# Live triggerfish as bait?



## AaronBarnes (Sep 7, 2009)

Anyone know of using a live trigger as bait. 

if so, for what? & how do you rig?



Thanx


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## biggamefishr (Oct 26, 2007)

sounds like a great way to get a ticket to me :banghead


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## AaronBarnes (Sep 7, 2009)

Well, I had a conversation with an 80+ year old man today. 

And he told me that they used triggers as bait....

He laughed when I told him triggers are one of my favorite eating fish.



But I thought to poke around here to see if I could find more info...

I don't know what eats triggers? besides me


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

Thats funny. Trigger is about the only fish I catch that doesn't get bit in half by sharks and barracuda or stolen by AJs.....I think. BTW thats a reef fish, can't use for bait.Legally.


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## AaronBarnes (Sep 7, 2009)

OK. I know it is Illegal. But what eats a triggerfish?


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## [email protected] (Mar 20, 2008)

> *AaronBarnes (9/13/2009)*OK. I know it is Illegal. But what eats a triggerfish?


ME!


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## Moving Expense (Dec 12, 2008)

Not that I would use them for bait or anything, but I heard if you use one about 8 to 10 inches and snip the barb off the top they are the best amberjack bait there is. Thats just what somebody told me!


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## P-cola_Native (Feb 5, 2008)

I've heard tuna will eat them under a kite, but I've never seen it done.


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## Capt. Myles Colley (Mar 12, 2008)

Ihave never used them but I have been told they are great jack bait.


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

I have never heard any one using them for bait. Plus other have said it already. Never had anything attack one. I just don't think they will work for bait. Gene


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## fisherboy20 (Jun 3, 2009)

as a matter of fact thats a great way to get a ticket because theyre considered reef fish:banghead


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## HaterAide (Nov 9, 2007)

> *fisherboy20 (9/14/2009)*as a matter of fact thats a great way to get a ticket because theyre considered reef fish:banghead




A bit redundant, yes?


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## AaronBarnes (Sep 7, 2009)

yes, thats the nice way of putting it. I'm not good at that.

I thought someone did not read the post ahead of them. 

Which i am guilty of myself, sometimes. 



AGAIN, I am not looking a the legal aspect of it. 

I KNOW IT IS ILLEGAL. 



I don't want to say only old people rely,

but someone with some OLD SCHOOL information reply.

please. I think this was before my time. 

But I would like to build my knowledge.



Aaron


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## Dylan (Apr 15, 2008)

Why cant someone give this dude a straight answer? Josh already stated its illegal..We all know flounder is a great AJ bait...So what about triggers? Maybe an AJ will eat anything..I know the small trigger congregate on the floating stuff and weedlines..Maybe a triple tail or dolphin will eat a small one? I bet a ling would..


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## DoubleD (Oct 2, 2007)

Fishing overseas I have seen small ones in Wahoo bellies.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

> *[email protected] (9/13/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *AaronBarnes (9/13/2009)*OK. I know it is Illegal. But what eats a triggerfish?
> ...


+1


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I'm sure dolphin, wahoo and tuna will eat them. I've found tons of small triggers in their bellies, especially dolphin and wahoo. 

Come to think of it, the biggest wahoo I ever caught had 7 porcupine fish and 2 small triggers in its stomach along with half a bonito.


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## Eastern Tackle (Jul 6, 2009)

> *Dylan (9/14/2009)*Why cant someone give this dude a straight answer? Josh already stated its illegal..We all know flounder is a great AJ bait...




I have found flounder in the stomachs of giant bluefin if you would believe that. One I caught had gourged on them and I am surprised there was room for my ballyhoo. I have used spanish and big mullet for bait as well.



When I commercial chunked for yellowfin we mostly used butterfish, but would throw out eels or whatever else we had as well.


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## HaterAide (Nov 9, 2007)

Next time you're at a really well established weed line in the early summer, jump off your boat with a mask and swim right up in the sargassum. You will see HUNDREDS of small baitfish, mostly juvenile jacks and triggerfish. All a yellow-brown color-you can see why they hold close to the grass mats. Now, get back in your boat and put out a winning spread and proceed to rape the wahoo and dolphin. Upon cleaning the fish at the end of the day, slice open their stomachs and see what's in there. You will probably find more of those juvenile triggerfish than you will any other baitfish.



Amberjacks will also crush a triggerfish. Just do yourself a favor and snip off that top dorsal spine so they amberjack wont be so quick to spit it out upon devouring it. Legal or not-any good sized bottom fish will crush a trigger that ventures too close.


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

Got to cut the barb off. I've seen a 118lb AJ choose the trigger over a baby bonita and live snapper. 

Never seen one hooked, but I've worked for a couple of long time captains out of Destin that used them for Warsaw fishing as well.


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## fisherboy20 (Jun 3, 2009)

ok even though its a great way for a ticket i actually have some friends that use trigger as aj bait and i believe their biggest aj was like 72lbs off a trigger


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