How long in the water for big baits?

86 views and no answer? No one uses big baits???

Cheers,
Luis

Half hour would be a good starting point. Work up or down (personally wouldn't go over 40ms ish) depending on how washed out the bait was becoming. Livebaiting, in theory you could leave out all night, assuming threre isn't any weed about to maks the hook but even then I think curiousity/patience would lead to me checking it hourly. Think a lot of it is trial and error and dependant on tide flow, small fish nibbling at it etc.... Sorry I can't be more detailed, hopefully you will get more replies soon.....

Tough question as conditions play a big part. I'm not an expert but I change a big bait about every half hour or 45 mins, but if lots of weed, tide or whiting then sooner, maybe every 15 mins.

I might be wrong but I like to leave the bait out longer if possible, for the bigger fish to find it (never happens though lol)

Much depends on ground crabs other species, I've left big baits out well over an hour and still caught good fish, if the bait isn't been attacked by crabs and species like doggie it'll last a long time, if you check how a bait smells after a few hours there's still some smell and if you can smell it a fish certainly can as there system is much better than o
ours,

EELB2BIG said:

Much depends on ground crabs other species, I've left big baits out well over an hour and still caught good fish, if the bait isn't been attacked by crabs and species like doggie it'll last a long time, if you check how a bait smells after a few hours there's still some smell and if you can smell it a fish certainly can as there system is much better than o
ours,

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A good tip, check the smell of the bait when you bring it in. You'll be surprised how much smell remains in something like a cuttlefish when you strip it off the hook.

As long as the crabs and doggies haven't had it, 30-40 mins is ok with BIG baits.

Just think how old some of the stuff fish eat is.

Thanks guys. I am usually not very patience so I'll start with 20 min to see if nothing is stripping it and to smell it too. Then its a matter or give and take. Thanks for your opinions and for your help.

Cheers,
Luis

Sniffing bait? Does this not seem a bit weird to anyone else? Surely you can tell by looking at it most of the time? Don't worry, I'm gonna try it, if it works, it works and fair play, never heard of it that's all, I've sniffed lots of stuff in my time, just never bait. :bleh::bleh::bleh:

Rainsong said:

86 views and no answer? No one uses big baits???

Cheers,
Luis

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Give me a chance, I didnt get in from fishing untill 4.30 this morning!!

A big cuttle bait, and I assume we are talking one that is still small enough to be cast out as opposed to dropping a big big cuttle down tide off the back of a boat?

If the whiting are in force its 10 to 15 minutes im afraid as they still destroy a bait that size.
However, no whiting, well, 1: a miricale has happened, 2: 30 mins is as long as id leave it.

Longliners leave squid out for 24 hours till they go check the lines again . So smell can't be to much of an issue there .
That said , i normally change every 15 to 20 minutes and i usually use large baits either a squid and black lug cocktail or 3 black lug doubled up on large pennel with elastic cotton . If i am using a livebait rig then that stays out for the same length of time . I usually use 4/0 to 6/0 pennel hooks wrapped with elastic cotton .

:blink::secret::fish::fishing:

Hi ,

On very shallow beaches in Brittany where you start fishing at low water and walk hundreds of meters backwards with the coming tide , i've left squid/cuttle baits for more than 2 or 3 hours whithout touching them and still catch bass or bream . these baits are very tough and smelly and doesn't get washed quickly .
However , as said : if crabs , shrimps or little fish (whiting) are around , they don't need long to make a big bait disappear, so you will need to check them much more often .

Gert

springwell said:

A good tip, check the smell of the bait when you bring it in. You'll be surprised how much smell remains in something like a cuttlefish when you strip it off the hook.

As long as the crabs and doggies haven't had it, 30-40 mins is ok with BIG baits.

Just think how old some of the stuff fish eat is.

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That's right some groundbait mixes I use could be in the water days and it attracts fish still, as with the comment on longlining it's a good reply, maybe fish instinctively know what food is regardless of condition, I've had my best haul of whiting on 3year old frozen mackerel I couldn't smell much in it but the whiting did,

EELB2BIG said:

That's right some groundbait mixes I use could be in the water days and it attracts fish still, as with the comment on longlining it's a good reply, maybe fish instinctively know what food is regardless of condition, I've had my best haul of whiting on 3year old frozen mackerel I couldn't smell much in it but the whiting did,

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I think that fish are attracted to protein thats why bait can still be dynamite after many days . Sharks are attracted by a tea spoon full of blood from as much as 5 miles away . Anybody who has ever fished " sticky's " , dead and decomposing black lug that have been buried in the sand since the previous storm or high tide will tell you how effective they are . There are no undertakers on the sea bed , just crabs and shell fish and fish that hoover up these sticky's after a storm , they actively look for them as the undertow washes them out from the shore .

:blink::secret::blink::fish::fishing::thumbs:

whole squid would be at least one hour for me. the whole point is leave a big bait out there so it does not miss the fish........worm 15/20 mins.I have caught alot of fish on whole squid after the hour. stuffed squid i have seen fish come in on that left over 2 hours. My last session i caught 2 thornbacks, one took whole squid left about one hour 20 mins, theres proof !!!!!! if you cant catch them out, stink them out!!!!

bens1247 said:

Sniffing bait? Does this not seem a bit weird to anyone else? Surely you can tell by looking at it most of the time? Don't worry, I'm gonna try it, if it works, it works and fair play, never heard of it that's all, I've sniffed lots of stuff in my time, just never bait. :bleh::bleh::bleh:

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Try chewing it? Defo tell that way,

Good question I think no more than 30 min max for big bait if u double patting your bait isn't goin to be out the water than long more scent the better I say trail and error tho

Depends on what else is about, but on the beach I leave Cuttle/squid baits no longer than 20min as the guts and scent have most likely washed out by then, plus a Whiting maybe masking the hooks.

With lug baits even big ones 10-15 minutes max, it's a softer bait and the Whiting go crazy for it and either tear it apart in seconds or make knots out of your rigs especially if bait elastic is used.