Thread: Thoughts on Small Freshwater Bream as Bait?

I know I probably couldn't keep them alive to make it down there, and even so they would not last long in the saltwater, but I have a Catfish pond that is full of little Bream up to 2 1/2" long. Would this be worth a shot off the pier either alone or cut with an artificial rig? It wouldn't costs me anything. Thanks.

if you get a sabiki or a ribbon ull catch all the bait u need and it will be fresh and alive

I expect those bream would go belly up real fast in the salt water. As back bone said, bait is plentiful and easy to catch.

had a king feed on a small bass snobbled at the t last year.... tfrank and bucket were cleaning a mess and i couldnt help my self... grabbed a small one and actually got fed on... saw it all happen..In the end, it was just a choke though

They won't die as instantly in saltwater as you might think. Most feshwater fish can be given salt baths to assist in healing with torn fins and wounds, along with certain parasitic removal. I have saved many of my freshwater fish in the past using such methods.

That being said, the sunfish family are a resilient species, but effective as bait would be a hit or miss. Kings may very well tear them up because they are different. Then again, might work as well as a sharksucker for bait. I personally haven't tried sunfish as bait in saltwater except for when catching alligator gars, but you could be on to something worth trying for unpredictable kings.

If you have some pumpkinseeds or red eared, let me know. I am looking for some additions to one of my native freshwater aquarium setups.

Green Sunfish is primarily what we have in the catfish pond, they had to get in by Blue Herons as this was a newly built pond 5 years ago and the only thing we stocked was Channel catfish. I can bring all the small Green sunfish you would like. They have a really pretty Turqoise color irregular lines throughout their body.

I'd gladly check them out. Might try to pick out a few males and females.

You gonna be at the pier in AM?
Send me a PM VG.

[quote author=IC cowboy link=topic=1560.msg14744#msg14744 date=1342013406]
I know I probably couldn't keep them alive to make it down there, and even so they would not last long in the saltwater, but I have a Catfish pond that is full of little Bream up to 2 1/2" long. Would this be worth a shot off the :fishing: :fishing: :banana: :banana: pier either alone or cut with an artificial rig? It wouldn't costs me anything. Thanks.
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LAST YEAR I LANDED 30# REDFISH IN OCTI, WITH BAIT OF 5 INCH BREAM
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