how do you make live bait?

[jdmjunkiemonkie]

since i sold my boat 2 years ago, i've been wanting to get back into fishing to just enjoy the weather and relieve some of the common stress a work life have.

i've fished with plastics (gulp, big hammers LC's), havent got much luck from them at the jetty or the surf (only fished newport for surf). i was wondering how and where people go an make live bait. i know you use a sabiski rig or a net, but i dont know where or what areas to look for live bait. do people normally make bait by the docks of the boats or from shore?

any information is greatly appreciated, i just want to get my feet back in the waters and enjoy fishing.

[iLLest]

Your best bet would be a sabiki by the middle of any pier.
When I need live bait, I usually hit up the middle of Belmont Pier just past the restrooms.
I take the lightest gear possible so that you can feel every little baitfish biting + to make it fun.
Make sure you get the smallest sabiki and I'd go with the Hayabusa brand. These hooks are tiny!
What you are initially trying to do is snag them as you jig the rod up and down.
If you'd like, put tiny pieces of squid or anchovy on the hooks and jig away (but you dont need bait to catch them)

you should be good if you do this, in the past i've seen + caught 5-6 baitfish at a time. Usually smelt and sardine, if the mackerel are in town, they'll really take you on a spin on the sabiki. Fun though.
give it a shot.

[CraigH]

I second what they said. I've also made bait (smelt) fishing a sabiki under a bobber on the harbor side of rock jetties. The bobber helps keep the sabiki out of the rocks, and the waves kind of do the jigging for you. You can chum from the pier or jetty with small pieces of whatever you have to attract more fish. I've used torn up bread, chopped up pieces of chicken left over from lunch, ...

I like to use a jighead with plastic on it or a kastmaster as the weight on the bottom of the sabiki instead of using a sinker. My theory is that every once in a while a larger fish will come over and see what all the baitfish are eating.

[smokehound]

What kind of live bait?


sardines and Smelt-- Jig up and down in a smooth motion until they bite. Putting bait on the sabiki will attract mackerel instead.

An alternate way is to use an umbrella net, hold it a few feet under the surface, and drop a few pieces of bread every three seconds over the net, they will swim right into the net. While they are occupied, bring the net up slowly, and you can catch 100 at once. (be advised this is illegal in newport harbor)


Sandcrabs-- look for "rough" patches in the sand-- these are beds.


Mussels-- Obtained from jetties at low tide.