Making Bait - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Mr. NiceGuy · 10-04-2015, 11:45 PM

I have heard conflicting answers about this.

1. Does it matter what kind of sabiki we buy?

Color, size, glowing beads, etc. Yesterday a guy at Dana Landing said yes, and told me to try the sabiki that look like squids as a better choice recently.

What's your favorite hook size?

2. Chum or no chum?

I saved my dead sardines from the bait barge in SD Bay from the day before and threw them in the blender. The chum dispersed nicely when I threw scoops into the water. Not sure it makes any difference.

I've also heard of using bread or cat food. For trout, a punched can of corn or creamed corn seems to help. Is this an idea for the ocean?

What's the most effective way of keeping chum in the right place? I have a chum basket about 6-8" cubed. I also have Owner sabiki hooks with a small weighted chum basket on the end ... maybe 1"x1.5". It's not a lot of volume, and there's no top, so whatever I put in it seems to dissipate right away. Seems kind of pointless to me.

Any chum I've tried seems to dissipate quickly with the current or as my kayak drifts along with the wind.

3. Tip the sabiki hooks with strips of squid?

One day I thought this was a distinct winner. I was catching bait instantly with each drop. Other days, it didn't seem to make a difference. Lately I've been marinating my squid in butt juice.

What's the real story with these different variables?

One variable I'm sure about: when it's slow, two lines in the water is better than one. When the bait bite is fast, then more than one line is a nuisance.

EastLosYaker · 10-05-2015, 05:47 AM

FYI, chumming in fresh water for trout is illegal here in CA. Don't want anybody to have any run ins with the game warden.

Hunters Pa · 10-05-2015, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy

I have heard conflicting answers about this.

1. Does it matter what kind of sabiki we buy?

Color, size, glowing beads, etc. Yesterday a guy at Dana Landing said yes, and told me to try the sabiki that look like squids as a better choice recently.

What's your favorite hook size?

I like the Ahi/Promar and with hooks that are small enoughe to go inside the sabiki stick

2. Chum or no chum?

Chum if I need to but I usually have no need. I will troll my sabiki as I am heading to wherever I am targetting that day. Can usually find them pretty easily, or a radio helps too

I saved my dead sardines from the bait barge in SD Bay from the day before and threw them in the blender. The chum dispersed nicely when I threw scoops into the water. Not sure it makes any difference.

I've also heard of using bread or cat food. For trout, a punched can of corn or creamed corn seems to help. Is this an idea for the ocean?

What's the most effective way of keeping chum in the right place? I have a chum basket about 6-8" cubed. I also have Owner sabiki hooks with a small weighted chum basket on the end ... maybe 1"x1.5". It's not a lot of volume, and there's no top, so whatever I put in it seems to dissipate right away. Seems kind of pointless to me.

Any chum I've tried seems to dissipate quickly with the current or as my kayak drifts along with the wind.

3. Tip the sabiki hooks with strips of squid?

One day I thought this was a distinct winner. I was catching bait instantly with each drop. Other days, it didn't seem to make a difference. Lately I've been marinating my squid in butt juice.

What's the real story with these different variables?

One variable I'm sure about: when it's slow, two lines in the water is better than one. When the bait bite is fast, then more than one line is a nuisance.

above

ful-rac · 10-05-2015, 08:53 AM

Not all schools of bait bite all the time. It almost seems the more you need it the more it doesn't want to bite. Find the bait schools, either visually on the surface or go to known structure ie. kelp, reefs, drop offs. You can usually find schools or some baitfish hanging around. When you locate a school of baitfish on your fishfinder, drop your sabiki and follow it down on your fishfinder and stop it when it reaches the middle of the school. If it doesn't bite move on to the next school.

If all that fails just buy a sabiki 500.

Hunters Pa · 10-05-2015, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Not all schools of bait bite all the time. It almost seems the more you need it the more it doesn't want to bite. Find the bait schools, either visually on the surface or go to known structure ie. kelp, reefs, drop offs. You can usually find schools or some baitfish hanging around. When you locate a school of baitfish on your fishfinder, drop your sabiki and follow it down on your fishfinder and stop it when it reaches the middle of the school. If it doesn't bite move on to the next school.

If all that fails just buy a sabiki 500.

Is the sabiki 501 the left-handed model? Or is it the knockoff from teh swapmeet?

taggermike · 10-05-2015, 09:39 AM

Making bait has been frustrating for me all summer rspecially when massive bait schools all around. Ive had the best success with the very small sibikis w/o beads. The size 12 and 14 I use in the bay for smelt. I've been moving fast hitting bait schools until i find one that bites. Sitting on a school hadnt worked for me. Guys are having success with chum. I've seen some guys loading up with the little chum pots on their sibikis. I used cat food a few times this summer and it seamed to increase the green vs Spanish catch. 2 weeks ago I had a dog steal my bait and while winding in bare hook a greenie bit it. So maybe a string of 4/0 black circle hooks would be the call. Mike

maquinapescado · 10-05-2015, 10:18 AM

I always use these:

http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angl...product/89603/

I also cut them down to three hooks per rig when fishing my longboard to make it easier to handle. When you pull a Christmas tree of maks up you end up wearing a hook from time to time otherwise.

I feel I have less luck with the ones that have a plastic skirt.

If I were really concerned I would put little squid tags (smalls cut squares of squid) or keep frozen anchovies (favorite mak food) at home and take like two each trip.

In my marlin fishing days, we found that cheap canned dog food spooned into the water worked better than cat food, tuna, or cut bait. It has small particles that spread around and high oil content that produces a lot of odor.

I also didn't learn any of this by asking on a forum but by years and years of fishing. Maybe some time and trial and error will help.

10-04-2015, 11:45 PM	#1
Mr. NiceGuy Manic for Life Join Date: May 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 839	Making Bait I have heard conflicting answers about this. 1. Does it matter what kind of sabiki we buy? Color, size, glowing beads, etc. Yesterday a guy at Dana Landing said yes, and told me to try the sabiki that look like squids as a better choice recently. What's your favorite hook size? 2. Chum or no chum? I saved my dead sardines from the bait barge in SD Bay from the day before and threw them in the blender. The chum dispersed nicely when I threw scoops into the water. Not sure it makes any difference. I've also heard of using bread or cat food. For trout, a punched can of corn or creamed corn seems to help. Is this an idea for the ocean? What's the most effective way of keeping chum in the right place? I have a chum basket about 6-8" cubed. I also have Owner sabiki hooks with a small weighted chum basket on the end ... maybe 1"x1.5". It's not a lot of volume, and there's no top, so whatever I put in it seems to dissipate right away. Seems kind of pointless to me. Any chum I've tried seems to dissipate quickly with the current or as my kayak drifts along with the wind. 3. Tip the sabiki hooks with strips of squid? One day I thought this was a distinct winner. I was catching bait instantly with each drop. Other days, it didn't seem to make a difference. Lately I've been marinating my squid in butt juice. What's the real story with these different variables? One variable I'm sure about: when it's slow, two lines in the water is better than one. When the bait bite is fast, then more than one line is a nuisance. __________________ Another ho-hum day in Paradise

10-05-2015, 08:53 AM	#4
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Not all schools of bait bite all the time. It almost seems the more you need it the more it doesn't want to bite. Find the bait schools, either visually on the surface or go to known structure ie. kelp, reefs, drop offs. You can usually find schools or some baitfish hanging around. When you locate a school of baitfish on your fishfinder, drop your sabiki and follow it down on your fishfinder and stop it when it reaches the middle of the school. If it doesn't bite move on to the next school. If all that fails just buy a sabiki 500. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

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10-05-2015, 05:47 AM	#2
EastLosYaker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: East Los Angeles Posts: 220	FYI, chumming in fresh water for trout is illegal here in CA. Don't want anybody to have any run ins with the game warden.

10-05-2015, 09:39 AM	#6
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Making bait has been frustrating for me all summer rspecially when massive bait schools all around. Ive had the best success with the very small sibikis w/o beads. The size 12 and 14 I use in the bay for smelt. I've been moving fast hitting bait schools until i find one that bites. Sitting on a school hadnt worked for me. Guys are having success with chum. I've seen some guys loading up with the little chum pots on their sibikis. I used cat food a few times this summer and it seamed to increase the green vs Spanish catch. 2 weeks ago I had a dog steal my bait and while winding in bare hook a greenie bit it. So maybe a string of 4/0 black circle hooks would be the call. Mike

10-05-2015, 10:18 AM	#7
maquinapescado Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 326	I always use these: http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angl...product/89603/ I also cut them down to three hooks per rig when fishing my longboard to make it easier to handle. When you pull a Christmas tree of maks up you end up wearing a hook from time to time otherwise. I feel I have less luck with the ones that have a plastic skirt. If I were really concerned I would put little squid tags (smalls cut squares of squid) or keep frozen anchovies (favorite mak food) at home and take like two each trip. In my marlin fishing days, we found that cheap canned dog food spooned into the water worked better than cat food, tuna, or cut bait. It has small particles that spread around and high oil content that produces a lot of odor. I also didn't learn any of this by asking on a forum but by years and years of fishing. Maybe some time and trial and error will help.