BajaNomad - How do you get bait?

How do you get bait?

MitchMan - 5-20-2010 at 06:13 AM

I will be taking my boat down to Baja soon. 15 ft Calibogie (self-bailing runabout, fiber glass). I usually fish from Pangas in Mulege, Loreto and La Paz. The pangueros get bait for us clientes by catching it, sometimes netting it themselves (usually sardinias), or paying for it from nearby commercial fishermen in pangas (usually sardinias). Soon I will be on my own in getting bait.

For you guys and gals with your own boat and fishing offshore, how do you get bait? I like fishing with live bait. I am not accustomed to fishing with lures, will I have to change my ways? :?:

[Edited on 5-20-2010 by MitchMan]

4baja - 5-20-2010 at 06:25 AM

every mourning we go looking to the point and elsewere looking for birds, dolphines, seals and useing the meter and find bait. we use different size sabikis(nets are illegal) to get the bait and allways get a tankfull. you can allso buy from the locals in the bigger ports. bring a good supply of sabiki rigs and heavy torpedo sinkers. i allso use a simple hook to release the bait of the hooks into the tanks, you can allso use a knife. good luck.

Skipjack Joe - 5-20-2010 at 06:27 AM

Firstly, if you don't have one, you'll need to buy or construct your own bait tank.

Then if you are after sardinas you'll need to learn to throw a thrownet. If you are after mackerel you need to use lucky joe's or something similar.

Then you'll have to ask around where the pangueros are getting ('making') bait and show up at daybreak.

Each part of the process is a subject in it's own right. You should give more information about your intentions and you will get greater detail from people.

MitchMan - 5-20-2010 at 06:42 AM

I like to fish for Dorado, Tuna, Yellow Tail, and of late, Cabrilla and Pargo. I will settle for a trigger fish if I inadvertently hook one up. I like to eat what I catch and want to fish for only those fish that I can eat. Not interested at all in game fish such as Marlin, Rooster Fish, Wahoo, or Sail Fish.

Caught a big Mulato Pargo and three Cabrilla last year for the first time ... unbelievably delicious! I want to include these last two fish in my menu to catch.

Looking forward to a great season this year with my little boat. I like to fish with live bait, hence the question in this thread. Thanks for the heads up, Skipjack.

[Edited on 5-20-2010 by MitchMan]

Pompano - 5-20-2010 at 06:48 AM

Catch your own bait ..using a sabiki rig.

Attach this rig to your rod...get in your boat before dawn at the marina, dock, ramp, wherever fishermen leave from for the day's fishing....

..ask where they catch their bait...and then follow them..

...drop this sabiki rig the bottom..crank up 2-3 turns..then jig up your bait and place into livewell.

If fishing Mulege or San Marcos areas...you can make bait easily at Pta Prieta and the Haystack respectively. Everyone will tell you where these places are..and will be glad to show you the way.

Tight lines!

Osprey - 5-20-2010 at 06:50 AM

Bigger markets sell bait sized squid for about 50 pesos a kilo. Lots of people here put them up in small baggies -- lots of ways to use them: chunck bait, slow troll, add to skirted lures, mooch, etc. Never know what's out there so people I know take what they need to drag halfbeaks, Lucky Joes, squid jiggs, bait money for the bait boats -- surround them. No sardines down south now and the sea is aswarm with juvenile flying fish -- good luck making bait of those. Just have to try to mimic.

backninedan - 5-20-2010 at 06:52 AM

Do not learn to throw a net!!! It will just get you a citation, like 4baja said, "its illegal."

Pescador - 5-20-2010 at 07:05 AM

In the Santa Rosalia area, bait is the most important part of the day and any successful fisherman has learned to become very adept at making bait. There are three major types of bait that we focus on and they all have different habits and hangouts.
First and foremost is the Big Eyed Scad (Ojo Gordo or Caballito) and this one lives in 25-65 feet of water normally. Feeds just before first light and up until the sun comes up normally. My favorite sabiki for this fish is the small rubber squid baits that are made by Owner. They will also attack the multi colored fish skin baits and other models as well, but the squid skirts are normally the big producer. This is a very lively bait and does well when fished with a sliding sinker or dropper loop. It can be an acceptable surface bait for flylining but has a tendency to run a little deeper than some other baits. It is very strong in the tank and will live through warmer water when other baits tend to die easier.
Second is the Green Backed Mackeral. These baits run from about 4 inches clear up to 2 pounders that we use for billfish. They will run in the same area as the Big Eye, but can be found in schools in deeper water as well. This is the best surface bait available and will really entice fish who are feeding on the surface when hooked in the back just in front of the first fin and are loved by yellowtail, cabrilla, sailfish, and marlin. Because of their feeding habits they throw up a lot of slime in the bait tank and you need to skim some of this off when you first put them in the tank. They also work as a good bait when hooked through the nose and used with sliders and dropper loops, but they do not last for a long period of time and need to be replaced fairly frequently. They are not as active as Big Eye so they will work well when the fish are feeding a little less agressively. I find these fish to migrate with available feed and can usually find them all year long. I have also found them to be thick on the Pacific side and have used them successfully over there as well.
The last major bait is the Spanish Mackeral which is a deep water dweller and does a good job in the right situations. We normally find these baits in about 300 feet of water. They are the slowest swimmers and the least active of all the baits, but they do work and somedays are exactly what the yellowtail want. I don't personally find them very attractive for Cabrilla but I am sure there will be a few who always catch Cabrilla with them and will post accordingly. They are just not my preference. Because they come up from cold depths, they do have some challenges with warmer water and some days we have to add ice to the tank to keep them healthy when we are fishing in 80+ degree water.
The sardinitas referred to are a herring shad that are normally caught with throw nets and are seasonal as well in most areas. They are one of the best Cabrilla baits available because of their shine, size, and swimming pattern. Depending on the area, the interpretation of throw nets seems to be a moving target. In our area, they think a throw net is fine for bait but not tolerated for other fish. I have heard different interpretations all up and down the baja. But if you have a throw net you can usually find a willing native to throw a couple of times to get you enough bait for the day for a few pesos.
Skipjack is totally correct about needing a bait tank. I use a commercial tank of 25 gallons and a 800 GPH Bait Sentry Pump. I have freinds who make tanks for their car top boats out of a cooler, a bilge pump in a bracket, and some tubing. You can go to www.baittanklarry.com for some great information on bait tanks.
Finally, one word of caution. In the Sea of Cortez, there are a type of sardina which is the perfect size for bait but they have very loose scales and die very easily. They are thick in certain areas and we always get a newbie in the area who goes out, drops down a sabiki in the area where all the boats are making bait and puts a few of these in the tank. Big, Huge Mistake, They sluff off all their scales, plug up the tank, and kill not only themselves but all the other bait in the tank. We always try to tell them but oftentimes they assume they know more than the local fisherman and we always giggle a little when we hear later on the radio that they are having trouble with their tanks and pumps.
The other thing alluded to here is the handling of the bait. You do not want to touch the bait with your hand or towel. That takes the slime coating off of the bait and makes it weaker. You need a bait shaker like the Mini E-Z release dehooker from X Tools, or you can make a dehooker youself out of stainless wire and stuck in a wooden dowel on one end and about six inches from the dowel, you bend a fairly tight J. When you pull down on the line and up on the hook, the baitfish will fall right off in to your tank and you do not have to touch them at all until you go to hook them up.

vandenberg - 5-20-2010 at 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
Bigger markets sell bait sized squid for about 50 pesos a kilo. Lots of people here put them up in small baggies -- lots of ways to use them: chunck bait, slow troll, add to skirted lures, mooch, etc. Never know what's out there so people I know take what they need to drag halfbeaks, Lucky Joes, squid jiggs, bait money for the bait boats -- surround them. No sardines down south now and the sea is aswarm with juvenile flying fish -- good luck making bait of those. Just have to try to mimic.

We always get those flying fish with butterfly nets.
Takes practice though, and you need a fast boat.

[Edited on 5-20-2010 by vandenberg]

Timo1 - 5-20-2010 at 07:39 AM

When I was a kid the natives would take a skiff out in the middle of the night and light a very bright lantern.
They would speed around and the flying fish , attracted by the light , would simply jump into the boat
bait made !!!

Pompano - 5-20-2010 at 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MitchMan
I like fishing with live bait. I am not accustomed to fishing with lures, will I have to change my ways? :?:

MitchMan...I would add to my arsenal.

At least buy a couple Mirrolures to carry along, just in case. No need for any terminal tackle with these..just tie direct with a simple blood cinch or Palomar knot... and troll. Search Mirrolures here and find a lot of info. They work very well on all the species you mentioned...very well, indeed.

Also in the bait department, squid and shrimp heads work exceptionally well as a convenient hook bait that you can carry in your cooler. You will soon learn from asking who has it for sale or giveaway. So relax..take it easy..this is not advanced technology by any means. Anybody can and does catch fish here. Now...for a real adventure, try a rock cod rig with 3-5 squid-baited hooks over that rockpile 200 feet below.

Pompano - 5-20-2010 at 07:48 AM

Flying fish...! We would gather up the ones laying on the deck that hit hit the rigging and mast in the night and fry them up for breakfast. Taste like you know what..but it'll keep you alive.

ElFaro - 5-20-2010 at 08:09 AM

Mitchman...

I obtain and take down bait several ways depanding on what type of fishing and where I am fishing.

For dead bait I bring down fresh frozen squid bought at a fish market. I also buy a small bottle of "Uni Goop" and maybe shrimp to bring down. This way I at least have something to start with if I'm not able to get live bait right away.

For shore, surf, or estuary fishing with live bait I always carry a "ghost shrimp slurp gun" to get "langostinos" at low tide mudflats.

Like the others have said I use "pescador or hayabusa rigs" to snag small mackeral or bay smelts and put in a towable live bait tank or live well.

I also carry and use a "throw net" or "la malla". Some mexicans taught me how to throw a "malla". We use it to catch live "chubbies" on the Pacific side and for sardina on the Gulf side.

My understanding of Mex. fishing law is your not allowed to catch game fish with a net of any kind...but a throw net for some small bait fish?...they really don't care. I've never had any Mexicans check or warn me of using a throw net. That said I respectfully stay out of the way of the Pangeros while they are making bait for their paying customers. I always wait until they are gone B4 I cast for bait. Before I head down to fish I practice casting my malla in my pool.

Warning...be careful casting in some areas where there is alot of coral on the bottom. Down by Muertos Bay my net got caught on coral and was torn up with big holes by the time I retrieved it into the boat.

durrelllrobert - 5-20-2010 at 08:54 AM

damn easy to catch JAIL BAIT all over Baja :lol:

MitchMan - 5-20-2010 at 10:05 AM

Fantastic responses!

Man, I can hardly wait to get on the water! First I am going to the Longfin in Orange, CA to get the lures, equipment, and other stuff you all have recommended. Going to put all the suggestions I can into practice very soon.

This is unbelievably great stuff from the best sources ever. You all rock!

Skipjack Joe - 5-20-2010 at 06:58 PM

http://www.livebaitlarry.com/

dtbushpilot - 5-20-2010 at 07:14 PM

I've often caught jack smelt on the pacific side and wondered if they would make good live bait casting them from the beach (where I caught them). Anybody use them? What might I expect to catch with them?

Skipjack Joe - 5-20-2010 at 08:21 PM

Halibut in baja.

Striped bass around the SF Bay area. The stripers will rush in on them in the surf over here and send them scattering.

[Edited on 5-21-2010 by Skipjack Joe]

BajaDanD - 5-20-2010 at 09:43 PM

Wahoo is known for good eating and not so much as a game fish like a Marlin. Although they are by far one of the most fun fish to catch. They are one of the best to eat.

dtbushpilot - 5-20-2010 at 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Halibut in baja.

Striped bass around the SF Bay area. The stripers will rush in on them in the surf over here and send them scattering.

[Edited on 5-21-2010 by Skipjack Joe]

What would be a good way to rig a live jack smelt for casting from the beach? How big of a bait could I realistically hope to catch something on? I have caught 8 to 10 inch jack smelt on bait while fishing for anything else. I nose hooked one and threw him out just for chit$ and grins and didn't catch anything after an hour. This was at Bahia Asuncion (bay side). I was catching nice eating size halibut on scampis and such but didn't know if I could expect a big enough halibut to come along to go after an 8 inch bait.

Any local Pacific side experience would be appreciated.....dt

baitcast - 5-21-2010 at 08:01 AM

Smelt is a big favorite in southern cal in the surf and I,m sure would work on the west side,but there are several rigs that will work better and be more fun to use in my opinion.

K/M, on a slower retrieve just off the bottom,plastics such as Big Hammers,Scrougers in motor oil and brown,sinking jerk baits mack finish just to name a few.

Never did worth a damn on the inside targeting Butts,sometimes in the colder water months I done well,the other side all these things will do well.
Rob

MitchMan - 5-21-2010 at 10:55 AM

Pompano, I hope you are right about the law regarding netting bait. I'm gonna try it. Was on a panga last year out by Ceralvo Island and the panguero netted our sardinia bait. I was so impressed.

"uni goop", "slurp gun", "hayabusa rigs", "malla"; I love this kind of talk. Reminds of the the local rock station (KLOS I think) when the DJs would do a mock fish report on the air with Joe Walsh playing guitar live in the background when he was the in-studio guest.

It's almost 11am, sitting here at my kitchen table in front of my laptop ... I want to fish so bad right now, well, I am starting to get a little hyper!

[Edited on 5-21-2010 by MitchMan]

Pompano - 5-21-2010 at 03:30 PM

MitchMan...I think you have someone's else's post regarding netting bait mistaken for mine. I never posted anything about netting, although I have done it in the past with some success. Back in the day, I was quite good at netting shoreline lisas for bait. Nowadays my throw-net is a decor item in my poolroom. I believe they are called a 'tore-ron-ya' or something like that.

Anyway, good luck with your fishing plans. Tight Lines!

Cypress - 5-21-2010 at 04:08 PM

Pompano, Careful what you say. You might be imprisoned, deported, or otherwise penalized for any infractions of Mexican Law.

That net? Seems like interactions with the govt. of Mexico is a one-way street. One of those dead -end things. Dealing with the people of Baja is a joy.

Skipjack Joe - 5-21-2010 at 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtbushpilot
What would be a good way to rig a live jack smelt for casting from the beach? How big of a bait could I realistically hope to catch something on?

Actually when the smelt are running, as they are now, nobody actually fishes with live smelt. But they do target them. That is they use artificials with lime green backs that look like smelt. I just got back from Hi's Tackle Shop (our equivalent to the Longfin) and that's the top seller right now.

We have 2 types of smelt here:jacksmelt and topsmelt. The gamefish really don't molest the jacksmelt because they're too large. But the topsmelt show up in the surf at this time and guys net them for food (deep fried, yummm). The technique is - you watch for fish in every wave coming in and if you see them you plant the net into the sand and let the rushing water pass through it as the wave recedes. The stripers are always on the lookout for them.

I don't know. I just think a hooked smelt tethered to a sinker in the surf just wouldn't last long. Those baitfish are constantly moving with the flow. Having one anchored to the bottom with the water rushing to and fro would be really tough on the little guys. Although, fresh dead smelt should get a halibut's attention real well.

The closest thing to live bait in baja I use in the surf in baja are those GULP baits. I've had mixed results with them. The sandworms were a huge success but the squids were a total dud. They've got these shrimp like critters that look really promising. I'm thinking of experimenting with them.

Oh, I almost forgot... I recently bought these plastic 'slugs' and tried them on largemouth bass. The fish loved them. They don't 'swim' like the swimbaits. They, instead, have an erratic twisting side to side motion followed by up and down that looks just like an injured fish trying to right itself up off the bottom. Those should be dynamite in baja. But I think it would require still water. No sinkers required - you just cast them freeline and let them sink. The Japanese, however, fish them in the surf with sinkers and halibut will take them.

That's the thing about fishing - it never gets boring. Things are always changing.

dtbushpilot - 5-21-2010 at 08:31 PM

Thanks for the smelt info joe and baitcast, guess I'll stick with the scampis and crocodiles. I've had a lot of fun catching flatties on them on the Pacific side.

ElFaro - 5-22-2010 at 09:36 PM

I find it interesting how little attention is paid to "making bait" in Baja amongst fishermen on this site and on the fishing forums generally. Because there are several fishing environments to be had in Baja...to me getting bait sucessfully is almost as important if not more than successful fishing.

When I head down I take fishing gear for surf/shore, bay/estuary, near shore gulf/ocean, and deep sea gulf/ocean. Our MO is surf/shore by vehicle and/or on foot, bay/estuary by kayaks/inflatable, near shore ocean by kayak/inflatable (out to 5 miles dependng on conditions), and deep sea gulf/ocean by panga/cruiser/mother ship.

With each type there are baits unique to each and there are crossover baits. Of necessity then is the need to bring the tools to making bait for each type of bait.

Throw net: "Chubbies", Sardina, smelts, etc.
Hayabusa (pescador) rigs: Sardina, smelts, mackerals.
Slurp (ghost shrimp) gun: Langostinos.
Grappling hook: Mussels
Clam fork: Beach Clams
Razor Clam rod: Razor Clams
Shovels: Sand crabs
Diving Knife: Mussels

The Razor Clam rod is like a fat welding rod 2 feet long with an inverted triangle shaped metal piece (1/2" on each edge) brazed to the end in a notch. You insert the rod in the mud flat and turn 90 deg. and pull up the clam.

Also important to me are tide tables. I found a tide table program via a link from a personal weather station website. The program lists tides for over 6000 locations and is good out to about 2026. It also lists sun and moon rises and sets.

With the tide tables I can plan my days and hours in Baja around making bait and fishing. I can't stress how critical this is...I have shown up at a place to camp in the afternoon and knew that the 2nd low tide of the day was within an hour and the sun was also setting so I had to act. I just did minimal camp setup and went straight out to the mudflats to get langostinos and razor clams for the next day. Basically I had to "strike while the iron's hot". I also plan my fishing and making bait times around the tides that day. Ex...if the high tide is at 0900 figure start kayak fishing around 0700 so head out around 0500 to get chubbies and langostinos by 0700.

Getting bait in Baja can be time consuming, tiresome, and incure logistical challenges. I try to gage the day and whether getting certain baits are "worth the effort" for the time/energy spent vs fishing success. Hope this helps.

classicbajabronco - 5-23-2010 at 01:10 PM

both wahoo and jail bait are supposively very good to eat :!:

Throw nets are illegal? Best tell that to every guide, pangadero, of other fisherman in baja, as well as every tackle shop I have ever walked into.

The guides even make bait in the national parks using throw nets. If it's illegal it is definately not enforced. For that matter, cutting up a fish for cutbait is also illegal....but when in Rome......

[Edited on 5-23-2010 by classicbajabronco]