OT - Need help with bait for deep sea fishing......

[Poultrygeist]

I'm taking the family out with Hurricane Fleet out of Calabash next week. They will provide us with squid but they will sell other bait or let me bring my own. We are suppose to be going out 5-15 miles on a big boat that can carry about 100 people. Any bait recommendations?

Thanks

 

[usc4ever15]

I usually fish with frozen cigar minnows.... Or occasionally cut small fish and use them. Really depends on what u you are fishing for? Specific fish or just wanna catch something ? lol if u don't care what you catch a say cigar minnows

 

[Poultrygeist]

I usually fish with frozen cigar minnows.... Or occasionally cut small fish and use them. Really depends on what u you are fishing for? Specific fish or just wanna catch something ? lol if u don't care what you catch a say cigar minnows

It really doesn't matter, just trying to be sure we catch something.

 

[IH8FATBRAD]

At 5/15 miles, it will be mostly black Sea Bass. They eat any and everything. You may wanna get some whole finger mullett. That close in, you may can pickup a flounder right now. I go through plenty of cigar minnows, but usually am further offshore. You will be in 50/60 feet of water. You may wanna go for the home run, and get some dead blue crabs. A cobia cant resist them. Also bring a spinning rod, and a gotcha lure for Spanish.

 

[usc4ever15]

Yea finger mullet is good as well... between that and cigar minnows you can't go wrong

 

[78 Yardcock]

Good luck keeping your lines untangled and away from those 100 other people. That's your biggest battle on a bottom drift boat.

 

[superflyby]

Put a clemsux hat on your hook as bait and you can catch a sucker or two...or three...or...never mind I think there is such thing as an "ass fish". They would surely take that bait.

 

[jonesz21]

cut up the first fish you catch and use it as bait

 

[ClemsonBlozz]

just use the squid.. If you are on the fish,, they will eat about anything.. If you're not on the fish,, well,, you know that story... Most time boats will not let you use anything you catch as bait,, as it will go against your daily limit and they have no way to prove how many fish you "kept"..
100 people on a head boat is not a mess as far as lines tangling unless there is a lot of current, but until you get out past about 30-40 miles,, the current really isn't that bad..