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working4golf
06-02-2009, 08:36 AM
I'm sure that this has been addressed many times over, but I did make an effort and search for a while. While I did find some hilarious threads about Garibaldi tacos and Cali Condors, I didn't see a lot on this question.

Is there any legal way to 'take' bait from a pier or similar without catching it on a Sabiki?

Does anyone have any easy methods to hook them (if this is the only way), ie chumming or types of bait they love? Bait for the bait......how stupid does that sound?? lol

Thanks for any input!

Tight lines.

victor101
06-02-2009, 08:56 AM
as far as I know...the only other legal way would be an umbrella net. Drop the net, chum some bread crumbs....wait for the baitfish to gather above the net and pull it up.

bones
06-02-2009, 10:22 AM
Most of the time you will be making "smelt" for bait. Sometimes a small spanish mackeral will come along but "smelt" are the target and the main food source for fish along piers,jetties and docks in the harbors. Remember....smelt prefer structure so move around until you see them in the water if possible.Be careful using a throw net. I believe 35" is the legal limit on size here in socal. 35" is pretty small and when you toss the net all of the bait you have chummed in will disperse. You are better off just using a VERY SMALL sabiki rig. Use the SMALLEST rig you can find.Smelt have mouths that you can barely fit a pencil into (maybe a 1/4"). Chum the smelt into your area using crumbled up crackers or old bread made into bread crumbs. Sometimes it takes a little while for the bait to gather but the secret is to not waste all of your bread crumbs at first and move around where you can actually see the bait in the water. Alot of guys will tip the sabiki rig with VERY small pieces of squid (smaller than a 1/4") or little dough balls made out of the bread and a little water. For the most part half of the time you will snag the bait. Some guys don't even mess with the sabiki rigs when you can chum in alot of bait. They just tie a few small treble hooks on their line with a 1/4 to 1/2 oz sinker and just jig the rig right through the school of bait. Smelt are very hardy compared to sardines or anchovies but it is still recomended to use a small bucket with a battery operated air pump to keep them as lively as possible.A carolina rig (using a carolina keeper so you can adjust the laeader length) with the smallest weight you can get away with is a good way to fish the live bait.I use a either a 1/0 or 2/0 owner mosquito hook (depending on the size of the bait) when doing drifts on my float tube in the harbor for halibut.Nose hook the baits from side to side(don't pin their mouths closed) or anal hook them. Use the carolina keeper to adjust the leader length depending on the water clarity and structure. 18" to 24" is a good place to start.The secret is to use the smallest weight needed (I use 3/8 oz egg sinkers in 10 to 20 ft of water) to get your bait to slowly sink to the bottom and still allow it to move all over the bottom and wander around covering the most area.
Yeah.....Making bait is sometimes hard but it usually takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and it almost guarantees that you will get onto fish! It's a blast to do drifts with one live bait rig while dropshotting with another. I've had some epic times using these methods!
Good Luck and Tight lines--------------------------<><

working4golf
06-02-2009, 12:59 PM
Great info guys, thank you. In your opinion, what size line do you recommend, and what is max that will still allow the Smelt to move freely?

fish4keep
06-02-2009, 01:33 PM
Be careful using a throw net. I believe 35" is the legal limit on size here in socal.

It's ILLEGAL to use a throw net of any size south of Pt. Conception (Socal). Only north of Pt. Conception can you use them. But stick to the sabiki.....

victor101
06-02-2009, 05:27 PM
It's ILLEGAL to use a throw net of any size south of Pt. Conception (Socal). Only north of Pt. Conception can you use them. But stick to the sabiki.....

Thats what I read last time I checked about 3 years ago. Umbrella nets legal but not as effective as a sabiki.

riverjoon
06-05-2009, 11:08 PM
try making bait in the of a small harbor pier or you can make bait across the cantina which is a great place. Also make bait during high tide some where in the harbor. Wet the bread crumbs first before chumming creates a better chum slick. Use an umbrella net. Chum and wait for all the smelt to be over your net then pull super low until close to surface like 2-3 feet then pull them up. Usually if you do it right you can make like 40-50 smelt in one shot.

jig fish
06-05-2009, 11:30 PM
there is almost always a school of sardines at the hermosa pier which work much better than smelt