Shad versus Pillies as bait

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Cobus Blouberg

Senior Member
I spoke to one of the 'elder statesmen' of surf fishing in the Garden Route last night and one of the tips that came up was that as opposed to using pilchards/sardine on from 2 to size 7 hooks for edibles, one might as well or be better advised actually to make the same cuts from shad/elf and use it in the same manner as a pillie bait, or in the typical combo's.

I would have thought that pillies with their high oil content, etc, etc, would be hard to beat?

So what is the experience or history with shad/elf in this respect?

Does it get as much attention, etc?


'Probably a good thing this comes up as topic before 1 December :)
 
C

Cobus Blouberg

Senior Member
I probably should have done this earlier, but check this thread out:
http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=31315&forum_id=45&highlight=shad+bait

I am going to scan the freezer, there might just be a shad or two that did not make it to the smoker or pan, I like the bit of it being a bit more 'pecker proof'! - not wanting to sound like a contraceptive salesman, mind you!
 
J

JasonF

Sealiner
Cobus we once went on a cob mission. Landed a nice elf. Cut a fillet immediatly. The guys around me tould me that I wasted a nice shad. Within 10 minutes from my bait hitting the water I landed a 10kg kob. There is no substitute for fresh bait.
 
D

DJP

Sealiner
Fresh bait and the food source found at the place were you are targeting the predator species is key. Fresh Strepie, shad, mullet will all produce great results, now try a fillet of tough shad back to back with a strip of oily pilchard and you've got the best of both.
 
R

RINEX

Sealiner
THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN AN FRESH SHAD FILLET WHEN YOU GO COB HUNTING.DURING A SHAD RUN IT IS LIKELY THAT COB IS ALSO "HANGING AROUND" ESPECIALLY AFTER SUN SET.MAKE YOUR BAIT NICE LONG AND HAVE A LOOSE PIECE (SWINGING) AT THE END OF YOUR BAIT.ALWAYS EXPOSE THE HOOK.TAKE THE HEAD OF THE SHAD AND RUB IT OVER THE BAIT TO LET THE BLOOD SOAK INTO YOUR FILLET.O YES DON'T PUT YOUR ROD IN YOUR ROD STAND AFTER YOUR CAST :wfish
 
R

RINEX

Sealiner
THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN AN FRESH SHAD FILLET WHEN YOU GO COB HUNTING.DURING A SHAD RUN IT IS LIKELY THAT COB IS ALSO "HANGING AROUND" ESPECIALLY AFTER SUN SET.MAKE YOUR BAIT NICE LONG AND HAVE A LOOSE PIECE (SWINGING) AT THE END OF YOUR BAIT.ALWAYS EXPOSE THE HOOK.TAKE THE HEAD OF THE SHAD AND RUB IT OVER THE BAIT TO LET THE BLOOD SOAK INTO YOUR FILLET.O YES DON'T PUT YOUR ROD IN YOUR ROD STAND AFTER YOUR CAST :wfish
 
D

Def-e-nition

Sealiner
Interesting .
Darius wil attest to Me being the pillie Kingpin of Mossel bay , with me catching just about anything on Pilchard .I slide alot of elf , and would rate only a nice Karanteen as More Rewarding , than elf fillet . It must Be fresh though , as i Notice that once you've frozen it the poor sod goes All soft and mushy . Not the best bait to use then , and in my books as Mushy as pilchard .

I don't like Keeping under size shad though for bait . that Must be Stressed .I sooner ask around for some Karanteen .

CObus i was in your Valley Over the weekend . Really enjoyed the Lagoon . Very Nice .
 
Whaler

Whaler

Sealiner
JA, since Def started R&S there has been a serious decline in Pilchard stocks! his usage is just not sustainable...
 
C

Cobus Blouberg

Senior Member
Thanks All - value of Sealine again confirmed, even a seemingly stupid question helps a lot of us.

I went out to the surf (Sedg lagoon mouth) and had a stick loaded with red-eye pillies and shad (Not fresh, from freezer) and the shad kept being hit quicker than the pillies. And I have a witness :)

Three sandsharks though, sad - but it must be said that I did not float the baits.

Did not have much time though...

And Def - let me know next time. BTW, I got a just on 10 kg cob early Sunday morning in the lagoon, not off the kayak, from the bank. Last week a 6 kg one, so life coming back to us here. Both on pilchards incidentally.

And the leeries are also starting to hit lures at sunset.

Anyway, thanks again everyone.
 
A

adam5016

Sealiner
haha, last time I used flotation to keep the bait awat from the sandies I got a couple of good runs - it turned out that I kept hooking the sandies in the dorsal fin as they couldn't reach the bait with their mouths!
 
T

tubs the sea saver

Sealiner
DJP wrote:
Fresh bait and the food source found at the place were you are targeting the predator species is key. Fresh Strepie, shad, mullet will all produce great results, now try a fillet of tough shad back to back with a strip of oily pilchard and you've got the best of both.
Click to expand...
was just goin to suggest this, its one of my fav langebaan baits for kob and geelbek from the boat
 
B

Big Mic

Senior Member
A shad cutlet/ chop mixed with chokka makes a very good kob bait!!! I will take it over sards anyday!!!
 
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