Balboa Pier or Newport Pier?

[jplee3]

Anyone know if there are bugs around those piers? I'm interested in getting into hoopnetting - it looks fun! Well, anything that involves putting something into the water and pulling something else back out is always fun :D

BTW: how do you guys secure bait to the nets? Will umbrella nets work?

[Re8elmonk0341]

Anyone know if there are bugs around those piers? I'm interested in getting into hoopnetting - it looks fun! Well, anything that involves putting something into the water and pulling something else back out is always fun :D

BTW: how do you guys secure bait to the nets? Will umbrella nets work?

ive hoop atpiers b4 but never any luck with lobster...caught my share of spider crabs and some rock crab. i rather go out on a boat to the rocks. what I did before going out and grabbing those wire bait cages was zip ties the eyes and the tail of the macks to the inside bait pouch.

[CoffeaRobusta]

Any pier with rock structure nearby will work, but the most effective way is by boat or diving. I have caught only two lobsters ever though this year is my first time fishing for them - at HB pier and SB pier. Look in this forum for the thread called "Peirs" posted by snoman - that lists some supposedly good piers.

As for securing the bait...some hoop nets have built in mesh bags to hold the bait, some you have to attach a plastic or wire bait cage to it. You could proabably take an old tupperware container and put a bunch of holes in it and zip tie that baby to your net.

[lucky catch]

you can get small wire bait(suet bird seed) cages at home depot in the garden section for $3 each. Cable tie the seed cage to the center of the net, stuff it full of chunks of bloody mackerel,cable tie the cover shut,catch bugs from a boat. Good luck!