menhadden as bait fish

In article ,
"Steve Fox" wrote:

I just retunrned from a short 4 hr. fishing trip off the coast of Hilton
Head S. C. On the way out, the captain stopped and used the cast net to
pick up about 200 menhadden with only 2 casts.

That was the only fish we used....and we were not very successful. Was it
the bait or just "one of those days".

Thanks,
Steve

That is a very common bait fish in the area and in fact part of the food
chain. I would say it was one of those days. I have fished out of St.
Simons on a couple of occasions and that was the bait. I am not much on
live bait fishing but that is what you do on the coast there. The first
time I was with 5 (count 'em FIVE) buddies and we boated 3 tarpon with
the largest about 180# and a small shark for good measure. The two most
hardcore, myself and a work buddy are the only two who did not get fish
to the boat. Mine through the hook (the only one hooked on a suspended
bait) and my buddy let someone beat him to the rod and never got a shot.

My second trip with the same guide was a slow day for tarpon with only
one 60# fish so we moved to follow the shrimp boats. Pulling up in the
net wash we floated menhaden and caught a couple of black tips as quick
as we could get a bait in the water. The shark fishing was exciting and
I would gladly do it again.

Menhaden is all we used.

But, conditions can change quickly and some times are better than others.

Good Fishin'

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com