# Best rockfish bait?



## Skinpower

Except lures, what would be your choice of bait for Rockfish?


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## Big Rad

Live spot about four inches long


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## fishbait

In the Ocean, it would be bunker. During spring run, it would be bloods.


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## chump

Live lined spot, IMHO.


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## Lipyourown

fishbait said:


> In the Ocean, it would be bunker. During spring run, it would be bloods.


Close: bloods in the Bay in the spring and bunker in the ocean...but really softcrabs are the best all the time...just hard to cast, hard to find and expensive.

They outfish livebait anyday.


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## cygnus-x1

Skinpower said:


> Except lures, what would be your choice of bait for Rockfish?


You need to qualify your question a bit more. We can assume you mean the current season but you should say where you are going to fish and when as the bait would vary. 

What BigRad said is spot on (no pun intended)  ... the best all around bait for a Striper (Blue, Trout, Flounder) is a live 3"-5" spot. If you can score some live peanut bunker they will work as well. If you are in fresher waters then live lining a 4" white perch works too.


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## BubbaBlue

Lipyourown said:


> Close: bloods in the Bay in the spring and bunker in the ocean...but really softcrabs are the best all the time...just hard to cast, hard to find and expensive.
> 
> They outfish livebait anyday.


Yup, everything will hit a soft crab. 

I hit mine better with a little JO#1 on them, fried crispy. 
.


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## chump

Lipyourown said:


> Close: bloods in the Bay in the spring and bunker in the ocean...but really softcrabs are the best all the time...just hard to cast, hard to find and expensive.
> 
> They outfish livebait anyday.


Ahhhh. Forgot about that one. Good call, LYO. There's definitely a reason why during the fall run, spot and softshells will both cost an arm and a leg.


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## e-mag

herring when they reach their spawning ground.


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## lipyanker

i do well with Bloods on early season stripers after that it all spot:fishing:


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## Skinpower

*Great answers!*

Thanks guys...
In terms of locations and times, I meant around this time of year in the bay (on piers/shore).
I haven't tried live-lining spots because i usually fish on shore (I thought it would be impossible). But I sure will try when I fish on the pier.


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## scavengerj

*Gimmie a peeler!*

Use to use only peelers. Best bait. The fish get filled on baitfish and like to snack on the peelers. Trick to rigging them was to use a wide rubber band to hold them in place on the hook. Now, just too dang expensive to use for bait. Gimmie a whale, a MD grown beefsteak, S&P, lettuce and two slices of bread and I'm in heaven!


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## cygnus-x1

BubbaBlue said:


> Yup, everything will hit a soft crab.
> 
> I hit mine better with a little JO#1 on them, fried crispy.
> .


You know what I did after the left over softies we had in late September ? .... Ahhh ... I can still hear the sizzle in the frying pan 

I totally forgot about softies for Stripa's (shame on me considering where I am). Problem is most if not all the crabbers (especially those on Smith Island) have switched over to oystering so getting the peelers and softies is difficult now ... just when you need them most.


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## lipyanker

cyg,

have you tried some of the shedding house on saxis


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## cygnus-x1

lipyanker said:


> cyg,
> 
> have you tried some of the shedding house on saxis


No I have not ... could you PM me the details 

The shedding houses in MD close to me are closing down due to the oystering.

I should go visit Saxis anyway ... never fished there and always wanted to. Can you fish into the night there from the pier/beach?


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## HuskyMD

what, no purdue peelers? A few years ago it was the rage around here... I still have a bottle of shedder crab oil. Maybe I should give it another try...


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## scavengerj

Husky, how old is that oil?? I thought I remember when it first came out something about it not being able to be stored long and had to be fresh when used or it would break down and loose effectivness/taste? And no, I have never tasted it


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## cygnus-x1

scavengerj said:


> Husky, how old is that oil?? I thought I remember when it first came out something about it not being able to be stored long and had to be fresh when used or it would break down and loose effectivness/taste? And no, I have never tasted it


I have a container about 10 years old along with a can of bunker oil about the same age. Maybe I can give the bunker oil to my wife to be used as a can of Mace  

I used to clean and cut strips of squid and then marinate them in the shedder crab oil.

Chicken breast does work! I have not used it for Stripers but the Trout out by the Chinese Muds (Pax River/Bay) love it ! :fishing:


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## HuskyMD

Mine is probably bout 5 yrs old. Only used it once.


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## scavengerj

Oh I'm sure the bunker would make some potent stuff!  Use to marinate my Perdue peelers with the stuff. Actually caught a few rock on it. A bottle use to last a few weeks and then it seemed like it wasn't the same. Kinda like it lost something eventhough I kept itout of direct sunlight and in a cool place.


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## stonemason

so with softshell craps, do you just cut them into little squares or something? how do you use them? doesnt the "meat and guts" just dissapear int he water and only the shell stays. i know nothing about using softshell crabs..


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## TreednNC

Assuming you guys are targeting smaller stripers/rocks? Just from the baits...or cows 25-30+lbs?


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## Sandcrab

*Rule #1 in my house...*



scavengerj said:


> Husky, how old is that oil?? I thought I remember when it first came out something about it not being able to be stored long and had to be fresh when used or it would break down and loose effectivness/taste? And no, I have never tasted it


1. Shedder oil must be double wrapped in two Ziplock plastic bags before being allowed in the house. Anthing that EVEN smells like sheder oil (rags, clothes, etc.) will not be allowed in the house!

If you've smelled it, you know it is true!

Sandcrab


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## HuskyMD

yep, mine still smells horrific even after all these years!


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## lipyanker

Cyg 

saxis pier is open 24hrs with light the only problem are those dang bugs.there was a large shedding house on your right when you entered town.


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## RuddeDogg

*Further north*

We use clams, eels, and fresh bunker in the fall. Mackerel is a good back up bait to.


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## Teddy

*Fresh*

Bunker!


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## cygnus-x1

lipyanker said:


> Cyg
> 
> saxis pier is open 24hrs with light the only problem are those dang bugs.there was a large shedding house on your right when you entered town.


I hang out in Crisfield and Deal Island ... I think I can handle the bugs  Anyway they should be slowing down about now anyway.


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## scavengerj

SJ,
Depended on if we were targeting cows or pan sized. Pan rock we usually cut the peeler in half or quarters (depending how many we had). When we went for the cows we'd use whole live peelers. Wouldn't even run a hook through them. Just lay the peeler along the shank of a long shanked hooked and double a rubber band around them and let them drift. Guess it was akin to live lining back then. As far as halving or quartering them, yes, they would leak their guts out which is what seemed to bring the fish in. Back then, the 70's, you didn't have to wait long for a fish to grab it. If we had no hits within 10-15mins. we moved to another spot.


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## FL FISHERMAN

HuskyMD said:


> yep, mine still smells horrific even after all these years!


Hey Trevor 

Go ahead and use that stuff this year at the tank when you get a chance. Make Manayunk Jake proud!!! Ahhh memories!!

Rest in Peace MJ


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## stonemason

scavengerj said:


> SJ,
> Depended on if we were targeting cows or pan sized. Pan rock we usually cut the peeler in half or quarters (depending how many we had). When we went for the cows we'd use whole live peelers. Wouldn't even run a hook through them. Just lay the peeler along the shank of a long shanked hooked and double a rubber band around them and let them drift. Guess it was akin to live lining back then. As far as halving or quartering them, yes, they would leak their guts out which is what seemed to bring the fish in. Back then, the 70's, you didn't have to wait long for a fish to grab it. If we had no hits within 10-15mins. we moved to another spot.


thanks!


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