Bait Guide

Bait is in store purchase ONLY, we DO NOT ship bait


Herring as Bait Fish
Herring Fillets Herring can be caught in the spring. Fillet them out and salt the fillets. Make sure to identify herring species, see notes below.
SALTED FILLETS:
    These make excellent bait for bluefish, weakfish, and fluke, cut into teaser strips about 1/4" to 1/2" wide either 3" long or length of the fillet.
Herring

LIVELINING HERRING
See Baitfish Regulations for Freshwater
If catching in freshwater, license is REQUIRED.


    These are commonly caught during the early spring (late Feb. to about the end of April). They are on the move, headed to their different spawning grounds, so they are often in one place for about a week or so, then they move on. They make popular live-lining bait to be used during the early summer, for stripers, bluefish and large weakfish. In order to keep them alive, you would have to have dock access with a floating baitwell, or a saltwater bait tank, preferrably with rounded sides as they tend to beat themselves up in the corners if the box is squared.
    We usually see them here in the Mystic Island lagoons about the last week of Feb. thru the end of March, depending on water temps.
    Batsto Falls run usually last couple of weeks in April, about the same for Mayslanding area.
    2012 River Herring (Alewife and Blueback) are CLOSED

    Catching Live Herring:

    The little gold jigs are a must. The anglers fishing with the traditional shad darts were out fished in a bad way. A live well with aerators is needed until you can transfer them to a herring pen for storage (herring pens are custom made - we don't carry them).

    Herring Species and Season Closures ***MUST READ***

    River Herring (Alewife and Blueback) are CLOSED in 2012

    Ocean-going Herring (Atlantic Herring) may still be caught and fished with.

    See: Fish ID Guide Herring for information and identification.

    See Also Baitfish Regulations for Freshwater

    LINKS TO THE MAPS
    FOR MAYSLANDING** AND BATSTO**
    **THESE AREAS ARE CLOSED IN 2012 AS THESE ARE LOCATIONS FOR RIVER HERRING