Thread: Live bait choices

Can someone please tell me the best love baitfish choices for kings and redfish? I have heard people talk about LYs and sardines and menhaden, can you also please post pictures of these baitfish so that I will know what's what?

Thanks,

David

http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com.../what-as-a-ly/

Spanish Sardines :eat:
[img width=118 height=213]http://www.sansebastian.com.ph/images/products/spanishsardines-hs-corn.gif[/img]


Actually TOP: Mackerel Scad (aka cigar minnow) BOTTOM: Spanish Sardine (aka herring or sardine)
[img width=300 height=200]http://www.sportfishermen.com/board/attachments/f192/159785d1316225492t-11.jpg[/img]

Scaled Sardine (aka LY)
[img width=463 height=277]http://www.wildflorida.com/wildlife/fish/images/Scaled_Sardine463.jpg[/img]

Menhaden (aka pogie)
[img width=550 height=363]https://apps.acesag.auburn.edu/mediamax/pdata/446.jpg[/img]

We don't often get menhaden around the GSPPier in the warm water months, and rarely in the cool water months though they migrate into the gulf.

Croaker and ground mullet for reds.

[size=12pt][font=comic sans ms]Here are some typical baits (except the Ghost Shrimp) for Kings and the Reds will hit ’em too.
In fact when the Reds are running in a feeding frenzy; you can probably put your flip flop on a hook and catch a Red. It gets crazy out there at times!

[img width=720 height=863]http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g446/finchaser1/Forum%20Only/NON%20REPORT%20PHOTOS/baitfish2.jpg[/img]

can I catch croaker and ground mullet with a sabiki rig?

Not ordinarily.
Try a small carolina rig setup with a #6 single hook about a 15"-18" leader (8#-12# line) and a 1/2 to 1 ounce egg sinker depending on how deep the water is and how much wind/current there is to deal with.

Thanks for the info. From the look at the pictures, I was mostly catching spanish sardines and LYs during the day and seems like only the crazyfish at night on the sabiki rig. One other question, what is the best way and type hook to use for each of these baitfish?

12-24 inches of wire #2 treble through the eye socket... cast and work back slowly (Slightly upwind/current)

Well, I am headed out to the pier to give it a try, thank for all the help guys!