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Look for bait - Tugas trip Monday

TeejTeej Posts: 153 Deckhand
in East Central General Fishing & The Outdoors #1
Mullet has been easy. Any leads on pogies, pilchards or cigar minnows? Got a few ideas for pinfish and croakers, open to others.

Used to live near PC and calm days like this usually had pogies along the beach and bait to sabiki off the channel buoys; any reports?

I'm living down near SI now, was gonna check a spot near wabasso where I've found greenies in the past.

Picked up a 55gal barrel for $10 and making a portable livewell for the truck ride down to Key West.
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Replies

  • captryan5878captryan5878 Posts: 204 Deckhand
    #2
    Transporting live baits over a long distance usually ends with floating boiled baits. If your bouncing lead in the tortugas, I would find some fresh mackerel at a fish house and pick up some fresh ballyhoo when you hit the keys. The Yellow Bait house in Largo is always a sure thing. You can catch plenty of livies at the reef edge on the way out. Put out a spoon or cedar plug and you'll probably get your fresh bait for the trip. Good luck.
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  • TeejTeej Posts: 153 Deckhand
    #3
    Thanks, advice appreciated. Like keeping bait in the boat livewell overnight, we add a little ice at a time to keep the water temp stable.

    Oh yeah, we'll load up at the reef and aim to kite a bit for fresh mackerel while bouncing leads.

    Mainly looking to have a variety of bait, never know what the muttons or groupers will be in the mood for.
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  • rngrileyrngriley Posts: 344 Deckhand
    #4
    Fresh dead works as good and sometimes better than live. Kings, mackerel, gogs, ballyhoo are preferred choices. If you have time hit no name bridge in big pine and catch ballyhoo, pinfish, etc.
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  • beachside321beachside321 Posts: 371 Deckhand
    #5
    Greenies have been showing up in and around the inlet.
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  • TeejTeej Posts: 153 Deckhand
    #6
    "Fresh dead works as good and sometimes better than live. Kings, mackerel, gogs, ballyhoo are preferred choices. If you have time hit no name bridge in big pine and catch ballyhoo, pinfish, etc."


    Exactly, that's what my bros from Ft Laud who are joining me on Capt Yuri's boat are doing tomorrow while I'm working my way down.
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  • TeejTeej Posts: 153 Deckhand
    #7
    "Greenies have been showing up in and around the inlet."

    SI or PC? You talking the greenies in the main channel? They still there? Last I saw them was before the two week blow?

    I'm hoping there might be some spanny macks on the outside at SI like there were 3 weeks ago.
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  • optimistic Angleroptimistic Angler Posts: 623 Officer
    #8
    The best bait for dry tortugas is fresh goggle eyes. You can buy them or catch them on your way down there. FRESH not live, just ice them down like you would any fish you wanted to keep. Then it's mutton time. Save your time trying to catch bait locally.
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  • TeejTeej Posts: 153 Deckhand
    #9
    optimistic Angler wrote: »
    The best bait for dry tortugas is fresh goggle eyes. You can buy them or catch them on your way down there. FRESH not live, just ice them down like you would any fish you wanted to keep. Then it's mutton time. Save your time trying to catch bait locally.

    Buying gogs can get $$$$$ Any ideas on catching them? Realize it's b st at night but I can get out early in the wee hours.

    I'm contemplating towing my boat down to St Lucie or Boca to catch gogs and park the trailer at a friend's house in Ft Laud.
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  • LifeontheLineLifeontheLine Posts: 49 Deckhand
    #10
    Teej wrote: »
    Mullet has been easy. Any leads on pogies, pilchards or cigar minnows? Got a few ideas for pinfish and croakers, open to others.

    Used to live near PC and calm days like this usually had pogies along the beach and bait to sabiki off the channel buoys; any reports?

    I'm living down near SI now, was gonna check a spot near wabasso where I've found greenies in the past.

    Picked up a 55gal barrel for $10 and making a portable livewell for the truck ride down to Key West.

    I can deliver Live, Fresh, Frozen Pilchards anywhere in the keys. I also have live pinfish and crabs and more to come. I make homemade chum that is made from fresh fish, NOT carcasses and rot. I will have many more species live, fresh, frozen in stock soon. Give me a call and we can talk about how i can help.

    Life on the Line
    Matthew "Braden" Angell
    305 998 4854

    Matthew "Braden" Angell
    Life on the Line, LLC.
    http://www.lifeonthelinellc.net/
    (305) 998-4854
    :fishing
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  • Grape ApeGrape Ape Posts: 41 Deckhand
    #11
    Life on the Line- sent a email regarding bait.
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  • jt5691jt5691 Posts: 129 Deckhand
    #12
    I fish with Yuri 2-3 times a year and we bring fresh dead Gogs to supplement the chum, threadfin, ballyhoo and squid that Yuri brings. We always catch fresh kingfish and runners along with Bonita for fresh dead baits. We even catch ballyhoo and Gogs at night with sabiki rigs.

    Good luck, get ready for a trip of a lifetme!
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