# Best bait for ling ?



## lou5036 (Aug 12, 2005)

Need a little advice whats the best bait do you guys use when your going after some ling.I would appriciate any advice.


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## nelson6500 (Jun 8, 2007)

Calling Angler 1 :ac550: 
Calling Angler 1 :ac550:
Help needed on the seafood isle :help:.

Our Ling King will be with you shortly.

Matt


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## HonkyFin (May 28, 2004)

Fat , Juicy , hardheads .


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## sharkduck (Mar 31, 2009)

I have only caught one but it was with a ribbon, I would like a cut cigar minnow would be like candy to them.


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## TxGunsmith (Jun 5, 2009)

Large White Gulf Shrimp or the White 6" DOA Soft Plastic Shrimp


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## Bird (May 10, 2005)

Big topwater popper. Just try to keep it away from them. I've had them come out of the water to hit the plug they we so wound up about not getting a good look.


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## jjordan (Sep 6, 2006)

1 or 3oz snapper slappers


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## Brady Bunch (Jul 12, 2004)

I dont think they like anything inparticular. I've had them hit red and white snapper slappers (untipped), live hardtails, shrimp, then the methods listed above. You just have to keep them interested and wait for them to swallow that hook and swim away before you yank back on that rod. Once they spit the hook theyre not coming back.


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## Captfry (May 21, 2004)

Live Crab, 2-4oz bucktail jigs are on the top of the list for me.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Anything that you can get them to eat would be the correct answer.

There really is no bait out there that will only catch ling.

I have personally caught Ling on or seen them caught on the following.....

Hardheads
Crabs
Icefish
Shad(pogies)
Shrimp
DOA Shrimp Jig
Snapper Slappers
Squid
Bucktail Jigs
Eels
Eel Lures
Tube Lures (like for Barracuda)
Cut Bait
Green Grub Lures
(insert more here) 
and..... the biggest Ling I ever saw, ate a Triggerfish Head that I kicked off the boat, and then swam away.


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## Reel Cajun (Aug 1, 2006)

I would have to say squid.


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## Eastern Tackle (Oct 28, 2008)

2oz pointy flat shaped bucktail or snapper slapper tipped with squid for sight casting. 

For deep jigging my best luck as been on a sardine shaped jig.


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## mjz (Jan 11, 2008)

Live perch.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Anything live is prime. What I have seen with a finiky ling is that folks use too big of stuff. A small treble hook tied directly to the line no leader or swivel usually will fool a ling that does not want to eat. Throw out a little chum and throw out your bait (small like the chum) and chances are he (or she) will eat.

Charlie


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

You know since I was a little kid-- everytime we would catch a hard head my Dad and my Uncle would say "man those things are great Ling bait-- just cut the fins off" Has anyone ever personally witnessed this? OR is it just a wives tale?


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Half an Elgin or Meyer's hot-link sausage. Hot dogs fall off the hook too easy!


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## Mike Jennings (Oct 11, 2005)

Brady Bunch ,Tiny and Charlie , have given the best advise IMHO ,some Ling can be very finicky and others will eat anything , as soon as you think you have found the perfect bait , the next one wont eat it .

i will throw everything in the boat at them , and most will eventually eat . some seem line shy and some will eat a wire leader , or a double party boat snapper drop.

presentation is sometimes as big a factor , and in some cases more of a factor than what your throwing , if you get a ling that doesn't want to eat , change baits and as he approaches it , take it away , don't let him touch it , take it out of the water and pitch it behind or beside him , do this several times and you will normally see his demeanor change , he will begin to get more aggressive , after you have done this say 3 or 4 times , let him have it , and (LET HIM EAT IT) , once he has taken it , free line it for a few seconds and let him turn away , this will usually insure that he is not just holding it in a manner that he can spit it out as soon as he feels pressure , 

every ling seems to be a little different so as long as he is up and interested , just keep pitching baits at him and keep changing presentations , he will eat something .


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## cajunasian (Mar 7, 2007)

In my shrimping days, I caught them using fresh squid. Squid can with stand all the nibbles from the smaller fish until the ling can get a hold of it.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

Good advice from Capt Jennings.


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## kgodsey361 (May 29, 2009)

They seem to never pass on a live piggy ..and helps when you spray your wash down hose at the bait..oh, and a few fast circles with the boat around the rig to get em goin!


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## txfishbait (Jun 21, 2007)

All good suggestions.

I've used most all of the above with good success but live mullet is the only bait I've batted 1000 on.


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## S-3 ranch (May 26, 2004)

kingfish balls , troll up a king ball it out , get a #5 circle hook , and start chuming when a ling shows up , start pitching out the king fish balls 2-3 at atime , then free spool out one with a hook , works for me


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

I had no idea kingfish had balls. Learn something new every day over here!


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## PELAGIC (Apr 9, 2009)

Live Crab is like candy for them


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## Levelwind (Apr 15, 2005)

Friendswoodmatt said:


> You know since I was a little kid-- everytime we would catch a hard head my Dad and my Uncle would say "man those things are great Ling bait-- just cut the fins off" Has anyone ever personally witnessed this? OR is it just a wives tale?


No. It's twue.


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## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

twue? Reawwy?


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Reawwy! The strangest story I heard of, don't know if it's a fisherman's lie, is a guy caught a ling that was nailed by a shark or something, all messed up. So he used it for cut-bait. So he was feeding them lings their brother and the fish were _*weewwy*_ going for it.

Don't forget your white belly strips in addition to them fish balls!


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## S-3 ranch (May 26, 2004)

*kingfish balls*



Swells said:


> I had no idea kingfish had balls. Learn something new every day over here!


ha ha , just score em with a knife starting at the gills down to the tail , at every cute pull out the meat / balls , works great , then tie a string around the kings tail and let the triggerfish have it


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

I've had good luck with those canned vienna sausages on a big white bucktail jig. I think when they're hungry or mad, they'll pretty much hit anything. If they won't hit, put the rod tip in front of their nose and start making figure 8's with it while others beat the water surface nearby with their rod tips. I don't know why, but I've caught several doing this that would not otherwise hit a bait.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

PELAGIC said:


> Live Crab is like candy for them


You ever tried those golden looking swimmer crabs out yonder? I see these crabs swimming in the middle of the ocean and think gee, that looks like perfect bait. Never saw anything hitting on 'em though.

So it ain't like black drum where you halve them out, huh? Or do you use other live crabs like the green?


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## Jason Slocum (Jul 9, 2004)

*Kingfish?*

Are kingfish legal for bait? I didn't think you could use them for bait? What about state vs fed. waters? Thanks Jason Slocum


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Jason Slocum said:


> Are kingfish legal for bait? I didn't think you could use them for bait? What about state vs fed. waters? Thanks Jason Slocum


The only restrictions for federal waters I know are as follows:
*Reef fish as bait, except sand perch or dwarf sand perch, is prohibited.*

Kings are not reef fish.


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## whistlingdixie (Jul 28, 2008)

i don't know if anyone has mentioned this but if i ever see a a cobia i will start to chum a lot and get a feeding frenzy going then try and target the largest one. once those fish are eating and going crazy they are like a goat and will eat anything you throw at them.


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## Never easy (Mar 20, 2006)

Pocketfisherman said:


> . If they won't hit, put the rod tip in front of their nose and start making figure 8's with it while others beat the water surface nearby with their rod tips. I don't know why, but I've caught several doing this that would not otherwise hit a bait.


Dad did this and we boated two ling that were swimming together seemed like they were not hungry then dad did his figure 8's then they were fighting over which bait to eat it was an instant change in their attitude.


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=203031&highlight=chicken+nuggets&page=4

Post #40

Chicken Nuggets.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Main Frame 8 said:


> http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=203031&highlight=chicken+nuggets&page=4
> 
> Post #40
> 
> Chicken Nuggets.


Don't leave home without a big ole sack of Fritos, either! Nice grease slick.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Swells said:


> You ever tried those golden looking swimmer crabs out yonder? I see these crabs swimming in the middle of the ocean and think gee, that looks like perfect bait. Never saw anything hitting on 'em though.
> 
> So it ain't like black drum where you halve them out, huh? Or do you use other live crabs like the green?


Ling and Blue Runners eat the hell outta them things...

I watched 6 under size Ling live by the chum bag on my last trip... they didn't touch one piece of chumm leaking from the bag, but when one of them crabs would show up... BAM!!!


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## Levelwind (Apr 15, 2005)

One of the common names of Cobia is "crab eater". My son autopsied a few a couple years ago and they were all stuffed with them little crabs, about the size of a silver dollar.


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## hilton (Jan 28, 2008)

*ling*

Howdy,
I stuck a big ling twice about 18 years ago - once with a cigar minnow then with a bucktail jig...he spit the hook each time but still stayed around. Threw everything in the tackle box at him for about 30 minutes until I remembered my "super-secret" ling bait at the bottom of the cooler.

You can buy these round, brown eels at the oriental markets in the frozen seafood section - they are curled up and look like a honey bun. Uncurl it and limber it up so it is real loose and flimsy. I tied on a 6/0 hook bare to the line (no leader) and hooked the eel thru the lips and tossed him out, letting him sink with the current. When the ling got close, I gave it a twitch, and the entire eel moves with this great snake-like action - the ling didn't hesitate and swalowed him up. Free-lined it for a minute or so then set the hook and it was on!

Live eels are the bait of choice off of Destin to Biloxi where they have the Cobia tournaments.

We caught another ling about the same time frame trolling along a weedline - opened him up and he had a baby sailfish (about 12-14" long) in it's stomach. Still got that little sail, mummified, hanging on the wall at my creek house.

All the best,
Tom


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## PlayaBagdad (Jun 16, 2009)

I changed to a small hook, because I could not catch anything with a big hook. I was in about 12 foot of water just a couple of hundred yards behind the breakers and I put on a small piece of sliced fish and was bumpin it off the bottom and boom - thirty minutes later I was trying to get it to the boat, every time I got close off the ling went again. My amigos tried to grab the line to drag the darn thing because they fish with their hands and fishing line and they were getting impatient. I don't comprende a lot of spanish, but they figured it out real quick! Love to catch those ling!!!!!


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

One way to get ling interested is to throw heavy metal like the Snapper Slapper to get the ling riled up. Crank like the devil and pull the lure away from them but keep them interested, even if you see them shaking their heads "no." 

Now get your secret go-to pole with the meat on it, like Hilton's nasty Oriental worms (cool advice!), eels, crabs, hard-tails, piggies, chicken McNuggets, sausages or whatever. Fish real slow and twitch every now and then.

That one-two punch seems to work sometimes, starting with the jigs and ending with meat. 

Some folks have gone to circle hooks for ling and that's a completely different hook-up. With a J-hook, you have to stab the fish hard so you need one heck of a hook-set, since soft strikes can result in thrown hooks. With a circle hook, you just keep the tension and let the fish hook himself in the corner of the mouth when he turns. Circle hooks have a higher hook-up rate and the ling can't spit it out as easily.


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## texasjellyfish (Jan 23, 2006)

reach over the side of the boat , gaff em and hang on

jr gw this is only an idea, i have never tried it


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## Ducksmasher (Jul 21, 2005)

Levelwind said:


> One of the common names of Cobia is "crab eater". My son autopsied a few a couple years ago and they were all stuffed with them little crabs, about the size of a silver dollar.


Ive seen em stuffed with false blue crabs. they have the purple on claw/arm. hard to use for bait. two weeks ago I had them regurgitating whole blue crabs 5-6 in. good stuff. however a 1-1 1/2 oz jig w/green/chart skirt with a live croak has never failed me.


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## barefootin (Aug 1, 2008)

The business end of my sight casting cobia jig: 
Main hook to lg. split ring keeps the fish from leveraging against the lure during head shake; stinger snelled to main hook shaft to keep from tangling when casting.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

texasjellyfish said:


> reach over the side of the boat , gaff em and hang on
> 
> *jr gw this is only an idea, i have never tried it*


Why did you even say this????? It is perfectly legal to Free Gaff a Ling in Federal Waters... Same thing as spearfishing.. But it take either a real desperate person or a complete idiot to free gaff a ling!


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## Eastern Tackle (Oct 28, 2008)

texasjellyfish said:


> reach over the side of the boat , gaff em and hang on
> 
> jr gw this is only an idea, i have never tried it


I know of several that have been free gaffed here in NC. They have either just layed there and wiggled a little, or completely destroyed the boat. No in between.

I also know a mate that free gaffed a mako. He just held the gaff loosely in his hands until it quit spinning and then hauled it in. That is legend right there. He now works on the Haphazard in Pirates Cove and in mexico in the winter.


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

Is it legal to bowfish for ling? I 'd be curious if anyone has first hand experience if it is legal.


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## Capt Ryan Rachunek (Feb 16, 2006)

Spear-Gun... Just choose your shots wisely, or have a 2ATM bag....


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Main Frame 8 said:


> Is it legal to bowfish for ling? I 'd be curious if anyone has first hand experience if it is legal.


As long as you're in federal waters I would say... It's legal to spearfish them.....


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

9 times out of 10 A LIVE PIGGY right in front of its face and it was 100% true aboard the new bucc. yesterday fer a 45 lber.


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

Dang, I thought everybody already knows.....Throw an naked Snapper Slapper at them if you see them. If not jig a naked Snapper Slapper. works 99% of the time.

Good Luck



nelson6500 said:


> Calling Angler 1 :ac550:
> Calling Angler 1 :ac550:
> Help needed on the seafood isle :help:.
> 
> ...


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

texasjellyfish said:


> reach over the side of the boat , gaff em and hang on
> 
> jr gw this is only an idea, i have never tried it


we tried that but without a gaf..picked it up and tossed it in there. it went crazy. will not do that again.


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## Mikeyhunts (Jun 4, 2007)

My buddy and I were just talking about this.
He was saying he was thinking about throwing his bow fishing bow on the boat for the next time some of these buggers show up and wont bite.


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## texasjellyfish (Jan 23, 2006)

Tiny said:


> Why did you even say this????? It is perfectly legal to Free Gaff a Ling in Federal Waters... Same thing as spearfishing.. But it take either a real desperate person or a complete idiot to free gaff a ling!


i am sorry, i did not have the time to research the topic
i guess i am a complete idiot also,

if another ling only wants to hang out in the shade and not eat, will free gaff him also, i thought that was why the fish box was in the floor


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## snapper slapper lures (Jul 6, 2004)

*Listen to Eugene*

He is right. It is hard for a ling to resist. Woody


Angler 1 said:


> Dang, I thought everybody already knows.....Throw an naked Snapper Slapper at them if you see them. If not jig a naked Snapper Slapper. works 99% of the time.
> 
> Good Luck


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