fish if I'm going to use live bait. I put them in a bait bucket in the kayak while I'm paddling and put the bucket in the water and refresh them when I'm not paddling. Pin fish seem to last a while.

Todd · Post by **Todd** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:39 pm

Redfisher wrote:What I do for tarpon is;

Use a baitbuster

Redfisher · Post by **Redfisher** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:13 pm

Todd wrote:
Redfisher wrote:What I do for tarpon is;
Use a baitbuster

I'll take them anyway I can and bait is pretty dang productive.
My first tarpon was on atificial and the ones since on bait have been just as fun. Last year I did hook one with a Storm shad. This year I am keeping one of those BIG mag super spooks on hand. That should be fun.

FishingDL · Post by **FishingDL** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:13 pm

Skip the bait and just castnet the Tarpon.

JoseC · Post by **JoseC** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:14 pm

Redfisher wrote: This year I am keeping one of those BIG mag super spooks on hand. That should be fun.

I bet by the end of this summer you will be thanking the guy who brought up the magnum spook.

a corona would be a good sign of your appreciation after you hook one on that lure, just a thought

HellOnReels · Post by **HellOnReels** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:36 pm

Ahhh Corona! A man after my own heart.

pag_yaker · Post by **pag_yaker** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:17 pm

... don't leave home without one.

Redfisher · Post by **Redfisher** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:17 pm

I don't know what you're talking about Jose. I use bait for tarpon and this is how I keep it.

Pmoconnor89 · Post by **Pmoconnor89** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:13 pm

I made myself a bait tube out of PVC. The basic schematic is outlined here... http://www.plasticnavy.com/bait-tube.htm

I did modify it to my needs however. I used 4 inch PVC pipe, and used a normal PVC Cap for the back end of it and used a real cheap cap for the front that fits into the pipe instead of over it, its far easier to remove to get to the bait. In all honesty I don't use it often, but when I have it has worked wonders. It's got a constant flow when I'm paddling and I've never had bait die in it, granted mine is 18 inches long and I've never held more than a dozen baits in it. MY only suggestion is you might want to go with 3 inch PVC, the 4 is kinda heavy for long paddles.

BlueCrab · Post by **BlueCrab** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:53 pm

pag_yaker wrote:... don't leave home without one.

Best live bait thread EVER.

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:38 am

pag_yaker wrote:... don't leave home without one.

Don't leave home without your pool float?