# Help please Bait question



## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Fishing in the bay/icw shrimp only gets me catfish or stolen by baitfish. I can catch pinfish very easy but have not got 1 hit. Are pinfish useless? What are your top 3 bait? (Not artificial). Should I keep trying pins? Thank u


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## purple haze (Sep 2, 2013)

Right now you mostly have catfish any where you drop. Live shrimp is the go to bait WHEN the sheepshead, flounder and blacksnapper are around. You are most likely fishing around a muddy bottom to catch so many catfish. Move around to the rock piles or bridge pilings for black snapper now. You will have to wait awhile for the flounder and sheepshead to come back around in any numbers.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

I am a big fan of finger mullet


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Live finger mullet or frozen ok? So pinfish will catch me nothing then right?


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

cmg76 said:


> Live finger mullet or frozen ok? So pinfish will catch me nothing then right?


Live is almost always better, IF you can find live bait. Live pins WILL catch you fish in the bay. Smaller live pins under a cork are good for big speckled trout & slot-sized reds. Bull reds will occasionally (in my experience) eat live pins when used on a traditional/carolina rig on the bottom. Other people swear by them, but I much prefer live croakers or ground mullet if I'm using live bait.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Learn to use artificials.*

I use Shrimp only for Sheepshead when I can't catch fiddler crabs or Sand fleas.

I still catch an occasional catfish on a plug or fly but I go weeks without catching one of those slimy buggers.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

cmg76 said:


> Live finger mullet or frozen ok? So pinfish will catch me nothing then right?


Live


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Because I have no boat I'm limited to my dock. It is a deep dock though I've been using pins under a popper just having no luck


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## crappie (May 26, 2014)

Freeline a live finger mullet or a live Elwhy using a 20 pound flourocarbon leader on a small hook and see what happens. Live shrimp is good too, you can add split shot or 2 to get your bait lower. Fish early in the morning if possible.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

All I can seem to catch off my dock are pins. Guess ill hit the bait shop


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## Angryturkey (Jul 17, 2014)

Clearly the bait question is an important one, however you may be ignoring another possible explanation for your fishlessness (pretty sure that is a word). Fish are very sensitive to location and timing. You often hear folks say 90% of the fish hold in 10% of the habitat. This means that there are fish hotspots and for inshore fishing these hotspots change depending on several factors such as tidal fluctuations, time of day, season, baitfish distribution daily migratory patterns and what seems to be a billion other factors I still cannot seem to get my head around. All this to say.....try a different spot. 
I have had the most luck on outgoing tides near the inlet of a marsh using whatever I can get in my cast net (I refuse to buy bait). My favorite baits are finger mullet and sand fleas, but whiting, LY's, pinfish, killifish, mudminnows, lizardfish all work well too.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

cmg76 said:


> All I can seem to catch off my dock are pins. Guess ill hit the bait shop


 


what body of water?


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Snagged Line said:


> what body of water?


Intercoastal between brooks bridge and Mary ester. I refuse to belîeve there's no fish moving thru there especially because my pier is pretty deep 10-12 feet deep at end. Maybe the above poster is right. I need a boat


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Also there is a TON of bait by my pier always


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## gmoney (Oct 3, 2007)

CMG if it is your own dock then try putting a 'feeder' on it. A bunch of cornmeal in a cheesecloth will help bring finger mullet (and larger mullet) to your dock. Of course the pinfish will eat it as well but pinfish eat anything in the water.

Also consider buying one of those minnow traps you see at walmart. They will keep the larger pinfish out and allow you to catch the little quarter-sized pinfish that the trout like to eat. While you can fill the trap with any type of bait, try dry dog food. Sometimes you'll get a few shrimp in the trap along with the pinfish. 

If you just want to catch something for fun target a bull red. Take a medium size pinfish (about 6-8inches) and cut into it several times on each side. It is too big for most catfish to swallow which means it will stay in the water until a big redfish swims by.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Ok I'll grab one of those traps when I get a chance Yeah the medium pins are what I am catching so ill try what u said. Do I just fish it on the bottom with a Carolina rig? Cutting into it I'm assuming kills it so the cats won't eat it? Thanks so much for all this great info. It's very frustrating not catching anything! Until I get a kayak and can expand my range !


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## gmoney (Oct 3, 2007)

Cutting into releases scents in the water and seems to increase hits. The bait is simply too large for a catfish to eat so they pass it by-but a big bull red has no trouble eating it.

A carolina or slip-lead rig is the way to go-use about a 3 foot leader and enough weight to keep it anchored to the bottom (in that area 2-3 oz are usually as much as you need, sometimes less if you are out of the main current.) 

One final idea would be to add underwater lights to your dock. Either install the real deal or buy the one from walmart that hooks up to a car battery. The key is to have the lights turn on every night so that the trout and redfish get used to stopping by and having a bite to eat. Randomly turning on the light only when you are fishing won't do it-you need to be consistent.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

The dock belongs to apartments Ill have to check if there is any electricity. I can't do the car battery thing due to not wanting to leave it down there. Too much theft. Again I can't thank u guys enough this info gives me hope lol


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## gmoney (Oct 3, 2007)

Is the dock lighted? And more importantly does the light shine on the water? If not then get yourself a hanging shop light (if there is a plug nearby) and use that each night. It will make a huge difference. 

Most apartment buildings aren't going to let you install underwater lights on their docks and to be honest they are a bit pricey to do so if you don't own the property and plan on living there for some time


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## Shallow Minded (Aug 14, 2014)

I would take those live pins to the grass flats in the inner-coastal, they would be perfect for Reds and Speckle Trout. Especially the small pin fish.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

finger mullet / pin fish / blue and sand crabs


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## Yaksquatch (Mar 23, 2009)

2 things:

1) Try artificial lures. Especially if you're fishing during the day outside of the times of peak activity (dawn and dusk). Especially if the water's really warm during the day, fish will often be vary lazy during the day and it can be hard to get "hunger strikes" out of them. Artificial lures are designed to get "reaction strikes" by triggering the predator response to erratic movement which imitates a scared or injured prey.

2) Have you tried to fish the structure of the dock itself or are you just casting out away from it? Next time you go out there, DO NOT immediately walk out onto the dock but stand on shore and cast up under the shadow of the dock around the pilings. You may be surprised at what's been hanging out right under your feet the whole time.

Good luck!
Alex


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Yaksquatch said:


> 2 things:
> 
> 1) Try artificial lures. Especially if you're fishing during the day outside of the times of peak activity (dawn and dusk). Especially if the water's really warm during the day, fish will often be vary lazy during the day and it can be hard to get "hunger strikes" out of them. Artificial lures are designed to get "reaction strikes" by triggering the predator response to erratic movement which imitates a scared or injured prey.
> 
> ...


your right but I do throw the length of the dock but I always do it up on the pier. Hey I did catch a pretty nice little flounder on a spoon this morning. Was a nice surprise.


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## Yaksquatch (Mar 23, 2009)

Nice!

Sometimes fish don't care how much vibration goes from the dock to the water, but other times they can get really spooky if they feel the structure over their heads shaking or thumping.

Good luck!
Alex


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

hey, cmg
sell all that bait fish and go to joe patti's.:thumbup:

jack


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## froggy (Feb 7, 2014)

i use pins and the other minnows i catch with my cast net. i might catch a cat or 2 but i always catch others also. off a pier in the bay no less. shrimp and squid will work but i prefer live bait....


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

froggy said:


> i use pins and the other minnows i catch with my cast net. i might catch a cat or 2 but i always catch others also. off a pier in the bay no less. shrimp and squid will work but i prefer live bait....


 u fishing bottom or on a popper with the pins and minnows? i still have had no luck soooo pissed


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## smooth move (Sep 25, 2012)

we're in Texas on Galv. bay, so the bite may be totally different, but i use pinfish a lot. i catch em in a trap under my dock and cut about 1/2 of the dorsal fin off when i hook it. i put the hook about 3/4 of the way back just under the back bone and fish em about 18'-24' under a popping cork. catch reds and trout.


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

If it's 12' off the end of the dock, try finding where the drop off is. Fish there with the pinfish and shrimp.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

If you keep the pin fish alive, you could catch shark, Bull reds or bull black drum at night, on a dock during the day not much...you're better off taking the bait to a bridge or pier if you have no boat. You could also take them out surf fishing.....


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## cskiff14 (Feb 6, 2014)

My two bits of advice: fish with what fish you are targeting are feeding on. I used to buy live shrimp from the bait shop and would do mediocre. Then that idea popped into my head. I use a cast net to catch whatever is in the area (finger mullet - my favorite, pinfish, the occasional shrimp, croakers), put a cut along the dorsal fin, and throw it on a carolina rig or free line. Since then I have had much more success. Pay attention to the bait activity with where you are at. It tells a lot.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Do u think cutting the pinfish in half is a good idea? Or will only catfish eat this? I tried it the other day and caught a cat and had another miss. I will def try cutting the dorsal fin. I'm assuming the injured fish attracts more?


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

Live bait is better. Suspend the pinfish under a ballon. The bait will constantly pull against the float and create plenty of action without cutting fins. Sure, you may catch catfish but you'll attract other fish too...eventually. You may also just be in a catfish honeyhole lol...


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

Also...feel free to put very large pinfish out there. The biggest trout I ever caught was on a pinfish the size of my hand. Hook them right in front of the dorsal fin.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

ya ive been using a pin under a popping cork...i dont have a net so all i can catch are pins using a sabiki


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

You may just be in a poor fishing spot. If all you're catching is catfish, changing bait prolly won't help...they eat it all!


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## cskiff14 (Feb 6, 2014)

No I didn't mean to cut it in half. Put a slit horizontal to the dorsal fin about a quarter or a half inch in depending on how big the fish is. Yeah sure it will kill the fish eventually. But in the mean time it will swim injured and attract big fish.


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## Fish Sticks (Feb 28, 2014)

Pretty sure someone has already mentioned these but didnt want to read through each comment. Live finger mullet we have been catching reds and flounder on. Then menhaden (live or frozen) If you use frozen cut in half. People are slaying reds near bob sikes with half menhaden. Live pinfish I have not had great luck on but always keep one atleast out there. Eating habits change but that is what I would stick to right now if live shrimp aint working for you.


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## cmg76 (Jul 5, 2014)

Fish Sticks said:


> Pretty sure someone has already mentioned these but didnt want to read through each comment. Live finger mullet we have been catching reds and flounder on. Then menhaden (live or frozen) If you use frozen cut in half. People are slaying reds near bob sikes with half menhaden. Live pinfish I have not had great luck on but always keep one atleast out there. Eating habits change but that is what I would stick to right now if live shrimp aint working for you.


Would u put the frozen menhaden on a bottom rig or float under a popper or something else.


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## Fish Sticks (Feb 28, 2014)

cmg76 said:


> Would u put the frozen menhaden on a bottom rig or float under a popper or something else.


Bottom rig is what i usually do myself. If it was live then I would float with maybe a balloon. But usually when they are dead I do a horizontal cut down the middle and if it is the tail I double hook it or if i use the head I hook it through the hard part of the gill right by the black dot.


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