Big Cod Bait

[The Plum]

I must admit I don't know where the best marks are for the big fish up my way. Far fewer people fishing up this neck of the woods (in winter anyway) in my experience so less people to ask/ local knowledge etc. Just need to put the hours in I guess

I agree with you deans as to smaller codling not so keen on fish baits. Not thinking of ditching the rag, mussel, squid etc but introducing more fish and crab into my bait bucket from these posts.

Again with the luck stories around catching monsters on single worms etc. I am looking for a slightly more consistent and targeted approach. There are many more consistent anglers on here, for example posing in their garage on a regular basis with fish other anglers on here would kill to catch....not mentioning any names

therl be some great marks for big and normal stamp fish where you are no doubt about it,itl be better there than down here

[Stewart 1971]

had a 14lb on squid-steetly
a 15lb cock clam-noses
one this season just under 10lb mackeral/cart mix
had 15 fish over 5lb this season already , all sorts of baits,

they tack out man,

fish baits good, but if your in a crowded comp its likely someone will have better bait and the fish gan for there's.
cart/ fresh crab, usually outfishes fish baits. (however some northern marks an exception)

but if your pleasure fishing, and not many other baits in the water, makeral sausage good as out for fish over 4lb. believe you me

am a big believer that the cod below 3lb tend to dislike makeral, better off with lug. am one for waiting for better stamp- wouldn't fish for anything else............ ......... just my opinion ................just my opinion.....


its more about finding a few marks, fishing them regular, and find out when is the best tide and conditions. and only go to them marks on the correct tide/ condition. , just look at the top anglers- a lot of them go to the same marks over and over again, I could name a few from my end

Good post Dean and makes a lot of sense.

Interesting about the smaller codling and Mackerel though. I had stacks of codling from 1 1/2lb down to mini codlets over the summer on Bluey, in fact I reckon I've had more fish (of whatever species) this year on Bluey than any other bait.

[Davyred]

had a 14lb on squid-steetly
a 15lb cock clam-noses
one this season just under 10lb mackeral/cart mix
had 15 fish over 5lb this season already , all sorts of baits,

they tack out man,

fish baits good, but if your in a crowded comp its likely someone will have better bait and the fish gan for there's.
cart/ fresh crab, usually outfishes fish baits. (however some northern marks an exception)

but if your pleasure fishing, and not many other baits in the water, makeral sausage good as out for fish over 4lb. believe you me

am a big believer that the cod below 3lb tend to dislike makeral, better off with lug. am one for waiting for better stamp- wouldn't fish for anything else............ ......... just my opinion ................just my opinion.....


its more about finding a few marks, fishing them regular, and find out when is the best tide and conditions. and only go to them marks on the correct tide/ condition. , just look at the top anglers- a lot of them go to the same marks over and over again, I could name a few from my end

Great reply Dean, couldn't agree more.

Target places that produce big fish and fish for big fish - heavier traces/hooks and bigger baits. The big bait is for the scent as they're normally solitary fish, so you want them to smell your bait.

[Deans]

Good post Dean and makes a lot of sense.

Interesting about the smaller codling and Mackerel though. I had stacks of codling from 1 1/2lb down to mini codlets over the summer on Bluey, in fact I reckon I've had more fish (of whatever species) this year on Bluey than any other bait.

the marks I fish seaham/ hawthorn, the cod up to about 3lb prefer the lug/blacks/ yellows . just look at the last comp, who won it, what bait he was using. no names mentioned ha ha

if the makeral is the only bait in the water- they might tak it anyways.

it always changes when there a few anglers fishing beside you though doesn't it.
I mean if I had only makeral and someone turned up and had a bucket of cart, I would just walk away and fish somewhere else, I wouldn't stand a chance, on the shots around hawthorn and that

[canman]

When we regularly fished Balcary, the only bait that seemed to catch the cod were lug. Ken's 40lber and my 30lber took lug only. We use to take frozen crab over, but gave up using it as it never caught.

[Deans]

interesting that.
every mark different

[Stewart 1971]

Been a fascinating thread this, some really intersting stuff.

Drifting OT but I wanted to go back to one thing...

Just landed a 5lb cod tonight using frozen black and peeler. Used what I had in the freezer. Caught another 2lb 10 mins later on the same bait.

Big fish had a belly full of sand eels.

I wud never cast the same bait back in the water the 2lb fish must have been clamin peach

I once had a 7 1/2lb, 6lb then 9 1/2lb Smoothhound on the same bit of crab. All three fish hit the bait not long after casting out and instead of wasting time baiting up I hoyed it back out while baiting up another rig. By the time I landed the 9 1/2 there was nowt left but a bit of bait elaccy or I'd have hoyed it out again as I still didn't have the next rig baited up

More prosaically, I had the same late summer on Roker. Had a codling about 1 1/4lb on crab just after casting out, didn't have another rig ready so hoyed it back out while I baited up. Ten minutes later nod nod and another similar size codling on the same bait...

[regpude]

done same thing myself,cast out gets i 2lb,left same bait on +a shrimp it spat out,BANG 17lb cod.pb.down marsden bays area.

[Prof Peach]

I've been guilty of presenting muckle dungeoness sized baits on a 6/0 with 3 worms, half a squid and garnished with mussels and whatever else I have to hand, hoping a 15lb cod's going to swallow it whole and lip the greedy hook.

One of the things I'm doing differently is smaller baits but changed more often. Keep it fresh n juicy. That 5lber was caught on a 4/0 3/0 pennel with one fattish frozen black lug and a peeler crab.

[Bushwhacker]

When we regularly fished Balcary, the only bait that seemed to catch the cod were lug. Ken's 40lber and my 30lber took lug only. We use to take frozen crab over, but gave up using it as it never caught.

All the fish me and my mates had from there were on smelly baits.
Smelly Lug and Mussel were the best.I had my biggest fish on a big baiting of rotten Ragworm.Never had much on fresh worm.
We used to fight over the rubbish bin in the car park for the smelly big blacks the lads from Blackpool used to leave there.
During the summer in the Solway i have had loads of Codling up to 4lb on big macky baits intended for Congers.

[ShaunC]

I've not hit a double yet but most of my bigger fish I take on bluey Mussel cocktail. I head and tail the bluey then half it. Cut down the middle turning it inside out. Stuff two Mussel inside a wrap with elastic cotton. Bait gets the scent out quick but doesn't last long I like to keep casting in the same area every 15 mins max to get a good scent trail going

[Karl M]

mackerel fillet wrapped up in 3 or 4 frozen blacks. This has accounted for my biggest fish the last 2 seasons.

How does a 6oz dab fit that in its mouth?

[bigroppa]

How does a 6oz dab fit that in its mouth?

I foul hooked 1 of them and the other was sucking on my bait elastic lol