Live bait ID and advise please

[Bluevien]

Just got myself a cast net and found a great spot where I've been getting a sessions worth of bait in a couple of casts. I'm just not sure what kind of bait it is. It's from the Pine River /Bald Hills creek area.

My guess it's a herring because the other day I caught another type of bait fish which I thought were hardheads as they died very quickly but these lasted 4 hours in a bucket with an aerator.

Also, what is the best way to present live bait? I've been trying a few ways and they all seem to be getting hit. Hook through the mouth, hooking it just above the back bone or butterflying the dead ones. I also use a small sinker just to keep it down but should I use them unweighted?

Any advise would be appreciated.

[Whiskers]

think its a herring the pine is full of them I hook through the back cause when I hook through the mouth I pull up body less heads

[nadders]

its a herring

whether you sink it to the bottom or let it roam the surface depends on what fish you're chasing, if they're bottom feeders mainly put em to the bottom etc

i found herring live the longest if you hook them just infront of the eyes, don't pierce the eyes or any flesh but put the hook in the eye socket just infront

[fishing_hardcore]

Herring top bait for cod, flattie, jew, threadie, bream and lots of other fish.

fished as a live bait.

cheers

[Bluevien]

Thanks for the advise, fellas. I'm stoked they were herring as I have read here they are one of the best. I got more action in 4 hours with them than I have in the past 4 weeks with prawns, chicken or squid.

- 2 rays, a metre long pike eel, just under bream, just under finger mark, 40cm catfish and 3 savage bust offs which all ran harder and faster than anything I have experienced before. You may not get the constant action of the other baits but when they get hit... they get smashed!! I may have to upgrade my gear! Awesome fun!!!

[uglyfish]

There awsome Jack bait

[Jaymz711]

I fished the pine last night with a bucketload of herring and fished around deep water bend.. caught nothing but sting rays

rig was: large drop sinker, swivell, and about 50-70cm leader. fished from the run up all the way to the top of the tide for ray after ray.

Anyone got any tips of rigs that could help me in catching something else?

thanks james

[apoklyps60]

to increase hookup try a trap rig. a 1/0 live bait hook then tie a small amount of line to the ring eye. attach a small treble hook to that line. make sure it is fairly hefty i.e. 25lb flourocarbon or mono whichever is your choice of line. hook the live bait hook in front then hook the treble 1-2 cm behind the dorsal. it helps with short biters. hope it helps. ill put a pic up of it

[apoklyps60]

dont forget to match the hook to size of bait. oh and you can also use wire trace for the stinger hook. good luck bro

[apoklyps60]

also to make them last longer use a cooler(esky) keeps water temp down. and change out half the water every 20-30 minutes. they die because the amount of ammonia in the water. even with the aerator you'll see bubbles forming on top of the water. this is ammonia buildup.

[Enormoss]

herring man! top liveys :cheer: i fish the piney heaps and it full of them. i like potty mullet more just cause there a little bit hardyer depending on where ya dropping em tide, wind, structures,depth, and how alive they are i use very little or no weight at all if fishing deeper holes use more weight and a longer trace if ya keep anchoring them to the botom 3 outta 5 times u will get rays ells cattys let them be as natural looking as possible and the snell rig matched to bait size is tops or single hook through nose or back good too just keep tryin different things and spots with em cause dead or alive they are good local bait :woohoo:

[Feral]

If your bagging out on Rays, try using a float to get your bait off the bottom.

[fishing_hardcore]

yeah also if your baggin out on rays your probably fishing a mud or sand flat, try another spot.

Rays, catties, pike eels and sharks are every where , can't always avoid em, especially if your fishing a flat.

I was using live prawns today and all I got for my efforts was a 60cm catfish.

cheers

[Jaymz711]

I casted from deep water bend with my baits almost in the middle of the channell. With quite heavy weight.. cause the current gets so attrotious.

Next time I get liveys from the pine I might go somewhere else.. cause to my knowledge its all mud flat.. from landbased spots anyway.

thinkin dolhes rocks.

[Feral]

If your land based at Dohles, try the rocks area itself, otherwise the rest is also mud flats.