sabiki rod for catching live bait

[ubnt]

Today I was fishing at Shorncliffe jetty with a friend and the water is as clean as the brizzy river so we didn't catch much fish. What caught my attention is a fisho using the so called sabiki rod which looks like a walker at the tip. The man was using it to catch lives as no cast net allowed at the jetty.  I searched up for this online and found they cost about 90 bucks, not to bad. I wondered what your experience with it compared with castnet? I am trying to save my arms after overusing them for fishing!!

okuma_sabiki_rod_L.webp

[ellicat]

I have one and they are great !

You could probably use any old rod to do the same, but these rods keep those little hooks from catching everything they touch. You can get the rigs in different sizes so make sure you get some with small hooks for herring (I use #6). Any brand works so go the cheapies imo.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

29 minutes ago, ubnt said:

Today I was fishing at Shorncliffe jetty with a friend and the water is as clean as the brizzy river so we didn't catch much fish. What caught my attention is a fisho using the so called sabiki rod which looks like a walker at the tip. The man was using it to catch lives as no cast net allowed at the jetty.  I searched up for this online and found they cost about 90 bucks, not to bad. I wondered what your experience with it compared with castnet? I am trying to save my arms after overusing them for fishing!!

okuma_sabiki_rod_L.webp 98.62 kB · 1 download

Hi @ubnt

Depending on where you fish, it could come in handy or it could be useless.

For example, if you plan to fish at Shorncliffe a lot (or any of the other piers around, for that matter), it would probably be good - most of the time you can supposedly get herring, pike, etc.

If you plan to fish a lot in rivers or just off jetties/docks, they won't be that good. Especially in the Brisbane River, where the water is filthy and there isn't the same amount of bait that concentrates around deeper pylons. 

Keep in mind you can always use a conventional rod with a bait jig too.

Cheers Hamish

[Kat]

I have used Brian's twice now and I am desperate to get one for my boat.  If you have the money I highly recommend!!!!!

[ubnt]

1 hour ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi @ubnt

Depending on where you fish, it could come in handy or it could be useless.

For example, if you plan to fish at Shorncliffe a lot (or any of the other piers around, for that matter), it would probably be good - most of the time you can supposedly get herring, pike, etc.

If you plan to fish a lot in rivers or just off jetties/docks, they won't be that good. Especially in the Brisbane River, where the water is filthy and there isn't the same amount of bait that concentrates around deeper pylons. 

Keep in mind you can always use a conventional rod with a bait jig too.

Cheers Hamish

Thanks Hamish for your river fishing perspective and I definitely had high hope for its place in landbased fishing. I will see if it live up to the expectation!

1 hour ago, Kat said:

I have used Brian's twice now and I am desperate to get one for my boat.  If you have the money I highly recommend!!!!!

Thanks Kat and I will get a boat later!!

1 hour ago, ellicat said:

I have one and they are great !

You could probably use any old rod to do the same, but these rods keep those little hooks from catching everything they touch. You can get the rigs in different sizes so make sure you get some with small hooks for herring (I use #6). Any brand works so go the cheapies imo.

Thanks ellicat, yes I have used other sabiki rig on normal rods but the problem probably is repack the rig after fishing. I got an expensive lesson when I left a rig on the floor and kick it without knowing the hooks are still there. :(( The good thing of this rod is probably it hide everything inside the rod and easy to travel and store as you use it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed.]

A nice light Ugly Stik is what I use to catch livies and I can use it for other types of fishing when not being used for sabiki jigging, keep a small piece of styrofoam or a cork handy and just wind the jig around it, putting the hooks in it, that way, it keeps the hooks separate and they don't get hooked around everything else, be sure to rinse off the hooks after fishing otherwise they corrode off very easily. The light weight Ugly Stiks are very flexible so shouldn't pull the hook on small and soft mouthed bait.

[Drop Bear]

I have one and there are a stack of pros and cons

Pros:

They keep all the hooks safely out of harms way. This is very good. I find that with a normal rod the sinker bounces off and makes a tangled mess. Even if you secure the sinker well the little hooks go everywhere and catch on other rods and their lines and the guides... 

I have been hooked up a few times with the little hooks. They don't cause much harm and are easily removed with some plyers but its not nice. These rods keep them safe and tidy. 

Cons:

They suck to use. They are long stiff poles and have no flex which means there is a lot more leverage against you than a normal bendy rod. They feel awkward and yucky.... If you are fishing in deeper water and get a string full of slimys it can be really hard work. 

In balance if I am on a boat and thinking of using it a few times during the trip I wouldn't hesitate to use one. If I was going to one spot to catch the baits and could put the jigs away after this I would prefer to use a conventional rod. 

[ellicat]

2 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

They suck to use. They are long stiff poles and have no flex which means there is a lot more leverage against you than a normal bendy rod.

Gee, mine is not like that. It doesn't bend over like a light rod but certainly there is flex.

[ubnt]

8 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

I have one and there are a stack of pros and cons

Pros:

They keep all the hooks safely out of harms way. This is very good. I find that with a normal rod the sinker bounces off and makes a tangled mess. Even if you secure the sinker well the little hooks go everywhere and catch on other rods and their lines and the guides... 

I have been hooked up a few times with the little hooks. They don't cause much harm and are easily removed with some plyers but its not nice. These rods keep them safe and tidy. 

Cons:

They suck to use. They are long stiff poles and have no flex which means there is a lot more leverage against you than a normal bendy rod. They feel awkward and yucky.... If you are fishing in deeper water and get a string full of slimys it can be really hard work. 

In balance if I am on a boat and thinking of using it a few times during the trip I wouldn't hesitate to use one. If I was going to one spot to catch the baits and could put the jigs away after this I would prefer to use a conventional rod. 

Hi Dropbear, I mostly agreed with your comments, however I just got one from Freddy's and it's Okuma uts SABIKI rod which get quite a lot of flex( I am not sure if this is good or bad as I haven't tested it in water yet) . I guess you were referring to the rovex brand or others, but definitely not Okuma I bought. Cheers!

[Drop Bear]

On 12/03/2022 at 4:43 PM, ubnt said:

Hi Dropbear, I mostly agreed with your comments, however I just got one from Freddy's and it's Okuma uts SABIKI rod which get quite a lot of flex( I am not sure if this is good or bad as I haven't tested it in water yet) . I guess you were referring to the rovex brand or others, but definitely not Okuma I bought. Cheers!

Perhaps I have the wrong one. Good info thanks. 

[Drop Bear]

On 12/03/2022 at 9:47 AM, ellicat said:

Gee, mine is not like that. It doesn't bend over like a light rod but certainly there is flex.

Note to self. Do not respond to this with innuendo.......... This is a family forum..... 

 

[Drop Bear]

On 12/03/2022 at 4:43 PM, ubnt said:

Okuma uts SABIKI rod which get quite a lot of flex

Good to know. I must have bought the wrong one. Thanks

[Hweebe]

My sabiki rod / reel setup is just an old baitcaster and rod that is sufficient for the sinker but enough give you don't rip the baitfish of the hooks.

The baitcaster makes it a lot easier to quickly reel / drop / repeat until your onto bait. Faster then opening and closing the bail arm on an egg beater.

I looked at getting a specific sabiki rod but like @Drop Bear the ones i saw were quite rigid and didn't have enough give for my liking.

[Ed.]

I also prefer a baitcaster but mated to an Ugly Stik for jigging. So much easier than using a spinning reel and the Ugly Stiks are quite flexible.