How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Pilchards, Garfish, Berley, Whitebait, Fresh Squid, Tuna Oil, Chicken, etc
Mattblack
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:08 pm
Location: South East Suburbs
Has liked: 625 times
Likes received: 298 times

How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by Mattblack » Fri Sep 08, 2017 1:52 pm

I read something recently (from NZ) where they said snapper prefer 1/2 a pilchard rather than a whole one.....and preferably the tail.
Depending on what rig I'm using, I use a whole pillie or the 1/2 with the head...Just wondering how you guys present your pilchards when targeting snapper.

purple5ive
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:59 pm
Has liked: 567 times
Likes received: 1011 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by purple5ive » Fri Sep 08, 2017 2:22 pm

for when ive fished bait before, its always been small whole pillies on a 2 hook rig with a small ball running sinker

Image

User avatar
re-tyred
Moderator
Moderator
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:54 am
Location: Lakes Entrance
Has liked: 372 times
Likes received: 930 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by re-tyred » Fri Sep 08, 2017 3:18 pm

When the big fish are around, I use a whole pillie. Pass the hook through the eyes and keep pulling line through. Then pass the hook through the tail end. Back at the head end I take two half hitched around the head behind the gills.
Small fish around. Just a piece of pillie on the hook. Also use a piece of squid for the small ones.
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

Mattblack
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:08 pm
Location: South East Suburbs
Has liked: 625 times
Likes received: 298 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by Mattblack » Fri Sep 08, 2017 3:46 pm

re-tyred wrote:When the big fish are around, I use a whole pillie. Pass the hook through the eyes and keep pulling line through. Then pass the hook through the tail end. Back at the head end I take two half hitched around the head behind the gills.
Small fish around. Just a piece of pillie on the hook. Also use a piece of squid for the small ones.
So just the one hook like this?
spottedmackrig.jpg
spottedmackrig.jpg (8.05 KiB) Viewed 3385 times

Hosery
Rank: Flathead
Rank: Flathead
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 9:04 pm

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by Hosery » Fri Sep 08, 2017 4:19 pm

Small fish small piece. If the fish are being picky or not grabbing it. Pillie fillets work a treat. Gummies and flatties love it also. Big fish whole pillie same as re-tyred. Make sure plenty of point is showing. Or the the secret weapon the squid pillie condom! :rofl:

Mattblack
Rank: Gummy Shark
Rank: Gummy Shark
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:08 pm
Location: South East Suburbs
Has liked: 625 times
Likes received: 298 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by Mattblack » Fri Sep 08, 2017 4:51 pm

Hosery wrote:Small fish small piece. If the fish are being picky or not grabbing it. Pillie fillets work a treat. Gummies and flatties love it also. Big fish whole pillie same as re-tyred. Make sure plenty of point is showing. Or the the secret weapon the squid pillie condom! :rofl:
This actually comes up when you google squid pillie condom! :rofl:
spc.png
spc.png (468.51 KiB) Viewed 3352 times

User avatar
yepi'mon
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2016 3:00 pm
Location: South East
Has liked: 36 times
Likes received: 78 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by yepi'mon » Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:05 pm

Similar to Purple - but try to keep the hooks straighter along the backbone similar to this.

Image

User avatar
re-tyred
Moderator
Moderator
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:54 am
Location: Lakes Entrance
Has liked: 372 times
Likes received: 930 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by re-tyred » Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:41 pm

Mattblack wrote:
re-tyred wrote:When the big fish are around, I use a whole pillie. Pass the hook through the eyes and keep pulling line through. Then pass the hook through the tail end. Back at the head end I take two half hitched around the head behind the gills.
Small fish around. Just a piece of pillie on the hook. Also use a piece of squid for the small ones.
So just the one hook like this?
spottedmackrig.jpg
Yes like that. With a couple of half hitches around the head. if you don't put the half hitches the head slides down and it looks like a pilchard banana .
There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats.
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (River Rat to Mole)

User avatar
STriplett1997
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 9:00 pm
Location: South East Suburbs
Has liked: 14 times
Likes received: 43 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by STriplett1997 » Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:50 pm

Snelled suicides , bottom hook through under the gill, top hook bit higher up through the lateral line of the pilchard, with a half hitch around the tail. ( with the line between the hooks not tight so the bait doesn't rip apart or spin etc) or a whole pillie basically with the head cut off so the scent is released quicker with a single circle hook through lateral line half hitch- they've worked for me with gummies and pinkies :)

Redhunter
Rank: Bream
Rank: Bream
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:19 am
Has liked: 138 times
Likes received: 140 times

Re: How do you bait your pilchard for snapper?

Post by Redhunter » Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:20 pm

How many ways can you skin a cat...
The key is plenty of hook exposure. Do not bury the hooks in your baits. A snapper will hit the head or gut section of a pillie/sand whiting, so this is where you want your hooks placed. I always fish 2-hook rigs.

Post Reply

Return to “Bait”