# Large Shiners for Bait



## murphman (Sep 4, 2003)

Has anyone ever live lined large shiners(the ones used for bass fishing) for Rockfish Bait? I would think they would find them a tasty meal, but then again I am not a fish! If I go to the tank tommorow I may pick up dozen to try! Tight Lines to All! Murphman


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

*Just about any fish will do...*

MM,

At one time, we used to use sunfish (bluegills, redears, etc.) for striper bait in the Hudson River in NY. They were easy to catch in the lakes and reservoirs a short distance away.

If you can, try to "match the hatch" and find baitfish that duplicate the fish in the waters you intend to fish...


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## TRIGGERFISH (May 21, 2001)

I know the blues will like them,that's if you can get close to them(casting). I was there earlier this week and saw blues chasing minnows/breaking the surface. Good luck!!


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## TRIGGERFISH (May 21, 2001)

one other thing the minnows were about 2 - 4" long.


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## bitterchild (Aug 12, 2003)

won't shiners die in saltwater? Also using freshwater sunfish is illegal in MD. But they're excellen hardy bait for trohpy bass and monster cats. Not that I would know. They should be hardy enough to survive some salt.


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## Wrong Way (May 29, 2003)

How come it's illegal to use sunfish for bait? Is it a top secret bait that will catch fish everytime?


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## finn74 (Jul 24, 2001)

Large Shinners are excellent bait for Rockfish. Fish them the same way you would for Bass.


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## bitterchild (Aug 12, 2003)

Dunno. I guess if it were legal to use them for bait, their breeding stocks would be badly depleted. They're a very important baitfish.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Large livelined shiners are great striper baits in freshwater (for example, under the Fairmount Dam in Philadelphia), and I've seen them used in brackish water like the Great Egg River in NJ and the Delaware River on the PA/NJ border.

Sandcrab is right about "matching the hatch" by using baitfish from the water you are fishing. Sometimes stripers (and even bluefish) can be real finicky, especially when it comes to the size of the baitfish. This is one reason why many surf fishermen catch more stripers on the teaser tied in in front of the lure than the lure itself.

In PA, its legal to use sunfish for bait if they are caught by rod and reel from the same water. One reason MD might not allow sunfish for bait is the possibility of introducing new species. Some species of the sunfish family are extremely prolific, and unless there is a predator in place to eat the larger adults, the sunfish can take over a body of water and ultimately become "stunted".

A lot of folks think the bay or even the ocean is a big place, and using exotic baits poses no threat. But look how quickly green crabs became established on the East Coast, or bighead carp in the Mississippi drainage. Its not nice to fool with Mother Nature....


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