Calling all master baiters

kayjay90

Wanted to see how you guys are catching bait for offshore. We typically net mullet and put them in a pen a few days before we go out.
Works good for grouper and AJs but’s it’s alot of time to catch em a few days before and like most ppl we have to work.

We Also use sabikis. Drop it to the bottom and catch mostly grunts on the closer artificial reefs. Find it tougher to catch em out deep.

I was wanting to catch more of a variety of bait with sabikis but all we pull up us grunts, I’ve tried a few different sizes but it just results in smaller ones,any advice

captbonefish

kayjay90 said:

Wanted to see how you guys are catching bait for offshore. We typically net mullet and put them in a pen a few days before we go out.
Works good for grouper and AJs but’s it’s alot of time to catch em a few days before and like most ppl we have to work.

We Also use sabikis. Drop it to the bottom and catch mostly grunts on the closer artificial reefs. Find it tougher to catch em out deep.

I was wanting to catch more of a variety of bait with sabikis but all we pull up us grunts, I’ve tried a few different sizes but it just results in smaller ones,any advice

I find grunts to be exceptional baits for grouper and snapper, depending on size. I wouldn't sabiki anything deeper than 50 feet as they will most likely die. 

Try to seek out birds, diving on bait. Could be sardines or cigar minnows. Easy to catch on sabikis.

conchydong

Goggle eyes are routinely caught deeper than 60' and often hundreds of feet deep and they survive well in pens especially when fed. Bottom fish like Grunts, not so much. It depends on the bait you are harvesting no one answer works for all situations.

captbonefish

conchydong said:

Goggle eyes are routinely caught deeper than 60' and often hundreds of feet deep and they survive well in pens especially when fed. Bottom fish like Grunts, not so much. It depends on the bait you are harvesting no one answer works for all situations.

Agreed. 

kayjay90

Never caught goggs yet. Seen some advice on how to target them down south. But thats a whole different animal down there.
any advice?

captbonefish

kayjay90 said:

Never caught goggs yet. Seen some advice on how to target them down south. But thats a whole different animal down there.
any advice?

Buy a big sportfisherman. Say 60'. Rent a slip in Lauderdale or Palm Beach in the intracoastal, for a few days. Make a rum and coke and catch them from the dock at night until your arms get tired. Late winter and spring.