Can I bring my own bait on a party boat?

[reagan]

I have fished party boats a few times and always had squid for bait. I am coming down next month with four co-workers, will the boat allow us to bring a box of our bait? If I can what is recommned? I am sure it will be general bottom fishing.

[ron]

Yes they will let you take your own bait.If you can get them take live piggy perch in a pale with an air line.You will be sure to catch the biggest snapper and have the best chance for a Ling.Go about half way to the bottom and get ready.

[justin7-11]

Bring some ribonfish and king rigs and you should be able to catch kings off the 9 hour trips in Port A. Fresh Bonita strips will catch the sharpnose sharks on the 9 hour drift trips too. If it is a 12 hour trip, I would catch some live piggy perch from the jetties and use them. This gives you a shot at ling, AJ, Grouper, and big snaps.

[jig]

a five pound box of sardines or herring per person will take care of all your needs for kings, snapper, whatever.

[EricG]

Went out on opening snapper day and fished with frozen sardines. Caught nice limit of Snaps and a king.

[Rockfish]

EricG whos jigs were you using to catch them there snappers.


Went out on opening snapper day and fished with frozen sardines. Caught nice limit of Snaps and a king.

[EricG]

I highly recommend "Jigs by Rockfish". Tip it with a sardine and you will hammer them everytime. Free lining them works also when the snaps are in the upper water column.

[brazman]

Snapper Slapper jigs, 5-7oz, tipped with pretty much any trash fish, i.e. ladyfish, hardheads, piggy perch, even whiting I'll bet. I used 7-12" ladyfish and mullet on my snapper slapper, brought in keeper snaps two at a time a few times, a sharpnose shark and a 25lb-ish warsaw grouper on that setup. If you don't have time to catch your own bait, a box of sardines is a great way to go!

[captncutbait]

Went on captain elliot's on sunday and just absolutley hammered the snapper (best snapper fishing with them ever). I think I did better than the average person. I probably caught 4 limits of keeper snapper. Kept my four kept, gave one to my buddy fishing with me. I felt sorry for the chumming and green gallery, so I started putting snaps in their bags and they appeciated them. They went home with full limits. For some reason I could not catch them in the middle depths. They were on the bottom or just off the bottom and HUNGRY. Best snaps were on whole cigar minnows which I brought. I was catching two keeper at a time (over 20") on bottom when I let in go all the way down with slack in the line and leave it there for a few seconds. Reel it in slowly feel one hit (set the hook)- do not reel in - feel the second hit - set the hook and then wench both of them up. Medium sized squid also worked but you caught your fair share of thrown backs off of squid. It was not that way with whole fish (cigar minnows or sardines)

[jig]

Went out on opening snapper day and fished with frozen sardines. Caught nice limit of Snaps and a king.
How are the sardines looking this year? Last year we did not get any from Venezuela(which are usually higher quality), and the ones we had were really soft and in poor condition overall (I think Capt. Salty brand?).

[reagan]

I was thinking about a box of sardines. This is still pretty new to me, how do I hook the Sardines, through the eyes? Let it go straight to the bottom like squid?

[bevo/fishing/hunting]

Hook through the eyes and out. Then run the hook through the belly.

[reagan]

A couple of other questions. Can anybody show a pic of the jigs your talking about? Will the boat furnished rod and reels be good enought for this kind of fishing?

[EricG]

Just go to Academy and look for Snapper slappers. The boat rods will work. Just play with it a little before you start fishing and make sure it is functioning okay. Also make sure it has plenty of line.


Sorry no help on the sardines. These where in the freezer from last year.

[marty x valley boy]

Boyds in tcd has sardines 8 bucks for a 5# box.http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/images/icons/snapper.gif