How to cut up a baitfish

http://www.reefari.com
How to cut up a baitfish is an easy video showing a couple of tips on how to get the most of your fresh bait. When reef fishing, fresh bait and flesh can't be beat, and of course you'll catch more quality reef fish as well. Any small fish such as stripeys, hussar, iodine bream, etc, any small fish at all should be filletted, and can be used as bait. We'll fillet up the bait fish, and depending on the size of the fillets, can be cut into good bait size pieces. I prefer long thin pieces which make for a great bait. Also don't forget the wings, top bait for your larger red emperor, and other quality coral trout, cod etc. Wings are great and you get less pickers. If heaps of pickers, use a bigger bait to get away from the crowds. Check out the beaut coral trout Jason got on wings in the intro Thumbnail, Guaranteed to work, and another top fish.

Other tricks when cutting up a baitfish is to use the tail and meat around the tail, I like to cut the tail fin off, but still keep half their for colour, The yellow or red tails help a bit too I think, and once again quality fish fall for it all the time. You mighn't get as many bites, but they will be quality.
Feel free to muck around with your baits, will even use them whole, or fillet and cut the baitfish in half, even using the head, so show's anything goes and is well worth a try.
Fresh flesh bait is the go, and saves money on frozen bait such as pilchards and Squid, although still great to have onboard, We use a Paternoster rig with two hooks, and I like to offer a smorgasboard with a selection of bait. The pilchards are soft, but this is good as they break up and act as berley attracting other fish, or get them excited and feeding well. With the Flesh and Squid alot tougher to get off.
Their you have it, try some fresh flesh, next time, you'll catch more, and your better quality reef fish such as coral trout and Red Emperor.
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Cheers Greg
Also next time you're looking for a fishing charter, make sure you check out what we have to offer, some of the best reef and sports fishing on the planet, just sensational at
http://www.reefari.com/charters/mackay-fishing-charters.html

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• how
• to
• cut
• up
• baitfish
• bait
• tail
• fresh
• flesh
• fillet
• wings
• quality
• reef
• fish
• pilchards
• squid
• coral
• trout
• red
• emperor

[sirhan234]

Hi umm you should use the eye balls as well

[Reefari]

You can experiment and use the head as well with half a fillet, the old timers even stand on and squash the Hussar heads, making them easier for Big Reds to eat, so worth a try for catching better quality reef fish, top bait the fresh stuff,

Cheers Greg

[isometricJ]

If I caught one of those "bait fish" or similar sized fish, I would eat it lol.

[Reefari]

Plenty of Hussar, They are great eating but, we use the small ones for bait, but a legal size of 25cm still applies, Great bait for Red Emperor, so well worth it,

cheers Greg

[pinkfloyd2341]

:O poor fish :O

[Reefari]

Bit of a shame I know for the small fish, they are very numerous on the reef, and fresh is best for bait, and great for good quality fish,

Cheers Greg

[HRTHRFDD]

@Reefari stop sayin "cheers greg" god dammit

[Reefari]

Would work for sure, big fresh flesh baits, and a bit of fin and colour are the go,

Cheers Greg

[Benno074]

do you ever "butterfly" the hussar Greg??? We used that cut fresh bait method when targeting reds with great sucess.

[Reefari]

Will be an awesome weekend weatherwise, Forget to mention the fusiliers, but top bait fresh as well, they go mushy when frozen. But definately worth using the tails, thanks for the feedback,

Cheers Greg