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Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? #11518372 04/03/16 01:29 AM
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CarolinaRigger Offline OP
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So I mainly fish for big blues/flatheads for sport. But I'm in the process of getting my commercial license to sell catfish. I've always used big live bream to catch big blues and flatheads. I've never really targeted small and mid-sized blues that people would be more pleased to eat. I'm assuming cut bream and shad would be great which is the plan but if you run trot lines you know as well as I know that you can't always count on finding bream and shad. With that being said....do any of ya'll have any advice on what type of bait to keep as a back up plan that is cost efficient? If I could find a bait, that didn't require me to trap it or cast net it, that produced nearly as good I would much rather use it to save time and work. Anybody got any tricks they're willing to share that'll help me target 15 lb blues and smaller? Thanks.

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Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11518814 04/03/16 01:07 PM
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LMH Steel Offline
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Where will you be fishing?

Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11518894 04/03/16 02:20 PM
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Maybe some kind of dough bait or prepared bait, but I dunno how cost effective that would be. Is there anyway you could sein minnows?

Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11518961 04/03/16 03:02 PM
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steveiam Online Content
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Chicken-


What has happed to you does not define who you are-

HOW you react to what happens to you DOES!
Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11518970 04/03/16 03:06 PM
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Sounds like you already know that shad is the best bait for blues so when you can get them stick with those. Bluegill is second best imo. As to your specific situation, my suggestion would be to learn how to fish for carp. The avid carp fisherman on this forum are experts and they catch carp very consistently all year round. Even one 2 or 3 pound carp would provide ALOT of bait. Just cut it up into 1"-2" cubes. One thing I love about cut carp is it stays on the hook very well, especially if you hook it through the skin. It's also very oily which provides a good amount of scent. I would get yourself a cheap deep freezer, start carp fishing and stock that freezer full.


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Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11518981 04/03/16 03:13 PM
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In my experience, no baits soaked longer than cut baffallo or carp and catch big blue catfish. They have to be fresh not frozen. You can buy baffallo fish from Asia super markets year round, and they usually cost less than $2 per pound. In Spring, I usually reuse the same piece to catch multiple fish so it can be very cost effective.

Also if I were a Comercial fisherman l, I would invest in a small tank/pond to raise carps and buffalo fish for baits. In the summer, carps spawn at Tawakoni in shallow coves by the hundreds if not thousands, they're easy to catch...


Why do I go fishing? To catch a box of fish and/or some quality time under the sun. Thank Heaven I never fail fishing in Texas, catching box fish or plenty of sunburn.
Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: spazm09] #11518988 04/03/16 03:17 PM
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Dang Spasmz09, didn't see your post, we must have typed at same time, lol.


Why do I go fishing? To catch a box of fish and/or some quality time under the sun. Thank Heaven I never fail fishing in Texas, catching box fish or plenty of sunburn.
Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11519042 04/03/16 04:00 PM
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Haha yeah. The carp raising idea is awesome but it is very ambitious. Wish I had some land to do that on.


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Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: jmh004] #11519046 04/03/16 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted By: jmh004
Maybe some kind of dough bait or prepared bait, but I dunno how cost effective that would be. Is there anyway you could sein minnows?


Not really....I have a seine but don't have a body of water near me that has large amounts of minnows stacked on top of each other. I've tried, the results just aren't worth the effort. Thanks for your input.

Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11519047 04/03/16 04:03 PM
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Thinking about your idea more... if I were gonna raise fish for bait, I would probably raise bluegill instead.


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Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11519050 04/03/16 04:06 PM
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I've heard carp are very good bait. I actually bowfish from time to time. Maybe I can shoot a couple and freeze like one of you said. I wonder how much of the effectiveness will be lost if I freeze them instead of use them fresh. As I stated before....shad and bream will be the first plan, but if its a day or weekend that I just can't find the bait fish....things like frozen carp may serve as my back up plan. You think it would at least work in a pinch?

Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11519053 04/03/16 04:07 PM
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I have a guy that will let me trap his pond for bream but I dont wanna catch them all out so I'm gonna mix it up from time to time so his pond will keep bream in it, lol.

Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: LMH Steel] #11519056 04/03/16 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted By: LMH Steel
Where will you be fishing?


Sabine River near Tatum/Carthage area as well as Lake Murvaul. Commercial fishing is only allowed in certain counties. I live is Rusk county but it isn't allowed. However, every surrounding county is. Gregg, Panola, and Harrison will be the counties I fish.

Last edited by CarolinaRigger; 04/03/16 04:12 PM.
Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: steveiam] #11519061 04/03/16 04:14 PM
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Like just chicken? The meat?...never tried it but the ole lady might have to replace supper with something else if I get in a bind, lol.

Re: Best bait for catchin 5 to 15 lb blues on trot lines? [Re: CarolinaRigger] #11519239 04/03/16 07:56 PM
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You are going to spend more money than you make using chicken.


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