Cut them up for whiting bait then livebait !


Fish will take a whole Whiting deadbait if they stumble across it, not sure that an old frozen Whiting would put out a very good scent trail though, it's the wriggle that attracts predatory fish !

 

That's what I was thinking, they like the flapping around to attract them but with all the seals around I'm not sure if a live bait will attract unwanted attention from the seals

 

if a seal happens along you will have same chance of it taking dead bait as live .

 

I have had huss, rays and conger on just caught whiting baits, fillets, head and guts or small flappers and I would rather use it than shop bought or frozen mackerel for those species. not sure I would bother freezing it though

 

Might give these frozen ones a go don't want to waste them but the message to not freeze them is pretty strong, if anything happens on the frozen I'll post on here but after that I'll be trying fresh

 

I have on Cley beach before. It just came back pulled apart with a spider crab on the end

 

Sod that then lol live bait it is

Sod that lol although I'm not sure we get spider crab on the Norfolk coast but can imagine crabs having a go at a dead bait

 

If you have the patience & confidence to fish a live bait and not be tempted to give up on it You will eventually be massively rewarded, size of live bait(whiting or pouting) is doesn't matter a jot with the size of fish that is likely to take it, the most important issue is that the live bait is alive and swimming, it will out fish a dead bait, if its dead replace it with another. easily done with the amount of tings.

 

Hi how do you mount the live bait?

 

Maybe over the next few sessions I'll try and give it a go, never done it before but it's something I feel like I want to try as I know there are big fish out there to be had. Would it be worth taking a bucket to keep a few live whiting in? Will they survive in a bucket? I've had many whiting die on me just by unhooking them usually the very small ones, the big ones seem to survive a bit better from unhooking

 

there's various ways , small hook big hook from the mouth, or fish with small hook baited and bare big hook to catch a whiting presented at range, or carefully hook behind the head and fin following that, Choice of hooks is upto the Angler as is length of snood, I prefer shorter snood so fish doesn't become lazy, some prefer a long snood, gently cast it out or cast distance and clip onto main line and slide it down.

 

if you can catch fresh use the best of the fresh

 

Theres plenty out there so getting fresh won't be a problem just being careful with the smaller ones as they tend to die just by unhooking

 

Hi how do you mount the live bait?

I've only done reading research and the most common way to live bait is on a pennel with a smaller hook tied below a bigger hook which is free running up the snood. Hook the live bait through its lip. If a big fish takes it it should get hooked on the bigger hook above the bait.
But correct me if I'm wrong on that

 

discard those

 

Yea I doubt I'll be using dead as it just seems like a crab attractor, maybe when the crabs have moved offshore I might give it a try.
Going at 3 today with 2 rods, one on a flapper and other set up ready for a live bait

 

good luck mate and pouting make tough lives whiting not so much lol

 

Thanks mate I'll let you know what happens

 

If you have bass on your beaches it may be worth putting a light ledgered deadbait in the surfline.
Think of all the wonky whiting being chucked back by beach anglers which are easy meals for a big close in fish while the anglers cast wayyyyyyy past them !

 

That's the biggest mistake to make isn't it. I see other fisherman trying to cast to Holland and wonder why they're not catching, all my bass have been caught within 20 meters.

this was caught Wednesday so there are definitely some big Bass still around

 

any good

 

I didn't do it yesterday mate my boy wanted me to take him so took 1 rod to try and teach him a little. Next time I go on my own I'll be able to concentrate on it and give it a proper bash

 

least you got out mate

 

Yea just nice to get down there and my boy caught his first fish too so it was a good sesh

 

I have used the death slide rig.Cast out a lead a hookless rig with a large swivel at the top as a stop then have a short hooklink with a large hook with a crosslink or snaplink hook on your live bait clip it onto your mainline & let the livebait swim out to sea then watch for the explosive takes!

 

Just a tad offside, but whiting are a great Pike bait if you ever fancy trying, I had my best at 22lb on a Float ledgered Whiting.

Makes obtaining fresh deadbaits quite easy , as whities can jbe caught from most beaches at this time of year.

Dave

 

Dead bait whiting head hooked through the top of the mouth caught me a 5lb bass,dropped over on a short paternoster in 10m of water over a sand band off the back of the boat. Live bait, dead bait ...if there about they'll probably take it.

 

I've had many fish on whiting fillets. Remove both fillets then whip them on skin to skin leaving the flesh exposed. This will attract small fish, shrimps and of course crabs to feed on the flesh. That feeding will in turn attract predator fish such as bass, rays and hounds. I have often used whiting/bluey cocktails for rays as the whiting are free and it gives you something firm to whip the bluey onto. Smell your hands next time you handled a whiting or two as they have a distinctive smell.

 

i had a big ole cod of walton pier a few years back on a dead yting i only tried it cause we run out of bait i never tried it again though so its gotta be worth a try

 

I have never used Whiting as live bait, but have used bits filleted and yes I caught more damned Whiting….