# catching/baiting pinfish/baitfish cast net



## GregBR549 (Dec 18, 2007)

I was at Orange beach this weekend and had a hard time finding pinfish or any other bait fish. We tried dropping squid around some piers but not much luck. What is the best way to get live bait? Can you tie off a trap to a post somewhere? Is there anyway to bait pinfish or another kind of bait and come back later and throw a cast net over them? I was looking for smaller ~3" size bait. Doesn't really have to be pinfish I guess, just any kind of live bait.

Thanks for the help

Greg


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## Redfish (Nov 9, 2007)

I Have found If you buy I couple of cans of dog food or cat food and throw it out over the Grass flat's , just the food not the can, and wait about 15-30 minutes and throw a bait net over the area where you put the food ,you should get all the pinfish and mullet you want , just one mans opinion Hope this Helps


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## Danno (Oct 17, 2007)

Redfish, your right.

Never thought about chumming for bait, until my son dropped his chips in the water then I was using a cast net last summer. 

Now I keep a couple of cheap cans of pet food (with pull off lids) in the boat. Works everytime, they come to you rather than you looking for them.


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## Ajerv (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks, redfish. Now what about the time of year, like now, when no pinfish appear in the trap. Does it work this time of year?

What about finger mullet, are those the "mullet' you referred to?



aj


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## Cuz (Oct 1, 2007)

You will be hard pressed to find any pinfish this time of year. Most have moved off shore. If your red fishing, cast net some silver mullet in the back of the bayous and cut them in half and use both pieces, I, believe it or not have had better success using the head portion.


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

We always chum for our pinfish. We either save some scraps from cleaning fish or just take some extra bait to use for chum. This time of year the pinfish have moved to deeper water so castnetting them will be difficult.


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## GregBR549 (Dec 18, 2007)

Thanks for the help. That is why I like this forum so much, and I visit it alot. I wish I knew enough about fishing to contribute back. Maybe someday. I would have never known that pinfish move offshore in the winter. No wonder I couldn't catch any. I will be trying dogfood come spring.

Thanks again,

Greg


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## jamessig (Oct 3, 2007)

Pinfish are in deeper water now, not necessarily offshore though. There are plenty in the bay. Chumming shallow grass flats in the winter will not be very productive.


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