# Trolling habits, favorite baits



## Wolfslayer (Sep 11, 2015)

Hello all, 
Been out a couple times now trolling Dusters with red skirts and green, some times a deep trolling rattle trap. Would like to know what combos y'all prefer to troll regarding live bait and or artificials...
Also, my bait seems to die pretty quick in the bait bucket, I still troll it anyway.. Bad idea?? Should I just get new fresh bait if possible?
Best way to get a bait down on a troll.... Egg sinker?? Really unsure if I should be trolling twin baited top water dusters or one top and one low.... Most everything I read here is caught on live bait... 
Last question.... If you are trolling 2 rods.... And you have a third rod on board, in case you run across a school, what artificial do you prefer on that third rod...
Appreciate your thoughts


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

I only troll naked baits. I troll one medium sized bait and one large/huge bait. I hate dusters on the kayak. I will drag an x-rap or a stretch 10 if bait is slow or minimal.
Ditch the bucket and make a bait tube(4" PVC). Dead bait catches fish but you can make live bait dead bait, you aint making dead bait live bait. Fresh lively baits are always best in my experience.
I like to keep my baits up, so i don't like the idea of trolling with an egg sinker. 
As far as a third rod goes, I like x-raps and Bomber Long A's or even catching some smaller live baits and have one ready to flip.


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## andrewsa43 (Mar 1, 2015)

I have had almost as much success w dead baits as live. If I have live on I tend to troll slower mostly bc I'm lazy and tell myself the bait is doing the work. I tend to troll 2 rods, one w a duster and live/dead bait and a stretch 25. I've only caught Spanish on the stretch, but they have been monsters. If I have live bait I'm less likely to troll a second lure or bait since the live bait is more likely to cross the other line.


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## boomyak (Mar 21, 2014)

Biggest thing for live or dead is making sure you take the time so to turn back every so often to make sure it isn't spinning, even if it wasn't when you put on at first. As they get chunks taken out from squid or short strikes you might not have even felt, they end up spinning easily if you are going any faster than a drift.


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## Wolfslayer (Sep 11, 2015)

I'll have to google a stretch 10, have seen the term bait tube on the forum, biggest problem with the dead baits so far is the neck pain from turning to see the omnipresent gull attacking the damn thing&#55357;&#56865;&#55357;&#56865;&#55357;&#56865;&#55357;&#56865;... PS caught a few live squid on the sabiki... Would you naked troll them?


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## boomyak (Mar 21, 2014)

Wolfslayer said:


> I'll have to google a stretch 10, have seen the term bait tube on the forum, biggest problem with the dead baits so far is the neck pain from turning to see the omnipresent gull attacking the damn thing��������... PS caught a few live squid on the sabiki... Would you naked troll them?


If gulls are constantly getting it, you've probably got an issue: (in order of likelihood):

1. Bait is spinning from not being hooked through the center or something took a bite out of it ruining the symmetry.
2. You don't have enough line out.
3. You're going too fast. (Doubtful unless you're rocking a trolling motor.)


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## gulfbreezetom (Jun 12, 2012)

I like my live bait rigs to be within 3-4 feet of the surface. You can use a duster to improve visibility and experiment with how much line to have out to get your bait where you want it during your troll. I use a soft plastic swim-bait for pitching to schools, just because it's easier to have ready (and I'm lazy).
Live or dead, the spinning bait will not get hit, except by remoras. After you bait up, put the line in the water right next to your kayak and see how it does when you are at your normal troll speed.


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## GrandIsle (Jul 2, 2015)

Have any of you tried kite fishing these live baits?


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## Salt Lines (Apr 4, 2013)

I second the bait tube, its the way to go. Use the black pvc pipe, it floats. Having your baits spin is the biggest problem, I test every one before I troll it, and I reel baits in an check them with some frequency, and always before a big long troll. I pretty much never use my pitch rod, but I will keep a rattle trap, a long A, or a gotcha on there just in case. I like using live bait b/c I feel like if i just sit and drift I'm still actively fishing, so it allows me to rest and enjoy some peace and quiet, but still feel like I may catch a fish. People say they drift dead baits and catch fish, but it just feels odd to me to have a dead bait sitting mostly still.


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## gulfbreezetom (Jun 12, 2012)

I have enough going on in the kayak without worrying about a kite!


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## Wolfslayer (Sep 11, 2015)

Put together a 4" thin walled bait tube with 2 four inch floor drains on each end, kicking around zip tiring a strip of foam noodle on the top to help it float... Good or bad idea? Love the advice so far.... Bait bucket was 12 bucks down the toilet .....made the tube 18 inches long... Too much?


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## gulfbreezetom (Jun 12, 2012)

I don't think that's too long, mine is 24". I just drilled holes in 1, four inch PVC cap after I glued it on and used a threaded end cap with more holes drilled to access the bait in the tube.(less weight than a floor drain), and drilled a lot of holes in the 4" PVC tube itself.


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## Wolfslayer (Sep 11, 2015)

Floor drains slide inside on each end with small bunge thru middle of tube for access on either side


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## Salt Lines (Apr 4, 2013)

If you use the black PVC (I forget its technical name) it will float and you dont need the foam. Also, I used these temporary clean out plugs sold at Home Depot. You just turn the butterfly screw and it squeezes a piece of rubber outwards and holds in place in the PVC. I drilled holes through the plugs and the pvc for water flow.


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

Just by a 4" clean out cap.


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## Agarst (Sep 9, 2015)

How much more effective is the bait tube compared to bucket? Obviously the drag would be a lot less


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## saii (Mar 7, 2011)

I use a bait bucket Wolf, but I could only keep the hardballs alive. I don't like bait buckets because they have excess drag, and I hate pulling the bucket out and throwing it back in my kayak. It seems like a hazard as I almost tipped once trying to haul a bucket over! I was over extended.

Btw nice meeting you out there.


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## woodinfliezz (Jan 27, 2014)

I use a vitty vault with a 10 dollar aerator, the only bait i haven't been able to keep alive is baby bobo 5 to 6 inches. other than that i love it. i have the smaller one that fits perfectly in a square crate.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A6UF4U/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0002DJON4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1J08MZC0K4A0YPGDHTF8 this is the exact one i have. just drill a hole in the center for the lid and some 550 cord and you have a bait tank that works really well. i can keep 12 or so decent cigars alive in it and if its just hard tails i have had nearly 15 in there alive. and always have bait to throw back at the end of the day.


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## superdave (Jul 3, 2009)

Does anyone have any tips on keeping the bait from spinning? I feel like I've tried a half dozen different hook positions but I'm still having issues (down through the top of the head, up through the bottom, through the eyes, etc). I don't have issues with live baits, just dead. I straighten and thaw the bait before hooking. If I hook the bait right at the lips without a stinger, it doesn't spin as easy, but the slightest knockdown and the hook pulls right through without giving the catch a chance at getting hooked. Skirts help, but I end up with issues sometimes even then. What am I missing?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

superdave said:


> Does anyone have any tips on keeping the bait from spinning? I feel like I've tried a half dozen different hook positions but I'm still having issues (down through the top of the head, up through the bottom, through the eyes, etc). I don't have issues with live baits, just dead. I straighten and thaw the bait before hooking. If I hook the bait right at the lips without a stinger, it doesn't spin as easy, but the slightest knockdown and the hook pulls right through without giving the catch a chance at getting hooked. Skirts help, but I end up with issues sometimes even then. What am I missing?


A rule of thumb for pulling natural baits is to rig dead center. What I mean by that is that the hooks need to be inserted and come out along the centerline of your bait. A live bait can counteract this to a degree but it's absolutely necessary with dead baits. If you're using a two hook rig, push your lead hook up through the jaws of your bait and make sure the point comes out directly in between the nostrils. If it comes out of one nostril or the side of the jaw, it's going to spin.

The trailing hook should either be left free it inserted along the center line on the belly.


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## gulfbreezetom (Jun 12, 2012)

I use the stinger hook to stop dead bait from spinning. Usually I will move the stinger from the centerline towards the outside (laterally) of the bait, on the side that the bait is spinning in. That is the worst sentence I have ever written.


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## superdave (Jul 3, 2009)

gulfbreezetom said:


> I use the stinger hook to stop dead bait from spinning. Usually I will move the stinger from the centerline towards the outside (laterally) of the bait, on the side that the bait is spinning in. That is the worst sentence I have ever written.


Ha! I follow you. Thanks for the replys guys


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I will add, since the topic of bait storage was brought up, that I still use an onboard live well system. Since most of my fish go in the fish bag on the bow, I converted my cooler behind me into a livewell. I usually keep two battery operated pumps on it and it keeps my baits alive throughout the trip without a problem. The water stays cool and the darkness keeps them calm.

My reasoning for this option is simple; speed. When I'm fishing pelagics and especially Tarpon, I want to be able to move fast and stay with the action. The bait tubes slow me down too much and every time that thing hits the side of the yak I lose a hair. For bottom fishing it's obviously not an issue, but I like to cover water and I like to do it quickly.

The only thing I have to remember with this is to bring BOTH aerators and make sure they have good batteries.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Gotta add $.02 to this one*

As far as the bait tube goes. Starting about 6" from one end of the tube, cut diagonally toward the front end of the tube, exiting on the opposite side of the tube. Drill a 1/4" hole right at the front of the tube for your pull point. This really cuts drag. Cut a piece of plastic to cover this front end. It should have lots of small holes rather than a few big ones. This keeps Cigar Minnows from poking their noses out. I attach this piece with tie-wraps. 

When you drill your holes, smooth them on the inside so your bait won't get scratched up. I use a counter sink bit held in a tap holder for this procedure. I have small hands so access is not usually a problem. I prefer NOT to have holes in the bottom cap. Drill plenty of holes around the tube just above the cap.

NOTE: On my last bait tube I cut a dozen or so forward facing saw kerfs rather than drilling holes in the bait tube.. These saw kerfs were half way through the pipe on the down facing side of the pipe. I had 3 rows of 3/8" holes just above the bottom cap. I used a radial arm saw for this procedure.

If you drill your holes or cut your saw kerfs so they face forward, you get great water flow.

I let the bait tube go when I sold my yak so no photos. 

I guess I could make a smaller bait tube for Mud Minnows (Bull Minnows) if need be. I almost never fish with bait anymore.


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## Wolfslayer (Sep 11, 2015)

Getting some great advice .....need a little more clarity on putting the hooks in live bait.... I have a 4/0 circle in front with a stinger treble on a single strand wired on .... So... Up thru the lips on the circle? And if you do install the stinger hook thru the belly sideways? In for a dime in for a dollar.... Looking for a good fish Finder/ gps.... Lot of opinions....guess my main concern is the transducer mounting ....considering suction cup..... Thanks guys.... Will it ever ever cam down enough to fish offshore again before I die, or should I purchase a surf board now😢


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