I know that certain things other than normal saltwater baits (shrimp, crabs, minnows, squid) can and are often used as baits.Many times it is intentional, while other times it's unintentional, but used because it's all ya got left.My main question here though, is if anybody has ever used something like a seacat as bait and what did you catch with it, if anything?A few days ago I was fishing alongside someone at the pier and was talking to him about what was going on.He told me that he decided to used a seacat as bait and that he did feel something heavy on the line until, of course, his weak line broke.He thought that it was probally a shark though, and wanted to try using a seacat as bait later on down the road.So, let me know what "other kinds" of baits that you guys have caught something with and let me know (or preferably see) what it was.

P.S. - I haven't tried it yet because I don't want to risk getting stung, but I've been hearing that Stingray wings have been a great bait for Sharks.Anybody try Stingray wings as bait and succeed on here?Thanks for any info.

As a pier regular, I've tried my fair share of "baits" as the long hours drag on into days. Stingray is a regular and very common shark bait-works great. Skittles have some luck with the **** fish. Peanuts are hard to get on the hook, but use some thick nacho cheese and they'll stick, and u might catch a retarded fish. Slim jims don't work too well, although one would think the opposite, i mean they are meat....right? Vienna sausages ...sick, just throw them over!

wife got a 37in red one year on a peice of hotdog and a 26in speck on a hunk of cheez.
and one time i ran outa bait and used the silver foil from my smokes pack as a lure and got lots of hits from it.
last sat fishing with a buddy i got a eal and used it as cut bait and he got a ladyfish and did the same, he started getting specks out the butt, who knows what fish will bite on...............

A big ling will scarf down a hardhead the instant it hits the water.

Yeah I've heard that, and that you can also catch reds and sharks on the hardheads/gafftops. I was never despirate enough to use them though. . Leave it to an aggie to try to catch fish with cheese.

^I wouldn't at all really mind using a seacat as bait, but the main part is cutting them apart without getting a barb in my hand.Even if you choose not to cut them, putting them on the hook whole without getting stung can be tricky because of how much slime they got and how they squirm and all, ya know?Of course when one does sting me, I'm even more glad to use the sucker as bait then...lol.Anybody got photos of their fish though?

Leave it to an Aggie to fish with cheese huh? and what's that supposed to mean pier rat?? i've had sharks destroy fresh cut ladyfish, but never any luck with hardheads. and gafftops aren't bad eatin'...dont know why you'd chunk one up as bait.

^I think just about everything you said could be up to one's opinion and that's cool that you expressed yours.The part I find wrong with it though, is that you said how you couldn't see somebody using a seacat, whether tasty or not, as bait.The reason why somebody should see fit to use one as bait is the chance of a bigger fish and/or fight.Even if the bigger fish happens to steal the seacat from your line, it's not really that big of a deal.Plus, if you originally cut the seacat into 1/2's or 1/4's you'd still be left with atleast 1 to 3 more chances, ya see?And if you must have a "tasty" seacat, using one as bait won't be a problem since they are pretty much the most common fish caught inshore.Just my 2 cents.

You could clear this up by being more specific. i.e. term "seacat" is broad, but hardhead(sh*t fish) & gaftop (edible/tasty) are more specific terms....trying to add clarity not start trouble.

Its supposed to mean aggies are stupid. Yeah I said it.

I agree...skip jacks are one of my favorite baits.

Let me be specific. A **LIVE** hardhead will get scarfed by a ling. You see a big one cruising a rig, pitch a 10" hardhead on him, it's going to get eaten, and right now.

I have heard tarpon eat live hardheads ( never seen it for myself), I'm going offshore next weekend and I'll try live hardhead for ling.Thanks Pat.Ling sure taste good.

Well, to the guy asking to clear up whether using either a hardhead or a gafftopsail, I'd like to tell ya that I was mentioning both.The are both common catches in saltwater although I've caught the hardhead alot more often.Since they are both actual seacats and caught quite often I'd be cool with using either a hardhead or a gafftopsail seacat as bait, ya see?

If anyone doesn't know the difference between both seacats though, here's some pics...

Gafftopsail Cats:


Hardhead Cats:

See yall in another thread.I'm done with this one now.

SeaCat? I thought he was talking about a boat or something????????? They are called hardheads or gafftop. Gafftop is excellent eating and hardheads are not worth a flip. No need to use hardhead for bait, there are much better baits out there. If using gaff for bait, you should try eating it instead of putting it on your hook. The meat is SOLID white and tasty.