Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

How did you rig the frogs, Don?

Art

    
    I was going to ask the same thing.  I've used crayfish/crawdads and
    they're hardly *live* when I'm done baiting the hook.  Same goes with
    frogs (which I know from experience, "smallies" are fond of).  
    
    I tried just hooking through the lips and tugging a little at a time
    on retrieval so that they appear to be swimming after they've croaked
    (pun intended). 8)  I've also force fed the barb and looped it out
    between the little buggers legs... kind of like a natural frog lure.
    
    So... what was your method Don?

    I guess I should have said "real" frogs instead of "live"frogs, because
    they were not alive for too long.  I used a 1/16oz leadhead, hook went
    in the mouth and out the top, almost to the tailbone - jig head was
    in the mouth.  With the current I was able to maintain a lifelike
    action.  Each frog lasted for a few fish, then was pretty torn up.
    
    -donmac

    re .1
    
    	When fishing with kids LIVE BAIT is always the rule.  Don, let me
    run this one by you in regards to your comment about not wanting to use 
    live bait when in the boat and doing some serious Bass fishing.  I've
    always wanted to try and use either Shiners or Nightcrawlers when pre
    fishing, especially on a body of water I don't know well.
    
    	I thought maybe baiting up a rod and throwing into a likely looking
    area after you tried artificals might tell you if there really are fish 
    there.  Or even using livebait as a fish finder, once you catch
    something, then you switch over to artificials and see if the area
    still produces.
    
    	I haven't tried this yet.  One reason is I'm too afraid that the
    Bass would really hammer the bait and swallow it,thus gut hooking and
    possibly harming a quality fish.  Plus my club buddies would probably 
    rib me to death.  But think about it, the reason we usally prefish is
    to locate where they are on a given body of water and what artifical
    will catch them best.  But I'd be willing to bet we've overlooked many
    good areas because we happen to hit them on an off day, where if the
    real thing were thrown in there, and a bass caught might tell us
    something.  Either we stink as tournament fisherman and should take up 
    bowling, or we should try a different artificial and approach.  
    
    	Last but not least, the main drawback is, even if there is a quality
    fish there, if there's a kiver within 15 miles, it will probably nail 
    your bait 100 times over before the fish you want hits.  Maybe with
    shiners this could be avoided ??????????  Never caught a kiver on a
    shiner.
    
    						Madd Matt

    I used Hellgramites one year.  Talk about bass action.  But these grubs
    from hell are the most fercious looking things.  They have a set of
    pinchers that are something else, in fact many times you think you
    have a fish and what you bring up is the hellgramite holding onto a
    stick.
    
    Brian

 I've had good luck with frogs hooked through the thigh with a number 2 hook.
These aren't for casting; they work real well in a river or from a canoe. The
other way to hook them (to keep them alive) is in the mouth. You can cast
them a good half dozen times before they expire.

 Crayfish are one of my favorite bass baits. Hook the through the tail and cast
them out; I haven't had one hit the bottom yet. :-)

 the Doctah

    
    
    Where in C.Mass. can I get live crayfish??
    
    Thanks,
    
    		Chuck
    

    There's a bait shop in Acton on 62 (a very small segment of Acton is
    there between Maynard and West Concord) on the left as you drive from
    Maynard toward Concord. They sell crayfish for $0.30 apiece. I buy
    worms there for my aquaria. The crayfish are a little too large to
    interset my 9-inch smallmouth bass and would be of no interest to any
    of my other fish.
    
    If you're interested, I can send more specific directions.
    
    John H-C

 Find a stream, take a bucket. Put the bucket behind the crayfish, and move
your hand in front of him. He'll dart backwards and you've got him. You can pick
up a half dozen in less than a half hour, easy.

    
    	re.8 Thanks
    
    	re.9  I know, that's what we used to do as kids in Pa.  Problem is
    	around my house-I haven't been able to spot any.
    
    	Thanks again
    

When I was a kid, there were a couple of ways we used to catch
crawdads (ok, crayfish).  One was to tie a piece of bacon rind
to a string and fish for them.  We would usually have to tie
some sort of weight on the line to get it to sink.  You'll feel
a gentle tug when a crawdad's on the line.  Very carefully and
slowly bring it in, as they'll let go otherwise.

A more effective way was to use a minnow net.  They are about a
3 ft. square mesh net with metal (more like real heavy wire) poles
running from the center of the net to each corner.  In the center
was a 4-way connector (for lack of a better word).  Just
place some sort of suitable bait (again, bacon works pretty good)
and lower it into the water (we always had a piece of cord tied
to the connecter, which was in turn tied to a stick which we
held).  Wait a few minutes and bring it up.

These worked pretty good still, un-clear water.  I don't know
if they would do any good in clear, running water or not.

Jerry

    Another way is to make a scaled down version of a lobster trap.  When I
    was growing up we used to cut the top out of a milk jug and place a
    wire mesh with a hole big enough for them to crawl through but not back
    out.  Would use dead minnows for bait.  Would place in stream near to
    their holes and would come back in the morning with usually half a
    dozen.
    
    Robert

>  I was going to ask the same thing.  I've used crayfish/crawdads and
>   they're hardly *live* when I'm done baiting the hook.  Same goes with
>   frogs (which I know from experience, "smallies" are fond of).  
    
	For crayfish try using super-glue.  Just put a drop on their back and
stick the hook to it.  You go thru a lot less crayfish.

Mike

I am going up to fish the Merrimack River tonight, out of Salisbury or Newburyport.

It appears that at this time of year the bait shops close at 6pm. I know I can't
make it up there before 6pm, I'll be lucky if I make it at 7.

Anybody know of any shops or any other places we might find in that area to get
at least some sea worms?


	thanks, Steve

    Surfland on plum island should be open.  Try and snag some pogies and
    live line them.
    
    Gordon

    How does one "live-line" a pogie or polack(sp?)  And for that matter,
    how does one snag them?
    
    
    Jim
    

re:                      <<< Note 46.16 by MR4DEC::FBUTLER >>>

>    How does one "live-line" a pogie or polack(sp?)  And for that matter,
>    how does one snag them?

	I've never done it, but if I did I'd fish it like a shiner.
	Ie, put a hook through the lips (or head or tail) and just let 	
	out line letting the pogie swim around hopefully to be inhaled by
	a striper.   Drifting or anchored.  I've heard of people clipping 
	tail fins to slow down the baitfish, and to make it swim erratically.

	WHen I was a kid I went striper fishing with a friend of the 	
	family's.  We caught a mess of mackeral with mackeral jigs, 
	and then headed into shore to fish with them.  We put the hook thru
	the head and used bobbers a few feet from the mackeral.  It produced 
	a couple of 22-26 lb stripers that day.  The boat I was on is the one
	I bought last fall.

	I've never snagged pogies, but I have a big treble hook with a 
	chunk of lead on it that I bought for this purpose.  If you run into
	a school of them, you just cast it into them and retrieve quickly
	to snag em.  I suppose a crankbait would work too.

	Ken

Surfland was indeed open last night till 8pm. I picked up a few 
eels and some sea worms. In the Merrimack, there were pogies
around us most of the time we were out. Someone suggested to me
yesterday that the best way is to use a gill net to pick them 
up.

I picked up a 31" striper on drifting sea worms. It was my
first shot at striper fishing. The fish put on a good show
and made a long night worth it.

However, I should take a refresher time management course,
getting back at 3:45am makes it tough to get going the next 
day.

	Steve

    Pogies are snagged using the weighted treble hook as previously
    described.  Cast into the school and reel fast and jerk the rod to snag
    them.
    
    Put them into a live well asap.  Pogies need to swim constantly to
    get oxygen and will die qwickly in a bucket of water.
    
    I hook them just behind the eyes and let them swim or slow troll.  The
    bass will find them as they are making a racket on the water.  If you
    can keep it on the edge of the school, the predators look for confused
    and hurt baitfish.
    
    I have only used pogies a couple of times, but the bass really go crazy
    over them.  Monday, I must have had 4-5 hits on the same pogy;
    unfortunity, the hooks I was using were too small and the bass didn't
    get hooked.  The next time I'm using a treble.
    
    The best way to get undamaged pogies is with a cast net, or small gill
    net.  However throwing a cast net is an art in itself.
    
    Gordon
    

re:                      <<< Note 46.19 by PENUTS::GORDON >>>

>    The next time I'm using a treble.
    
	The only problem with a treble is it may be tough to release
	an undersized fish in good health.  I recently read a technique 
	that suggested cutting off 1 hook from the treble to get a tandem 
	type of hook.  Use one side for the bait, the other side exposed,
	to increase chances of hookup.  The description also mentioned 
	squeezing the barb, but I don't know if I agree with that.   Lip 
	hooks aren't too tough to undo with a barbed hook.

	Or how about just trying bigger hooks ?   

	Also, if the hook was buried in the bait, that would decrease the 
	chance of a hookup I'd think.   It seems like hooking through the 
	lips, which is real tough, you can leave much more hook exposed
	without losing the bait.  With more hook exposed, more chance of
	a hookup.

	Ken

re: reply to past few reply's

    - Good to know Surfland was open till 8:00pm last night.
      This will allow me to get fresh bait near dusk for midnight fishing.

    - When Snagging porgies I put them in a bucket first to wash off any
      excess blood from being hooked.  After I know they are not bleeders
      I transfer them to my live bait wells ( or fresh bucket of water).
      If I gutt hook a porgy I may toss them over or keep them aside for 
      use as cut bait later.  Blood in the the well/bucket will kill them quick.

    - When I use a single hook I usually lip hook them.
      When I use two single hooks I lip and tail hook them.
      When I use a treble hook I set the hook up on back below Fin.

     -< Tuna Tail >- aboard the FishTeaser monitorin CB 19 & VHF 9

    re: .-1, how long can you keep pogies alive in a bucket or small live-
    well?  I have a very small boat.  I might consider adding a small
    live-well, but don't have the room for anything very large.
    
    Thanks,
    Mark
    

    re: .22
    
    A ole DECcie friend of mine who taught me to fish the Merrimack just
    used a plastic trash can filled 3/4 way with water and we loaded it
    with around 20-30 Mack's.  We used a bucket to mt some H20 out and
    pour fresh H20 in often and they kept ok for 2-3 hrs.
    
    I have live wells and most kept alive for 6 hrs then I released those
    not used.  I don't keep many in the live wells to make sure they don't
    use more Oxygen then system can pump in.  Depending on size bait
    and size live well.  I put around 6-10 Mack's - Pogies.
    
    Also they sell portable pumps that work of your battery to stuff into
    buckets that probably work as well as fixed live wells.  But I have
    not tried them.  They don't cost much and will keep your pogies etc
    alive longer.
    
    As your boat is small consider the portable pump as a way to not fix
    a live well in your boat and thus give up some space unless you need
    one for the total season.
    
    -< Tuna Tail >- 

	When I used live mackeral when I was a kid, we'd keep them
	in an ash barrel attached to the side or stern of the boat.
	THe ash barrel or whatever it's called looks like a standard 
	size galvanized metal trash can with tons of holes throughout.
	When you have it over the size, fresh seawater flows in 
	constantly.  I forget what we did when we went from the
	mackeral water to the striper water.  Either just pulled
	the barrel-minus-water out and they'd survive the [short?] ride, 
	or placed the hole-filled barrel inside another regular barrel 
	filled with water inside the boat until they could go back over
	the side.

	Ken

    RE: Treble hooks
    
    I recently read a study, in sept Saltwater sportsman, on fish mortality
    after being caught.
    
    The article said, if I read it correctly, that most fish hooked by
    treble hooks were lip hooked thus released unharmed; while those with
    single hooks were more likely to be gut hooked.  Those gut hooked the
    leader was cut and the hook left inside the fish.  To my surprise, the
    fish were feeding again the next day according to the study.
    
    I'll try and re-read the article tonight and see if I got it right
    about the treble hooks.
    
    Gordon
    

    Thanks Tuna-Tail,
    
    It sounds like a portable pump and a bucket/barrell is a reasonable
    thing to try.
    
    Now for the next question.  How hard is it to learn to use a throw
    net and what size/type is best?  I noticed they are not too expensive
    in Cabelas.  I think they offer 6' and 8' models in either mono or
    nylon.  Any experience out there?
    
    Thanks,
    Mark
    

    RE: .26
    
    	I have a small cast net that I've used for 5-6 years now.  I found
    it real easy to learn, in fact I walked out on the lawn, followed the
    simple directions and made a good throw the first time.  Must be easy!
    	A few things to take into account when buying one:
    
    	They are usually sized by radius (or hang length).  Mine is only a
    3.5 ft. (7 ft. dia.).  Check first, an 8' net could be a real handful
    or more, some of the larger ones have to be held in your mouth also!
    
    	Mesh size is also critical.  Mine is usually thrown in shallow
    water at small bait so I don't need a real fast sink rate.  Mine is
    3/8" mesh.  Fine for the baby herring, but for pogies you'd be better
    off with a 1" mesh that would sink faster.
    
    	After you use it clean it off and let it dry before you pack it
    back up.  With good care it'll last a long time.  Don't forget that
    they're made of mono and will deteriorate faster if left in the sun all
    the time.
    
    	Sooo...  Go for it!  Small initial investment that could pay back
    lots of free bait!
    					B.C.

    re: treble hooks
    
    Yup, I read it right, stripers don't swallow treble hooks as easily as
    single hooked lures/plugs/bait.
    
    The article implied that using treble hooks would give a better
    survival rate.
    
    Also nickle plated hooks "rusted" out fastest with bronze/laquer being
    next, stainless being the worst.
    
    Gordon

I can catch a lot of scup at my mooring before going out.  They are 
relatively easy to keep alive.  Are they good live bait?

Assuming they are how does one rig them?

What will they attract?

thx,

Carl

    B.C. Thanks for the info on the cast net.  I've always wanted to give
    it a try.  I think i will.
    
    Mark,
    

>>                                                 <<< Note 46.30 by DATABS::STORM >>>
>>
>>    B.C. Thanks for the info on the cast net.  I've always wanted to give
>>    it a try.  I think i will.
>>    
>>    Mark,
    
Mark,

Someone put a note in hear somewhere (or maybe it was BOATs notes) about a catalog
company that sells nets of all kinds and sizes. You might want to look up that note
and ask for a catalog (they're free). They have two catalogs (get both), one for fishing
and other assorted items (plus nets) and I believe the other is just nets.

It took only several days to get the catalog. A farmer friend of mine that the price 
on the racoon traps was good (it was a lot better than the other prices he saw anyway) and
he picked up 6.

I originally ordered the catalog to get nets for hockey goals.

I know they had cast nets in there.

	Steve

    re: .29
    
    	I've heard that scup are good bluefish bait but that stripers
    	won't touch them.
    
    			Robert.
    

 I know people use scup as live bait for white marlin...

re: .26 Mark,

	Not sure where the best deal on  portable pumps would be but 
        I've found the prices at the FAIR in Shrewsbury to be pretty 
        competitive.   SPAGS has some good deals in there sport shop also.

re. .29 Carl,	

	They use Scup down the Cape for Stripers.
	I was told to try it and did but to no avail except for sand sharks
	galore and a skate.  Finally caught a small striper on a lure when
	all the live and frozen bait (scup and eels) ran out.  Can you figure???
	I used treble setting one hook in front of dorsel fin.

 "Week"end report.  

	I was on Merrimack Friday afternoon to midnight and Saturday 
	10am to 10pm.  Result...."one" 13# Bluefish and two crabs.
	Ouch....   Choppy during day Saturday but Fri/Sat night the river
	and mouth and ocean was glass.  Beautiful sunset and full moon rise
	at same time Saturday night.  Just good to be out.  
	Used lures, live eels and sea worms.  Blue on lure outside mouth
	and crabs on worms around Badgers rocks

	I was told they nailed the blues Saturday at daybreak at mouth.
	Naturally!!!

-< Tuna Tail >-

Interesting info on the treble hooks.   It makes sense.  Come to 
think of it, use of trebles hardly ever is a problem with fresh
water fish on those multi-treble lures.

Ken

	In reading several of the recent replies in this note,
I thought I'd voice my opinion on several subject here,
instead of replying to each individually.  Therefore I offer
the following:

RE: NETS FOR POGGIES - The best method of capturing poggies
is with a floating gillnet.  I think you'll be wasting your
time with a cast net unless you're very good.  It'll have to
sink like a rock and the poggies will have to be densely packed
under your net with no place to run.  Memphis Net and Twine
Company (I think that's their name) can provide you with just
about anything you may need in a gill net, for less money then
you'd expect.  A typical FLOATING gill net used in the
Merrimack for poggies will run you around $30.  In Mass. you
can fish a tended gill net of less then 200 sq ft without a
license (greater then 200 sq ft requires a permit).  I suggest
a 1.5 - 1.75 inch mesh (3 - 3.5 inch stretch) net made of
medium strength (15 to 20 lb test) mono.  I fish a 7 ft deep by
50 ft long net (yes I have a permit).  I have friends that
fish 6 by 30 and 10 by 20 nets with very good success.  The
lighter the mono the better the results, because it is harder
for the fish to see.  However heavy mono is easier to fish
because the net doesn't tangle as easily and when it gets
snagged on a pier, bridge, rock or log it is easier to get free
without major damage to the net.  Oh yes you'll also need a
boat to fish a gill net.  But then again I've never tried to
use one from shore before.  One other note on gill netting
poggies - they work best in the dark.  Netting poggies in
ocean water during the day is nearly impossible with a small
net.  In brackish/dirty river water on an overcast day it's
possible but difficult.  At night all you have to do is find
out where the fish are and presto - instant livebait.  

RE: LIVEWELLS - I have a 16' skiff I use to fish stripers in
the Merrimack.  As soon as the poggies or herring are running
I use them for bait almost exclusively.  I use a 30 Gallon
plastic drum (the kind Soda Syrup is distributed in) cut in
half.  I have a Rule 500 Gal/hr pump hung over the transom
and a 1.5 inch overboard drain via a thru hull fitting.  Cost
me about $35 in all and it works great.  I can keep up to
40 poggies alive all day!  Keep in mind that a live well
should not have any corners otherwise the poggies will stick
their nose into it and drown.

RE: HOOKS - I've used many different types of hook rigs on
poggies for stripers.  I've found that a single 7/0 to 9/0
hook works very well with very few fish dropped.  I think a
single treble hooks works better from a hookup perspective,
but I've found it much more difficult to release an undersized
fish unharmed.  When the fish are really feeding they'll suck
down that poggie resulting in a gut hook and the only way to
release it is to cut the line.  I doubt the survival rate for
a fish gut hooked with a treble is very high.  If the fish are
playing (as opposed to feeding) I find that a stinger rig works
best with either single or treble hooks.  Again depending upon
conditions I usually drift poggies on mono or troll them on
lead or mono with and without a weight.

RE: SALISBURY/MERRIMACK STRIPER GET-TOGETHER - Yes I might be
interested depending upon the day.  I'd be happy to show
folks a few of the more popular fishing spots on the Merrimack
and a few of my methods.  But I'll reserve the right to keep a
few secret hot spots to myself.  As far as my qualifications
are concerned - I was brought up on the Merrimack in Newburyport.
I've been fishing stripers there for more years then I care to
count.  I've bought every rock in the river and know it like the
back of my hand.  I fish mostly nights/early mornings on weekends
and vacations and I hate the weekend fishing crowds, but such is
life.  I've caught over 50 keeper stripers in the past 2 seasons
with hundreds more fish released.  My largest striper is 46lbs
and I'm still looking to break the 50lb barrier.

Regards,
Dave (AKA Bait Master, Bubba and PITA)

> I think you'll be wasting your
>time with a cast net unless you're very good.  It'll have to
>sink like a rock and the poggies will have to be densely packed
>under your net with no place to run. 

 The key to catching pogies with a cast net is to catch them before it gets
too light out. If you can toss over them without them seeing you, you should 
be all set. But your net does have to sink FAST. A slow sinking net in the
middle of the day is just about useless.

    	Actually, a coarse mesh cast net will sink more like lead...  A
    little faster than a rock. ;^)  The idea is to have the cast net
    weights all hit the water at the same time.  The fish dart away from
    the nearest splash, a certain percentage of them towards the center of
    the net.  By the time they get to the other side the lead is deeper
    than they are and they run into the net.  As the net sinks it's like an
    inverted bowl till you pull on the line to close the bottom around
    them.  Mullett are a pretty quick fish also and the cast nets work just
    fine for the folks in Florida. 
    	I realize it's not necessarily the "best" option, but it's small,
    easy to use, and easy to store.  Mine rolls up into about a 6 in. ball.
    If I were to buy one for pogies and big herring it would be at least 1"
    mesh for the faster sink.
    					B.C.

    re: .36
    
    Dave, thanks for all the info.  I envy you growing up around the
    river.  It's a fascinating place.  
    
    Anyway, I'd never thought of a floating gill net.  I have no idea how
    much work or time it would take to use one.  Since I have an hours
    drive to get to the river, I don't want to loose too much more fishing
    time.
    
    Can you give me some idea on what it would take to fish a drift net
    there?
    
    Thanks,
    Mark
    

    RE: .41
    	???  I hope I don't sound like I'm saying that a cast net is "the"
    way to get bait!  That's not my intention at all.  Dave gave us all a
    lot of good info there and the last thing I want to do is argue with
    him.  Exchange opinions yes, argue no. ;^)  Personally, I'd like to
    hear a lot more from him about the area.  I used to fish the flats
    around Woodbridge Island years ago, in fact that's where I caught my
    very first Striper!
    	Please keep the info coming, and let's set up a little get together
    up there!
    				B.C.

    RE: .36
    
    Dave,
    
    I was hoping "the master" would enter into this conversation and
    provide some expert advise.
    
    How have you been, haven't seen you on the river recently.
    
    Gordon

    re: .42 and "meat file" 
    
    B.C.: Aw - I just read this conference to find out where the fish are :^)
    
    	  Actually, I've been known to keep an eye on the odd s/w bait rod
          on rare occasions (don't tell anyone but I even enjoyed it! ;^)
    
    	  My "comment" in .41 was inspired by the previous reply .40, which
          indicated some very warm feelings (!) concerning gill nets and
          his intentions toward same. His was an understandable reaction to
          the generic issue of gill-nets, but I suspect the proportion of 
          the reaction was far in excess of the particular application
          being discussed here (ie: as a tethered, small-scale, real-time,
          bait-catching device). 
    
    	  The generic issue, of course, includes wholesale netting of
          anadromous species (that *really* torques my ferrules) and 
    	  the high-seas "drift-nets" which have garnered plenty of negative 
          press in the last few years, both for the incredible carnage of
          the "by-catch" that these many-mile-long, non-selective devices 
          inevitably cause, and for the "ghost-net" syndrome that is equally 
          disgusting to the senses. I'm sure we all would agree that these
          misuses of nets exist in the criminal plane, and while I'd advise 
          against prop-wrapping one of these things if found loose 
          (miles 'n' miles of mono!) reporting to the local C.G. would 
          certainly be in order....
    
    	  In any case, even us "almost 100% dedicated" fly-chuckers can 
          handle the concept of a gill net for catching bait, as long as all 
          of the catch is used or released (alive, obviously) and not wasted.
          That, I think, is the key...
    
    /dave (Watching from Out There in Catch 'n' Release Land ;^)

Hello again....

I don't as much time as I'd like to dabble in the notesfiles,
so if it takes me a while to respond please be patient.

RE: .37 - It sounds like the key to catching poggies with a
net is doing it in the dark.  Probably more important however
is learning where the fish hang out at various times of the
tide and year.  Typically the poggies move up and down river
with the tide.  I find that they spread out much more on the
incoming tide and tend to form tighter schools on the out
going.  This time of year they will tend to stay closer to the
mouth of the river and can probably be found somewhere between
the RT 1 bridge and the toothpick.  They're probably be heading
back out to the ocean in the next 2-4 weeks.  Earlier in the
season (June) you may have to go all the way to Merrimac to find
them at high tide.

RE: .39 - Using a gillnet is fairly easy with a little practice.
The trick to success is setting it correctly where the fish are.
On a typical night it will take me about 1/2 an hour to get
enough bait (I like to have about 20 when I'm fishing alone and
upwards of 35 when someone is with me).  Some nights I'll catch
50+ is 2 minutes and then spend the next 45 minutes picking them
out of the net.  On the other hand there have been nights where
I've fished for 4 hours for bait without success, but those are
rare.  Usually a few other friends in boats are out and we
search the river until one of us finds the fish and calls the others
on the radio.  Teamwork!!!  As far as how I fish the net - I keep
the net stored in one of the blue rubbermaid storage containers
(about 1' x 1.5' x 1.5') with a cover.  I attached about 25' of
floating line to the net and tie the other end to the boat.  I
usually feed the net out by putting the boat in gear and slowly
feeding the top and bottom of the net in each hand.  Remember to
turn the motor slightly to the side of the boat you are feeding
the net from as you don't want to wrap it in the prop.  I pull the
net in similar to the way I let it out.  You know you have fish in
the net simply by holding the line, you can feel them in it.
Depending on where I'm fishing the net, I either pull the whole net
into the boat at once, or if there is nothing in the way like 
another boat or mooring, I sometimes pull the net in and pick the
fish as I go.  Either way works for me.

RE: .42 - So you want to know more on the area.  How do you
propose I do that?  Perhaps if you have some questions I could
answer them or maybe the get together?  I've fished the flats
many times especially early in the season and caught many fish there
in past years.  Typically it's best when it's high tide at dawn.

RE: .43 - Hello Gordon...The reason that you haven't seen me much
recently is that I'm usually either out at night or out to sea tuna
wishing.  I've recently got into shark fishing and it can be lots
of fun.  We tangled with a Mako last Sunday, unfortuantely he spit
the hook after about 20 minutes.  Blue Sharks are fun too especially
the big ones and not bad eating if you gut them immediately.  Oh yes
remember that it's better to be a bait master then a master baiter!

Until next time....
Dave

    Dave, thanks again for the info.  It sounds like a drift net will
    be quite workable with my small boat.
    
    Mark,
    

Mark,

	I think the smaller the boat the easier it is to fish a gillnet.
It's easier to maneuver the boat and net especially in tight quarters.
One other thing to watch out for are things that the net can get caught on
like canvas snaps, cleats, rivots etc.  They can be a real pain when letting
out or pulling in the net.

Dave

    After reading notes in here late last summer, my partner and I spent
    the winter ordering gillnets and rigging live wells in our tinboats.
    Friday morning was our first attempt at netting pogies and it was
    very frustrating.  We didn't get a single pogy.  Obviously, we were
    making a few rookie mistakes.  I'd appreciate if anyone could help
    me pinpoint what it is.
    
    First, we found some bait near the mooring field at the end of the
    flats.  We couldn't seem to get in the vacinity of the bait.  We'd
    set the net and the bait would move off.  We were the only boat in
    the area.  Everyone else was apparently up river netting pogies.  Is
    there some reason they are harder to net there?
    
    Also, I'm real confused about how you are supposed to set the net
    in relationship to the bait.  Do you try to set it across and upcurrent 
    from the bait in hopes that it drifts into them, Set it with the
    current in the general vacinity of the bait and just hope they swim
    that way?
    
    Thanks.  Getting up at 2:00a.m. to fish unsuccessfully for bait is
    something I don't want to repeat too often!
    
    Mark,
    

    Hello,
    
    Mr Moderator i'm not sure where this topic should go so feel free to
    move it. 
    
    I need some tips/help on trapping (EELS) for Stripper bait. I purchased
    an eel trap and have bee getting SUPER LARGE eels 24" to 30" inches
    long. I can't seem to trap the smaller ones. So my fishing pal thouhgt
    we needed to wrap the trap with 1/4" mesh kinda like tie wrapped to the
    3/4 X 1/2" mesh. Since then we have got nothing ??? I have a few
    questions and hopefully I can so catch a few bait sized eels.
    
    Q What's the best EEL baits ?
    
    Q Do you this I need to paint the 1/4" mesh thats covering the bigger
      mesh BLACK, since maybe the eels don't like galv. color and tie
      wraps?
    
    Q Where the best place to locate an EEL trap ??? I'm trapping on the 
                                                     swamscute river.
                                                     (spelling)
    
    Any help to this rookie Stripper fisherman would surely be appreciated!
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    MIke
    

    Mikey,
    
    I doesn't seem anyone out there KNOWS anything about trapping live
    EELS.
    This must mean they don't know how to really STRIPER fish. I try and
    get you some info from my fishing pals next week... Hope you get some
    EELS in that trap!
    
    Nase, who perfers lobster fishing!!!
    

    My nephew traps live eels a lot just for fun and releases them :-(
    When my brother told me I said I pay $1.00 ea for them.  He laughed :-(
    I'll ask him how they are caught and let you know.
    They live in Salem and their home is only 200' or so from one
    of the rivers' feeding Salem harbour.
    
    -< Tuna Tail >-

    	I used to trap eels for a guy as a kid in the Merrimack river. He
    used to sell them down in Newburyport for $.50/lb. so we wanted the
    larger variety.
    
    	The eel traps were placed in shallow, out of the current areas of
    the river. A buoy tied to a rope which was tied to the trap was used to
    mark and pull the trap.
    
    	This guy used to get burlap sacks full of horseshoe crabs for bait.
    Not sure were he got them but they were $25 a bag and one bag baited
    just over 60 traps. We would quarter them with hatchets and put a quarter 
    in each trap. The traps were rebaited every other time we pulled them and 
    we pulled them every other day.
    
    	As I said, we were after the bigger eels. To get the smaller ones
    you're just going to have to get a trap with smaller mesh or modify the
    trap you have somehow.
    
    	Hope this helps.
    	
    	RAYJ

The problem with putting a bouy on the traps is it tells the local scum where to
raid your eel traps.

    Thanks for the input, I have changed over to crabs/shellfish for bait
    and its working. I have modified the trap with smaller mesh - so far so
    good
    Mike
    

    question....
    how long can you keep maggots (grubs) in your fridge for????
    
    the kingfisher
    

    WHEN THE BLUEBOTTLES START EATING YOUR YOUGHART, DRINKING YOUR MILK
    AND SH*TTING ON YOUR MC`EWANS EXPORT THEN I`D SAY THEY HAVE BEEN IN
    YOUR FRIDGE LONG ENOUGH
    
                           THOMAS " THE GAFF " POUTON
    
    PS  AS AN AFTER THOUGHT IF THEY ARE FAMILY PETS, BODY-WARMERS WOULDN`T
        COME AMISS !!!!!! 
     
    

    remember that 30 pence worth are yours......tommy
    
    

<    question....
<    how long can you keep maggots (grubs) in your fridge for????
    
   'til your wife finds them

Al

I couldn't resist:-):-):-)