Rigging a live shrimp (prawn) for bait fishing

I get many requests from people asking how to rig certain baits for bait fishing, but the most requested bait rigging lesson would have to be hooking live shrimp or prawns.

The reason for these requests is probably because live shrimp and prawns are probably one of the best and most versatile baits available to anglers. Where do you find the humans at the all you can eat seafood restaurant? Fighting over the fresh prawns! Fish are a bit the same and at times will ignore almost everything else you present to them. A live bait also kicks and flicks through the water attracting all the fish in the vicinity to investigate what is going on.

Now all you have to do is catch the little things, but that is another post for another day.

How to hook a live shrimp / prawn?
I could tell you, but it is probably better if I show you. This great little video I found on youtube shows the process of hooking prawns and shrimp very clearly.

Strangest fishing baits

A while ago I was looking around my favorite fishing forum and I found a thread dedicated to strange fishing bait people had used (or seen used). I was quite surprised by the number of non traditional baits that people have tried and just how successful they were.

I know in England it is normal to use Luncheon Meat (Tinned Ham) for carp and catfish, in some parts of Australia anglers regularly use chicken for bream and some Americans use only their hands to catch catfish - see catfish noodling!

I have also heard of potato, red meat and cheese being used as baits to varying degrees of success (although the health problems associated with fish and cheese should be considered). There was even a story in my local paper where two Greek anglers were pouring ouzo on their baits with extraordinary results.

What I want to know is have you ever tried a weird fishing bait and if so what were your results? Please leave a comment!

How to catch sharks (shark fishing)

As I have previously posted, shark fishing is not really my thing. Where I live sharks are considered something of a pain when reef fishing, but I understand that sharks are a very popular targets in other parts of the country and indeed the world.

Catching sharks
The key to catching sharks can be found in one word chum (also called berley or ground bait) and lots of it. Sharks have relatively poor eyesight, but one of the best senses of smell of any animal. A large majority of a sharks brain is dedicated to smell and research suggests sharks can find food by smell alone from kilometers away. Some popular forms of chum for shark fishing is tuna chunks, small baitfish, tuna oil, chicken. Some people blend/mince all their fish frames up into old milk cartons and freeze the mixture to use. Best results are usually found when an angler creates a chum slick, which usually includes mixtures of fish oil and fish bits added to the slick in a consistent manner. Chum can directly be thrown into the water or added with the aid of a chum dispenser.

What you need
Sharks will make short work of low quality tackle and shark fishing requires top quality tackle. Most anglers use 50-80 pound mainline with a 200-300 pound leader usually made of wire to prevent bite-offs. A wind on leader is a very good idea! Hook size is usually between 10/0 - 12/0 and strong hooks are a necessity. When targeting smaller sharks you can get away with hooks down to about 3/0 in size. A fighting belt and harness is also a great idea when shark fishing.

Bait for sharks
Without wanting to make this sound too simple - Sharks eat fish. Any fresh fish flesh will do and tuna is one of the most popular.

Remember shark fishing can be dangerous. Always prepare well before tackling the biggest shark species. Always check local regulations when targeting sharks.

How to catch crawfish (crayfish)

I first saw the technique for catching crawfish on dirty jobs with Mike Rowe and since watching the episode these little freshwater crustaceans have fascinated me.

Crawfish, also called crayfish, are a freshwater crustacean that resemble a small lobster. Different species of crayfish are found throughout the world. They make very good eating and for this reason are a popular angling target.

How to catch crawfish
Crawfish are not difficult to catch and as long as you follow some simple tips you should not have any problems.

1. Choose a crawfish trap
There are many different crawfish traps and choosing a crawfish trap is one of the more difficult parts of crawfish fishing, but all the crawfish traps on the market will work. Some crawfish anglers argue that certain types of traps work better than other ones so my advice is to purchase a few different types of traps and run a few tests before deciding which type of trap you will exclusively use.


2. Best bait for crawfish
Crawfish can be picky eaters, but if you stick to fresh, fish based baits you will be fine. Try fresh fish heads, guts or whole small fish, preferably from oily fish such as salmon or herring, but any fresh fish that can be caught locally should work. Many people swear by secret baits like dog food, cat food or chicken, but most experienced crawfish anglers dismiss these as proper baits.

3. Set your traps
You cannot simply toss your traps into the water and expect record catches on crawfish. Instead, try to lay your traps in areas where crawfish have cover to hide from predators such as grassy areas, rocks, tree roots etc.

4. Catching crawfish
Check your traps after a few hours and place your keepers into a sack or container. Remember to return any small crawfish or excess crawfish into the water for another time.

Blue Crab Facts

The blue crab is one of the most important crab species in the United States and there is an extensive fishery based around this tasty crustacean.

Where do blue crabs live
Distribution
The blue crab is native to the western edge of the Atlantic ocean (including the gulf of Mexico) from about Nova Scotia in Canada through to Argentina. Overfishing has caused the population boundaries to decline somewhat, but they are still regularly encountered within these areas. Unfortunately the blue crab has been introduced into Japan and European waters possibly through the ballast water from ships.

Habitat
Blue crabs are found in brackish water near the mouths of rivers and they spend most of their time in muddy shores and bottoms.

Fishing for blue crabs
In certain states of the US fishing for blue crabs is a popular pastime and like other crabs the best way to capture a feed is by using a crab pot of some form with a tasty bait inside. They can also be caught using dip nets (to scoop the crabs up) and on handline by gently lifting the crab to the surface. One of the most popular baits is chicken , but any fresh fish bait will also catch crabs. Many serious crabbers have their own favorite baits, which are a closely guarded secret.

It is easy to tell between a male and female crab. You simply turn the crab over and look at the apron (see pictures)






Always check your local crabbing regulations.

What do blue crabs eat?
Like most crabs blue crabs are omnivores (and not that picky I might add). They eat both plants and animals and prefer their animals as fresh as possible.

Eating qualities
Like most crabs the blue crab makes superb eating and requires only a simple cooking method and the slightest of seasoning to make a delicious meal.

Interesting blue crab facts

• They can deliver an extremely painful pinch and are noted for being particularly aggressive (even out of the water) and difficult to handle safely.
• A mature fertilized female produces about 2 million larvae.
  
• Blue crabs malt at various stages during their life cycle.
• You can also tell the sex of a blue crab via the color of its claws.

Carp night fishing

Carp fishing at night can be a cold and miserable time if you don't make the necessary precautions, but night carp fishing can also be a rewarding time with some thumping fish available for the dedicated angler.

There are two ways to fish at night for carp:

1. Stay awake and use audible and visual bite indication.

• Visual bite indication can be as simple as a glow stick attached to the tip of your rod or you can purchase specially made illuminated floats.
  

2. Sleep and rely on audible bite detection to wake you up.

• For this method you need bite alarms. These come in a variety of form with increasing prices, but they all do a similar job - alerting you to a hookup!

Staying warm
This is the biggest problem with night fishing anywhere (I was cold when I went night fishing the first time and that was in the tropics!). You need a good shelter (read tent), and something to sleep in like a heavy duty sleeping bag. It is probably also a good idea to use a camping bed (stretcher bed) to raise yourself off the ground to be a little more comfortable and warm.

Tackle for night carp fishing
This remains basically the same as day time fishing with the addition of light in the form of glow sticks, and illuminated floats. Attach a glow stick to the tip of your rod and you have a cheap bit detection system - you can even buy specially made ones for this job. Always take a torch and lantern to see what you are doing!

Methods for fishing at night
You know I could tell you some fancy secret, but it would be a lie. Catching carp at night is really not that much different from catching carp in the day time. However, they feel safer at night and will come much closer to the margins to feed. Some experts recommend throwing a bait in only 3 feet from the bank!

Bait for night carp fishing
There is one rule here - make it as smelly as possible so the carp can find it. Oily fish is great for this!

One last night carp fishing tip
Like the scouts motto always be prepared. Rig your lines up before it gets dark and always have a spare rod or two rigged and ready to go just in case something goes wrong.

I hope this little post will help you with your night carp fishing - Good luck

Fishing Rigs: Rigging a squid for bait

This is one of the most common questions I am asked is how to rig a whole squid for pelagic fish. Rather than try to answer that question with words I have found a great squid rigging video that I am sure anyone that fishes with squid will find useful. The video is specifically focused on rigging a squid for swordfish, but the rigging technique will work with most pelagic species.

It really is a great video that shows the process very clearly (much more clearly than I could put it into words). I hope the video is useful and good luck when rigging your squid for bait.

Bait Profile - Prawns

Prawns are one of the most versatile baits available for recreational fishers. They can be used alive or dead, cooked or uncooked, baited whole or in sections. They can be used for most species and are especially good for estuary and reef fish species. In most situations prawns are used frozen and while they can produce very good catches in this form, live prawns are certainly a top bait.


How to catch prawns?
Most rivers, estuaries and lakes have prawn stocks to some degree. They are usually gathered at night using a bright torch and a scoop net or a drag net. They keep well in a well aerated bucket and keeping them cool is very important.
In the North and West of Australia they are also caught using cast nets, which is a particularly popular technique in the parts of the country that contains crocodiles. However, drag/seine nets are often still used in these areas (with caution)
Note: Always check local regulations in regards to nets.

Scoop Net ----------- Cast Net ----------- Drag/seine Net
(click to enlarge)

How to hook/rig a prawn?
Live prawns should be hooked lightly through the tail so that the hook does not pierce the internal organs. (see picture)


To hook a dead/frozen prawn the hook (the size depending on the size of the bait) is pushed up from underneath the last segment towards the tail and out through the top of the shell so the barb is exposed.

To hook a prawn piece (used to catch bait and small fish) use a very small hook and hook the prawn flesh through once or twice.