One more Pin rig Question?

[jjaachapa]

How far from the bottom should the bait be, Or do all baits swim on top?

[Digger]

Mostly on top. DD in one of his posts mentioned how he got some down deeper. But most people are near the surface. The baitfish tends to circle on top anyways.

[Newsjeff]

I think you're gonna need a bigger float. :D

[rattler]

sick or hurt fish tend to come up...easy pickings...i have seen guys that try to hold them down...i think you get more sharks this way...jmo

[NTKG]

always on top.... always... mimicks injured fish... also, kings and cobia are coming from bottom looking up when they are sight feeding... looking froma long ways out to see bait and movement along piers, finding one, singling it out(for various reasons, size, movement etc.) then hitting, if u are goin below toward bottom, you'll have better luck wiht a half bunker medallion than a live bait, also, your bait will stay alive much longer near the top than on the bottom

[bluerunner]

i like mine just under the surface. you have to find that medium where the bait is now swimming in such a large circle that it gets tangled around a neighboring line or your anchor line, and having him splashing on the surface where it will die quickly

[Drumdum]

i like mine just under the surface. you have to find that medium where the bait is now swimming in such a large circle that it gets tangled around a neighboring line or your anchor line, and having him splashing on the surface where it will die quickly

That's close to the same as I like a bait,but I bring them up and down at times. If the water is really clear,I like a bait as deep as it will go without getting into those loops you're speaking of,course that sometimes can be bait choice as well. Yeap,kings do come from the bottom,that's why a deeper bait gets the first strike at times. Never had a problem with fish dieing because it was too deep,up too high I have seen the fish die or slow down from running in circles. IMHO,to vary the bait depth at times,can trigger a strike that you may not get with one on the top. Most folks like a bait circling on top,and it does create more "skyjobs" at times,but being "different" can get more bites at times also.. ;)

[NTKG]

yea kenny brings up a good point. when you see a brown thing just starin and swimmin sometimes a lil movement from you will trigger somethin... i've seen alot of poppin and the cobia will hit it, as its fallin

[Drumdum]

was 73lb,back in the 70's. Believe it or not we didn't catch them as big back then as they do now?? Anyway,caught him on a "oneeyed" 6" bluefish,about 2 ft under the water. When he sucked that rascal down it looked like ya flushed a tolet bowl... :D

[jjaachapa]

Man! all this talk about cobia fishin........ can't wait. Thanks for the info guys.

[FishingAddict]

I personally think that the only real mistake that you can make with the depth of your bait is to have it so restricted on the surface that the bait is in poor condition or dies.

I try different things throughout the day depending one what species of bait I have out. Things like menhaden and bluefish don't appreciate being half out of the water (will stress out and eventially die), yet a threadfin herring will throw up a rooster tail for hours with half of it's back out of the water.

As long as you keep your bait in good physical condition (i.e., fresh and active), anywhere within the top 3 feet works well. When a preditor (i.e., king, tarpon, cobia, etc.) is near your bait will usually surface on it's own to try to avoid its impending demise.

So, just keep your baits happy at what ever depth suits them and all will be well.

-FishingAddict

[Digger]

FA great advise. Many times we miss the obvious. Which most of the times is the most important. A great 1st post and I hope it will not be your last. Thank You!!