Question? LOBSTER BAIT

[reefmaster13]

i like to use salmon heads and mackrel. what bait is your favorite to use? and, do you use it fresh or let it rot for a few days in the sun?

[Top Shot]

Bone Heads work awesome and so do tuna bellys...some of the guys up here even use Swordfish chunks....I couldn't believe it but they squeezed it and all kinds of oils oozed out of it!

[HamburgrTuesday]

After I had the bottom ripped out of one of my nets by a sea lion, I'll never use salmon heads again. Mack's and bonies are the best cause they have stinky blood. I think they're best frozen fresh with as much blood still in the fish as possible then cut into steaks while frozen or just barely thawed (this is a pain to do, but worth it) so when they thaw in the water the blood slowly releases scent. I've had some luck with frozen chicken (raw drumsticks). I've also had similar luck with catfood (canned, salmon flavor). Also I've had great results on another type of fish (secret, sorry. However, you might be able to guess it) that they like best with one day of rot or a couple hours in a saltwater soak in the sun (like if you catch them at a pier and fill up a bloody bucket full of them without changing the water for example). I imagine any type of white meat fish is best to them when slightly rotted and just stinking. If it gets liquidy rotted and will turn your stomach instantly I don't think they go for it as much. Essentially they need it rotting just enough to where the scent is being dispersed in the water, if it gets to be more micro-organisms are already breaking it down and fouling the taste for them. I highly recommend frozen fresh Mackerel or Bonito over rotting fish just for sanitary and smell reasons (catfood or chicken make good filler to throw in there and chicken will usually net you more crabs supposedly). Make sure you thoroughly clean your boat if you use rotting fish as well as your gear, your catch, and anything that touches your catch. Definetly do not let it rot for a few days in the sun. As soon as it gets that milky grey to it and the first hint of stink I would use it. Lobster are definetly scavengers, but they prefer it as fresh as they can get it. A few days of some fish carcasses in the sun is bacteria city and though the lobster will be safe to eat if you can still manage to catch them everything the bait and the lobster (before it's fully cooked) touches will be subject to bacteria that could cause anything from food poisoning to hepatitis.

~So . . . be sure to rot bait that normally doesn't have a strong smell for a few hours to one day max in bucket filled with salt water (in the sun) and use it immediately then get rid of it. If you're going to go that route. Otherwise save yourself time and trouble and just use frozen macks or bonies. Salmon heads work good, but too good for sea lions in my opinion. The upshot to rotting bait is that I have yet to see a sea lion go near it. Drumsticks are the only chicken that've caught me any lobsters and I don't know if it's cause the dark meat or the marrow in the bone releases more scent. I imagine it's closer to dead sea gull, pelican and such (a natural food for lobster and crab to scavenge) than chicken breast meat. You might try chicken livers or other chicken parts and let us know how you do. I still have yet to try pork or beef.

[reefmaster13]

one time i used a couple of turkey legs and also tried cat food.none of them worked for me.

[Trayscool]

cat food is a last resort IMO. we have had the best luck with mackrels and bonita, but i still do not know wtf im doing as of yet, but the few that we have got were with mackrel and bonita.

[live2fish]

Yellowtail,WSB, swordfish, bluefin salmon ect.

[dbar]

My best bait is Salmon heads and macs, Both at the same time. I load two salmon heads in each bait cage and fill the rest of the room with Mac pieces.

[asabadin]

salmon heads marinated in unigoop, best producer to date. also. i ust salmon heads and throw frozen chunks of uni goop in a nylon stocking and throw it in the cage awsome producer.

[reeladventure]

No need to pay salmon heads,freash mac,bonita,n skippy.How much for salmon heads?Easy 1.00 l.b.any thing less?

[drtydiggler]

I have used alot of bait all works good mostly. bonita seemed to work the best for me

[Bigfish69]

Try any kind of sashimi frozen of course,,,,but heads work very well if you can get them. Sea lions love salmon heads,,,i try to avoid them. Leaving them out for a couple days can be the ticket if there heads, but if your using fresh fillets or the like,,,what i call sahimi,,,use it frozen. Melts like butter.

Oh and dont forget your 9mm, i mean your paint ball gun.

John Out

[halilob1984]

IMO salmon heads work just as well as macs, but with salmon heads be prepared for the seals.