Rigging a Live Bait

There are two main things that you need to remember when using live bait. One is that, depending on which state or territory that you are fishing in, there will be restrictions on what you can use and the minimum size the live bait can be. Secondly you need to make sure that you don’t put the hook through the lateral line as you will to kill the live bait.

As an example, at the time of writing, here in NSW tailor make a great live bait, with the legal size for a tailor in NSW set at 30cm. You may think that 30cm is rather large to use as a live bait, however it’s not.

I have used fish of this size and larger when chasing mulloway and very large dusky flathead. I know a couple of anglers who use snapper from 1 to 1.5kg to target sharks. Personally, I would rather eat a snapper of that size.

Throughout Australia there are many different fish species that you can use for live bait. The main ones that I use are poddy mullet, yellowtail, hardy heads, whitebait, garfish, and slimy mackerel.

In the accompanying sketch you will see that I have shown you how to rig up a live fish in three different ways. Later in this series of Fishing Techniques I will run you through rigging “Live or dead Squid – Sliding and fixed snooded hook”.

Technique 1

Mullet, yellowtail, whitebait, and slimy mackerel are longer than they are round and one of the ways that I like to rig them up live is to pass the hook through the bridge of the nose, as this part of the fish is quite firm, and the hook seems to stay well connected. This will allow the fish to swim freely, while still having its mouth open.

I wouldn’t necessarily use this rig where I am required cast a fair distance as the hook may pull out as you cast it. Try using the ‘Running Sinker Rig’. This could be used while either anchored up or drifting and targeting flathead.

Technique 2

The position of the hook, when pinning the live bait through the back, is critical. Generally, it goes near or just in front of the first dorsal fin. The trick is to go deep enough so that the hook will hold well, stay rigid and not rip out.

If you go too shallow the hook can rip out, or the hook may turn and go back into the bait when you strike the fish. When inserting the hook, insert the point on a slight angle toward the head, as this way it will allow the hook to lay flat along the body when the live bait is swimming.

You could pin the fish further toward the tail however making sure that the live bait doesn’t hang downwards as this will tend to drown the fish as it is pulled backward. Most fish will take a live bait headfirst, so the spines of the fish lay flat on the body. ensuring it slides down easily.

This is a great rig for John dory, cobia, and kingfish.

Technique 3

The third way that I rig a live bait is by combining Techniques 1 and 2. This can be done by either using a fixed snooded or sliding rig. If the baits that you are using are the same size, the fixed snood would be the go. If the bait length varies across your bait, then the sliding snood would be the one to use as it is easily adjusted to suit the bait.

I tend to use the sliding snood rig when it comes to squid as they can vary in size where I usually catch them.

The top and bottom diagram would be ideal if fishing at anchor in a current. While the centre diagram would be ideal when suspended under a float.

Just about everything that has teeth in the saltwater will take a liking to a live bait. Flathead, snapper, trevally, coral trout, kingfish, mulloway, bonito, tailor and I have even caught Australian salmon on everything from a live silver biddy, yellowtail, slimy mackerel, squid, poddy mullet, tailor, sweep or whiting.

(Remember to check your local regulations on bait gathering equipment and size, bag and possession limits)