Basic yt questions - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

taggermike · 10-25-2015, 03:24 PM

I had the same experience yakdout had. Across the nose led to the hook turning back in to the baits' heads. And missed fish. I went to the up thru the top jaw and it was better. Now I'm rigging by baits with a bait needle. This way only a thin string is through the bait, you can use a bigger hook, the baits can move freely, the baits live longer, and very rarely (close to never) turn back in to the head. Many don't care for using Spanish macks. They have a weak mouth that tears out and putting a heavy guage hook thru them really hurts em. When rigged they do much better, live and swim well, and don't spin at faster speeds. Rigging takes a bit of practice and there are lots of tutorials on YouTube. Mike

Harry Hill · 10-25-2015, 04:12 PM

thanks guys, this helps me a lot. I have fished live shad hooked under the dorsal or through the tail but that won't work trolling. It's been awhile but I thought we hooked anchovies through the nose but we fished mud suckers through the upper lip. I'll watch some of the you tubes on rigging live baits. I appreciate the answers and they help.

Goose1993 · 10-25-2015, 05:00 PM

I fish off my boat and off my kayak. For the most part, they're both very different styles.

When I buy bait on the boat, I change the bait every couple minutes. When I'm trolling off the kayak, I leave the bait on as long as it is alive. I've found that a brand new bait swims the exact same as a bait that's been on for 30 minutes if you're trolling it. This is because you're swimming the bait and the fish isn't putting in any effort. You're keeping oxygen flowing to the fish and all the fish has to do is wiggle its body, which is does naturally as it moves through the water. You'll notice the fish is dead when you start dragging it on the surface. As long as it's underwater you're good.

I hate when people say "you'll know when blah blah blah happens". But when you get hit, you'll know. It isn't like when the baitfish gets a jolt of energy and takes a little line or the slow buzzing like when you get caught in kelp. The clicker will start SCREAMING. Your heart rate will definitely increase a bit

And I normally start fishing with about 7-8 baitfish. Sometimes I get more and sometimes I get less, but that seems to be the number. I've only ran out of bait twice. One time I headed out with 7 spanish macks. The bite was hot and I landed 3 fish with those 7 baitfish. After that, I threw the surface iron and landed another one. Then I paddled into the kelp and caught 3 more baitfish. I caught one more YT with these fish for a total of 5. I was out of bait and could have trolling the rapala, but I was done and headed straight in.

The other time I ran out of bait I caught 3 YT. After a day like that, I'm satisfied and just head in. Since last a long time when slow trolling, you really will only run out of bait when it's a really good day fishing. Although if a seal makes you his unlucky target, a rapala would be good to have on hand.

10-25-2015, 03:24 PM	#1
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	I had the same experience yakdout had. Across the nose led to the hook turning back in to the baits' heads. And missed fish. I went to the up thru the top jaw and it was better. Now I'm rigging by baits with a bait needle. This way only a thin string is through the bait, you can use a bigger hook, the baits can move freely, the baits live longer, and very rarely (close to never) turn back in to the head. Many don't care for using Spanish macks. They have a weak mouth that tears out and putting a heavy guage hook thru them really hurts em. When rigged they do much better, live and swim well, and don't spin at faster speeds. Rigging takes a bit of practice and there are lots of tutorials on YouTube. Mike

10-25-2015, 04:12 PM	#2
Harry Hill Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,136	thanks guys, this helps me a lot. I have fished live shad hooked under the dorsal or through the tail but that won't work trolling. It's been awhile but I thought we hooked anchovies through the nose but we fished mud suckers through the upper lip. I'll watch some of the you tubes on rigging live baits. I appreciate the answers and they help.

10-25-2015, 05:00 PM	#3
Goose1993 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 115	I fish off my boat and off my kayak. For the most part, they're both very different styles. When I buy bait on the boat, I change the bait every couple minutes. When I'm trolling off the kayak, I leave the bait on as long as it is alive. I've found that a brand new bait swims the exact same as a bait that's been on for 30 minutes if you're trolling it. This is because you're swimming the bait and the fish isn't putting in any effort. You're keeping oxygen flowing to the fish and all the fish has to do is wiggle its body, which is does naturally as it moves through the water. You'll notice the fish is dead when you start dragging it on the surface. As long as it's underwater you're good. I hate when people say "you'll know when blah blah blah happens". But when you get hit, you'll know. It isn't like when the baitfish gets a jolt of energy and takes a little line or the slow buzzing like when you get caught in kelp. The clicker will start SCREAMING. Your heart rate will definitely increase a bit And I normally start fishing with about 7-8 baitfish. Sometimes I get more and sometimes I get less, but that seems to be the number. I've only ran out of bait twice. One time I headed out with 7 spanish macks. The bite was hot and I landed 3 fish with those 7 baitfish. After that, I threw the surface iron and landed another one. Then I paddled into the kelp and caught 3 more baitfish. I caught one more YT with these fish for a total of 5. I was out of bait and could have trolling the rapala, but I was done and headed straight in. The other time I ran out of bait I caught 3 YT. After a day like that, I'm satisfied and just head in. Since last a long time when slow trolling, you really will only run out of bait when it's a really good day fishing. Although if a seal makes you his unlucky target, a rapala would be good to have on hand.