Bait at the Pier

[DESTROYER]

Thank you.

[tacmik]

What! Is the Destroyer coming back to yak fishing. If so. What a glorious day it is. Time to get out of that stink pot and do some real fishing.

[DESTROYER]

Not going to find me in a kayak. Just thought some of my old brothers could help me out. We are fishing the YT Shootout and was hoping that bait could still be made at the pier. It's been so long that I don't even know if there is a light on the pier anymore

[tacmik]

Best of luck to ya.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Bait seems to be plentiful everywhere lately.

I launched from Shelter Island at 5am this morning. Had 10 mackerel in my bait tank before I got to the bait barge.

Saved the $20 in the secret pocket of my fishing hat for another day

[DESTROYER]

That's awesome! Making bait isn't the problem, it's making bait in the dark before the sun comes up that's the problem.

[tacmik]

Originally Posted by DESTROYER

That's awesome! Making bait isn't the problem, it's making bait in the dark before the sun comes up that's the problem.

Think. Think back to when you use to paddle. It will come back to you. You will remember how it was once done little grasshopper.

[FullFlavorPike]

Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy

Bait seems to be plentiful everywhere lately.

I launched from Shelter Island at 5am this morning. Had 10 mackerel in my bait tank before I got to the bait barge.

Saved the $20 in the secret pocket of my fishing hat for another day

Any tips on making green mackerel in the bay?

[mbsurf]

I'm sure macs will hit a sabiki in the Bay as usual. Strangely I caught one in the Bay last night on an LC110...

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Originally Posted by FullFlavorPike

Any tips on making green mackerel in the bay?

For me, making bait in the bay is more random and not predictable. I'm always dragging a sabiki on a small iron behind me as I go to wherever I'm going. I was not really expecting to get hit, but we never know. I was simply on my way to the bait barge.

On that particular morning they were abundant just after first light in the triangle outside the buoy and entrance to Shelter Island Yacht Basin. I launched from the Shelter Island beach next to the boat ramp and was on my way over to the bait barge to get a scoop of anchovies. I went through a few schools or maybe a single larger school of mackerels that seemed to be lingering out from the buoy. They were pretty thick. I U-turned and passed through two more times, and I had all the bait I wanted.

For me, it's unpredictable dumb luck. I find that chances are better if I always keep a hook in the water. The little blue & white iron at the end of my sabiki as a weight has also picked up jacksmelt and corvina. Also random. I'm the kind of guy who has more questions than answers.

If bait is around, it's usually easy to catch. If it's a few random fish, then maybe we can improve our chances with small slivers of squid on the sabiki hooks. I carry Butt Juice with me when I carry squid as a backup, and it seems to add to the luck.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pro-Cure-...&wl13=&veh=sem

2 oz bottles were available at Seaforth Landing, last time I looked.