# What happened to my bait?



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

This is basically a trot line/bush hook question. Every time I give my lines 5-6 hours most if not all of my baits are gone. No matter what kind. Whole shad, live shad, cut shad, or skipjack or bream or shrimp. It all disappears. This weekend I lost 11 live bream out of 15 with only one fish hung (that I know of). That's 11, live very well hooked, with a #4 circle hook bream. They would have been hard for a grown man to remove from the hook on dry land with help. I got gars but are they operating 40' down? Was it fish that twisted off? Little nibblers?


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## Prowler (Apr 26, 2011)

Try'n Hard said:


> This is basically a trot line/bush hook question. Every time I give my lines 5-6 hours most if not all of my baits are gone. No matter what kind. Whole shad, live shad, cut shad, or skipjack or bream or shrimp. It all disappears. This weekend I lost 11 live bream out of 15 with only one fish hung (that I know of). That's 11, live very well hooked, with a #4 circle hook bream. They would have been hard for a grown man to remove from the hook on dry land with help. I got gars but are they operating 40' down? Was it fish that twisted off? Little nibblers?


Seems like the only bream I can catch this year is from peoples trot lines. Sorry Try'n...I did not think you would notice. I also like Bass so could you leave a few of them for me??:whistling:


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Prowler said:


> Seems like the only bream I can catch this year is from peoples trot lines. Sorry Try'n...I did not think you would notice. I also like Bass so could you leave a few of them for me??:whistling:




lol! I never considered theft!


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Are the lines twisted up, like a catfish twisting off?


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

What about turtles?? Do they get out there?


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Bodupp said:


> Are the lines twisted up, like a catfish twisting off?




Good question but no. Seen that and usually have a couple when I bait the small line with cut bait especially if it's out all night. This one had no twists or catfish slime


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

sure said:


> What about turtles?? Do they get out there?




Possible...... But current was a little strong and it seemed a little deep, don't know much about turtle habits. One of the bream looked like he had been half scaled and it was the same on both sides. I could just picture a big flat head clamping down on him


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Circle hooks require a certain amount of pressure to work properly. I've had difficulty hooking stripers if my drag is set too light. The fish feel the resistance and let go before the hook sets. Just for fun, try half J hooks and half circles using the same bait and see if the circle hook is the problem.


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## sloughhunter (Apr 13, 2011)

Here in arkansas it would be gar. It helps to bait right before dark but you will still lose some bait to them.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

sloughhunter said:


> Here in arkansas it would be gar. It helps to bait right before dark but you will still lose some bait to them.




Even on the bottom 40' deep?


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## sloughhunter (Apr 13, 2011)

Could be at 40'. I used to commercial fish with hoop nets and would catch them in nets at 30 and 40 feet of water. I would try a different hook besides a circle hook for trot line.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Gar, great bait stealers and hard to hook.


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## K.dawg (Sep 23, 2014)

I would try j hooks, I only like circle hooks on rod and reel when you can give em slack after that first good nibble


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

K.dawg said:


> I would try j hooks, I only like circle hooks on rod and reel when you can give em slack after that first good nibble




K dawg!


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## DMC (Nov 28, 2010)

Somebody is running you lines.


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## FlounderMan (Oct 24, 2007)

I prefer a khale hook but will settle for a J hook over a circle


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## kmerr80 (Oct 28, 2013)

Freshwater kraken


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## BuckWild (Oct 2, 2007)

I take the bait off all you river rapers lines.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

BuckWild said:


> I take the bait off all you river rapers lines.




I actually laughed out loud. Wife is starring at me suspiciously right now!


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Need to string a go-pro and a light to each drop...since I was in bama I got to use bream on a line and had 16 I think...all gone with 2 cats caught, circle hooks.


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