Cut baits?

[KodiakFisher]

Something I'd be interested in learning more about is using cut baits, or tipping a jig/lure with cut baits instead of using a worm. Are there any good resources out there that I can watch/read through to get the basics? Generally speaking, if I'm fishing, I'm after trout so if there are suggestions, pictures, or tips that anyone here has, I'd love to hear/see those as well.
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[DeadI]

I use the cut bait for tube jig fishing at strawberry and for ice fishing. We will get our bait out of the freezer and put it in a lunch cooler with a couple of the ice packs to keep the bait fairly froze. While on the lake we pull one at a time out of the cooler. Again to keep the others froze.

We cut about a1/4" slice off the side and thread it onto the hook making sure that the hook has gone through skin.

We like chub meat the best as the skin is thicker and stays on the hook better. Hope this helps.
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[utahgolf]

just go to the store before your trip and pick up 5 or 6 fresh pieces of raw shrimp .. just cut a little bit off and tip your jig.. It works just as well and stays on the hook much much better!!!!! I won't buy cut bait or minnows anymore.
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[KodiakFisher]

It does help, one of the things I was unsure of was the size of the meat strip to put on the jig. I'm hopefully headed up to Scofield tomorrow. With any luck I'll be able to catch a chub or two and give the cut bait a try.
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[KodiakFisher]

That sounds like it would work well! What I'm hoping for is the "low-cost" bait. Money is tight right now and if I keep buying worms (or shrimp) every time I intended to go fishing, I'd be in trouble with the wife. Hah.
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[MasterDaad]

I use cut bait frequently. Here are a few tricks I've found handy:

1) Use a "rugged" cut bait. I prefer chub for Strawberry and Scofield. I use sucker (carp) meat as an alternative. I don't use store-bought minnows as the meat is usually too fragile for lots of casting and bottom bouncing.

2) When possible, I will spend some time to catch local bait fish and use "fresh" meat instead of frozen. In my experience it's 50-100% more effective to use fresh meat instead of frozen.

3) For trout I use 1" x 1/2" strips for my jigs. I will hook them with the meat going on the hook first, skin side out. I hook the meat about 1/4" into the long side so most of it is dragging by the action of the jig tail (curly, tube, or swim).

Cut bait is not hard to use at all and it is not expensive. Get some and try it!
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[KodiakFisher]

I didn't think it would be difficult to use, I just never had before and wasn't exactly sure where to start. This gives me a good start. Thank you!
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]There are quite a few trout ponds that also hold perch. And using perch meat is both legal and effective in those lakes. Larger trout tend to feed on baby perch so a bit of perchlet on your jig can pay dividends. You might also catch other perch, walleye, smallmouths or other perch predators on it. Here is a writeup on how I make PPP...processed perch pieces.

You might also consider trying some of the Gulp Alive baits. The minnows...1", 2.5" and 3" sizes all work very well for trout...on a jig or drop shot style. And the worms, maggots and other goodies all work well at times too. Worth keeping some in your tackle box...if you keep them sealed. Besides leaking and messing up your gear they get dried out and worthless if you don't keep them properly stored. They are pricey but often well worth their cost in extra fish caught.
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[KodiakFisher]

You really should write a book. Every single post I've read where you're teaching is always helpful and well illustrated. If assume that most of the same processing would work for chub bait too. Correct?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Thanks. I HAVE written a couple of books. One on float tubing and one on Utah Lake. But not looking to get rich on my writing. Most of what I put together is to help others and I am happy it helps. Here are a couple more writeups.

Can chubs be processed the same way as perch? Yes and no. You can certainly freeze them...or buy them frozen...and then pre-cut them into bait sized pieces...and salt and "flavor" them. Only problem is that most minnows get soft after being frozen. However, some minnow fans salt them heavily before freezing and that removes some moisture and firms them up a bit.

Redside shiners and fathead minnows are the worst for being softened by freezing. Chubs are better but are still not as firm after freezing as they are fresh-dead.

If you plan to use previously frozen chubs, it is better to take them along while still frozen. Then keep them at least semi frozen while fishing. Take out only one or two at a time and cut them into bait size pieces with a good sturdy pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife while they are firm. That cuts them more evenly with less smashing. Once on the hook and sent down to the fish they thaw quickly but are still firm enough to stay on the hook for at least one strike. But if you miss the strike you will usually have to get a "rebait". Still, better to have been bit and lost than never to have been bit at all.


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[fishnate]

I like to use carp that I catch in the summer. It freezes well and stays firm. You could still likely catch a carp on the lower Provo, Jordan R. or Bear R. if any of those are near you. I'm still playing around with freezing techniques but the last one that seemed to work well was putting a days worth of meat in a ziplock bag add a bit of water to cover meat and I added a tsp of salt to the mix, shake it up, squeeze out the air, seal and freeze.

I scale the carp and fillet the thin belly meat leaving the skin on so it will stay on the hook well. I cut it into portions that are appropriate to the fish I want to catch and the lure size I'm using. I also like to cut it thin like 1/8 to 1/4" thick so I will have plenty of hook gap. It's important to not overpower the lure you are using. You are simply inhancing your lure with scent and some extra movement. If you are using a 4" tube jig you might use a 2"L x 1/2"W x 1/4" T strip. If you are fishing with a 1/64 oz Rat Finke you might only need a 1/2"L x 1/8"W peice. I never use a peice more than half the length of my lure. You might get away with a 3" chunk if you are using a #4 treble for burbot.
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[wagdog]

There are great posts in the this thread. Cut bait is a great way to help the fish hang on for a little longer while you set that hook. If you concentrate on a particular body of water, figure out what sort of forage species exist (if any) and try to catch some of those for bait on one of your trips. For example, carp, white bass, and yellow perch are excellent candidates for cut bait at Utah Lake. They will all work but some will work better at different times of the year. I think yellow perch may be one of the best baits to use in most utah waters. Make sure that if you are tipping small jigs with cut bait, don't cover up the hook entirely. Some species are great at grabbing on to a big chunk of cut bait but not completely inhaling it. You set the hook...swing and a miss! Small strips, squares, and steak-cut chunks of cut bait can all work depending on the species and time of year. Good luck.
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[Springbuck]

I have found them to be a great value. I look at the 5.99/bottle price for the little 1" minnows and cringe, but when a dozen worms cost almost half that, and when I often waste them (by letting the freeze while ice fishing, or leaving them where it's too hot), or whatever, and when a bottle of the small Gulps last a couple years....they are worth it.

Also, I steal specimen cups from the hospital I work at, because the dumb jars they put them in leak, even when I crank em down tight.
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[Springbuck]

Simply put, you catch a legal bait fish, cut it in chunks, and put it on your hook, by itself or with whatever else you are using. Just do it.

For preserving minnows, I second freezing them quickly, or they turn to mush. However, you can also use an actual meat "cure" like they use for making sausages and jerky. Morton Tender-Quick is available at any supermarket, and contains salt, sugar, sodium nitrate, and sodium nitrite. It changes the texture of meats and fish, and probably the flavor slightly. But, when I do PPP's like T'Dude, or chub minnows, they are much tougher and still catch fish. Gives them a rubbery texture.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Ditto on the leakage. Seems like they could provide a better bottle for the bucks they charge. But maybe it is a "planned" thing. If your minners dry out you gotta buy new ones. Right?

I use several different sizes and colors of Gulp minnows...as well as a couple of their other goodies. Rather than take out the whole container of each item I put a few in a small sealable plastic bag...2" x 3" or 3" x 4"...with a bit of the liquid. Then I can put several of the little bags into an emptied oyster bottle. That has a good seal and keeps a variety of Gulp stuff all in one small well sealed container. We enjoy the bottled oysters once in a while and I always keep the cleaned out bottles. Good for anything you need to keep sealed. No spillage and no drying out...yet.
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[Sirfilletalot]

Have you ever tried tipping your hook with perch eyes? During the ice season, I cut the heads off of a half dozen perch while cleaning and put them in a ziploc bag in the Fridge to use on my next trip. If you leave them in the head they stay hydrated a lot better. You can use them in the waters where yellow perch can be used for bait.
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[Hallsy86]

Last time I was up at Jordanelle I found an empty little salmon eggs bottle. I cleaned it out and put about 10 of the minnows in and filled it up with the liquid and it works great. Doesn't take up a lot of room and doesn't leak at all.
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