# Fish heads for bait



## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

1) Do you save your fish heads for bait? You know, after you clean your panfish? 

2) If you do, do you freeze or use them during that trip (then disgard those not used)?

3) If you do freeze them, do you salt them like you do your other baits (shrimp, dead minnows, etc)?

I recently kept about 10 heads. I don't normally keep them. I used 2 for drum/striper fishing. No luck. Gave a few to a guy who was doing some crabbing. I thought to use them from catfishing or, potentially, stripers. However, I was thinking about how difficult it might be to set the hook using a head...unless I used a large hook. It would probably have to be an UBER large circle hook to work. 

Any experience or suggestions?


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## SteveZ (Nov 30, 2006)

More big stripers have probably been caught in the surf on fish finder rigs with bunker heads than any other rig. Use a big circle hook - 10/0 or so - set your drag almost fighting tight and spike your rod securely. The secure spike, circle hook, and tight drag will hook your fish. When your rod bows over your fish is on...have fun! Other fish heads will work too...especially for big red drum.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

SteveZ said:


> More big stripers have probably been caught in the surf on fish finder rigs with bunker heads than any other rig. Use a big circle hook - 10/0 or so - set your drag almost fighting tight and spike your rod securely. The secure spike, circle hook, and tight drag will hook your fish. When your rod bows over your fish is on...have fun! Other fish heads will work too...especially for big red drum.


Just make sure you use a cheap rod so when it disappears into the ocean you arent out alot of money.


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

SteveZ said:


> More big stripers have probably been caught in the surf on fish finder rigs with bunker heads than any other rig. Use a big circle hook - 10/0 or so - *set your drag almost fighting tight and spike your rod securely. * The secure spike, circle hook, and tight drag will hook your fish. When your rod bows over your fish is on...have fun! Other fish heads will work too...especially for big red drum.


This is why some folks should JUST READ and not post.


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## Jollymon (May 21, 2015)

SteveZ said:


> More big stripers have probably been caught in the surf on fish finder rigs with bunker heads than any other rig. Use a big circle hook - 10/0 or so - set your drag almost fighting tight and spike your rod securely. The secure spike, circle hook, and tight drag will hook your fish. When your rod bows over your fish is on...have fun! Other fish heads will work too...especially for big red drum.


 When doing it that way, You should tether it to a water tight plastic drum painted yellow for visibility and with a strobe light on it to for night recovery,


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

Hahaha - JAWS!!! I have bait runners and set the drags as I was taught as a kid.....Hold the rod at 1 (clock face), secure the line to something firm and crank until the rod bends close to the max you'd want it to bend. ..then back off a tad. Lately, I've been juggling reels between rods so I set the drag a little lighter. I haven't really used any circle hooks larger than 3/0. The heads I saved were from croakers (smaller, early season, but still firm in the nape of the neck) so I know I'd have to go to a larger hook. I think I used a 5/0, wide gap, J hook this time...that point was just intimidating. I saw that technique used on youtube for stripers...which stated stripers weren't choosey when it comes to hooks. I'm not sure if drum are more sensitive when it comes to taking hooked bait. I was also supposed to hold the rod, but I try to fish with multiple rods...that's why I thougth about trying circle hooks.


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## SteveZ (Nov 30, 2006)

Never mind. I'll not bother you obviously superior specimens again.


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## goinfishing (Sep 10, 2013)

CoolDude said:


> Hahaha - JAWS!!! I have bait runners and set the drags as I was taught as a kid.....Hold the rod at 1 (clock face), secure the line to something firm and crank until the rod bends close to the max you'd want it to bend. ..then back off a tad. Lately, I've been juggling reels between rods so I set the drag a little lighter. I haven't really used any circle hooks larger than 3/0. The heads I saved were from croakers (smaller, early season, but still firm in the nape of the neck) so I know I'd have to go to a larger hook. I think I used a 5/0, wide gap, J hook this time...that point was just intimidating. I saw that technique used on youtube for stripers...which stated stripers weren't choosey when it comes to hooks. I'm not sure if drum are more sensitive when it comes to taking hooked bait. I was also supposed to hold the rod, but I try to fish with multiple rods...that's why I thougth about trying circle hooks.


You can also tie on or rubber band the hook to the head if you don't want to use such a big hook.


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## goinfishing (Sep 10, 2013)

CoolDude said:


> Hahaha - JAWS!!! I have bait runners and set the drags as I was taught as a kid.....Hold the rod at 1 (clock face), secure the line to something firm and crank until the rod bends close to the max you'd want it to bend. ..then back off a tad. Lately, I've been juggling reels between rods so I set the drag a little lighter. I haven't really used any circle hooks larger than 3/0. The heads I saved were from croakers (smaller, early season, but still firm in the nape of the neck) so I know I'd have to go to a larger hook. I think I used a 5/0, wide gap, J hook this time...that point was just intimidating. I saw that technique used on youtube for stripers...which stated stripers weren't choosey when it comes to hooks. I'm not sure if drum are more sensitive when it comes to taking hooked bait. I was also supposed to hold the rod, but I try to fish with multiple rods...that's why I thougth about trying circle hooks.


You can also tie on or rubber band the hook to the head if you don't want to use such a big hook.


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## 9 rock (Nov 30, 2008)

It really makes zero difference what you target fish is cause you have no clue what takes the bait , few clicks on the drag past what it takes to hold bottom and your spike more upright than looking like a rocket launcher into the surf fits the bill , I've been lucky to catch a rod before it went out to see , less drag is far better than more drag period 

9


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

I stay staked in pretty good and prefer to hammer the spikes completely verticle or a little back towards the beach. I usually let them run a bit before disengaging the baitrunner and setting the hook...but this is with the back or tail sections. 

9 outta 10 times I clean my fish at home and I never save the heads. This past weekend...I happened to clean them on the pier and I just found myself stuffing them in a ziplock. My "fresh" bait normally comes from throwing a casting net and it's small (just cut it in half) ...or frozen cut bait. Again, it's small with the heads being roughly 1/2 inch wide in the neck area.

I'm sure that any drag setting that allows the rod to be jerked back 3-8 foot without the drag totally letting line out is enough to make a large "J" hook pierce the fish's mouth. However, I had been hooking heads through the buttom or both lips until my recent video discovery (only because hooking through the lips left the hook tip exposed). Additionally, circle hooks for anything larger than a croaker is new for me. It sounds like the common factor is the amount of time the bait taker is allowed to have the head in his mouth before reeling, with a circle hook, or setting the hook when using a J hook?

No preference for neck, eye socket or lip hooking or salting heads for future use?


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## joek (Jun 1, 2015)

Something you might try.

Use waxed rigging thread and a rigging needle.
push the thread thru the eyes and tie a knot. leave a little slack but not much.
using a circle hook put the hook thru between the fish head and thread pointing up with the eye forward.
twist a few times and put back thru between head and thread same direction.
use a light enough setting on the bait runner to hold bottom but the fish can take the bait. 

A circle hook is meant to be taken and catch the jaw on the way out
This allows the circle hook to do its thing freely without being stuck in a bait.
never tried casting this rig or how it would hold up to casting. might have to double the floss thru the eyes.
if your yaking the baits no problem.

good luck.


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## joek (Jun 1, 2015)

good luck.


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## Adam (Feb 19, 2001)

If you don't use heads, you're wrong.

Seriously though, heads make great baits. Hook them up from the bottom jaw and out the top of the head just behind the mouth. Not only will the hook come out of the bait on the set, but it makes for a more aerodynamic rig. Could make the difference when the fish are on the outside of the bar. If you hook a head through the eyes, the fish will still eat it, but it will helicopter on the cast. If the structure is in close, it'll work fine. I tend to hook mine all the same no matter what, just keep it simple.

If you want to save heads for later trips, a vacuum sealer is your best option. Good luck!


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