BEST CANYON NIGHT BAIT

[BIGJAHOOTIE]

I KNOW SQUID IS THE BEST... BUT WHAT ELSE?
SARDINES?
BUTTERFISH?
ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT EVERYBODY USES AND HOW THEY RIG IT


JA-HOOTIE

[lazyfatass247]

Anything live is killer, squid usally because its free. live that is. never limit yourself. If your running a Four line chunking spread and you have tons of live squid, run two with live bait, a butter on one, and a sardine on the other. These fish are full of chunks dead. So it some what natural you would think that they would bait into a dead butter or sardine. Just my two cents. I don;t have these things figured out.

Good Luck.


PS I will be trying to get a hold of butters, sardines, and peanut bunker's for the slick this year.

[shipmate bill]

Squids are the best (live of course) followed quickly by dead squid then squid that you've gotten while gutting the tuna fish you've already caught. Sardines, butter fish, peanut bunker, adult bunker, mackerel, spearing, snappers, needle fish, mullets, herring, basically anything you can get your hands on thats fresh. Don't be afraid to give them the old PB&J (mackerel fillet and a dead squid or any other combination of bait) If its alive i love it and I'll swim it. If its dead, I'll rig it and float it or at least include it in the slick. You never know what's going to be the secret ingredient in your stew that makes the difference. The last couple years i've been shying away from butter fish, because for what a flat costs anymore i haven't been happy with the quality. I've done very successful canyon trips with 2 totes of fresh brined peanuts, a live well full of the bigger peanuts and a flat of sardines. People look at you like you're insane for going offshore without any butter fish (especially taking charters) but i'll take the fresh bait over frozen nasty butter fish.

[Tuna Meltdown]

Butterfly Jigs

[Seaker]

Shoe's buttefly jig

[Sea Cure]

2007 season brought over 200 yellowfin in our cockpit:

1st Butterfly Jigs(about 40% of our fish)

2nd Live Squid(6' 80# floro w/ 6/0 chunking hook--hook in the mantel)
(squid was very abundant last season)

3rd Sardines(6' 80# floro w/ 6/0 chunking hook--hook through eyes)

4th butterfish( 6' 80# floro w/ 6/0 chunking hook--in the mouth out the gills, back in the meat around the side fin so the point on the hook sticks out the side about 1/8 inch)

[John from Madison CT]

We seemed to get more tuna on sardines this past season.

[BlueH20Boss]

full butterfish, full sardines, and live squid.............all catch tuna. When they are under the boat and in a feeding frenzy, they will eat a piece of dog crap if you could put some on a hook.....

[DEEP DEFIANCE]

I also seemed to do very well with sardines! but as well with squid if not better! butter fish came in at A distant third but the chunkin machine was loaded with butters only.go figure!

[Wild Life Management]

2007 season brought over 200 yellowfin in our cockpit:

1st Butterfly Jigs(about 40% of our fish)

2nd Live Squid(6' 80# floro w/ 6/0 chunking hook--hook in the mantel)
(squid was very abundant last season)

3rd Sardines(6' 80# floro w/ 6/0 chunking hook--hook through eyes)

4th butterfish( 6' 80# floro w/ 6/0 chunking hook--in the mouth out the gills, back in the meat around the side fin so the point on the hook sticks out the side about 1/8 inch)

That's an answer right there, good info. Congrats on the carnage, too, that's a lot of sushi.

When they are under the boat and in a feeding frenzy, they will eat a piece of dog crap if you could put some on a hook.....

I fish with guys who are all full of crap, does it have to be dog crap?