R
ryank
I figured I'd post this up in hopes it'll help a few folks out this season.
These are incredibly simple and cheap baits to make, and they work very, very well.
Start with store bought prawns.
Next, remove the shell and cut them up into bait size pieces.
Now, these could be fished just like this and they'll work just fine. I prefer to add some color to mine, and I do not prefer to cure them. I like to fish them raw. So I just use dye to liven them up a little. I found this stuff which has some cool colors, but you could use any bait dye, or food coloring. Just don't use too much. A little goes a long ways.
Next I put a tiny bit of water in the bag with the shrimp. Just enough to make them wet but not swimming in the bag. Then add 3-4 drops of dye to the bag and mix it around. As you can see in the photo below there is a little bit of extra water around the shrimp. The purpose of the water is to disperse the dye evenly over the shrimp. Otherwise they'll dye unevenly if you use dye with no water. Let them soak for a few minutes, the shrimp absorb the dye pretty quick so it doesn't take long.
After they have absorbed the dye I dump them out to drain the excess water off. They're ready to fish.
You can add sugar, salt, egg cure, whatever you want to modify how you make these. These also take scent VERY well. But to me the whole purpose of this bait is simplicity, so I keep it very basic. The bag pictured above cost me maybe $1.50-$2.00 and is plenty of bait for a day of fishing.
I like to drift fish these on a size 1 or 2 hook with a small corky of your preference above it. You can fish them with a rag, You can add a small piece in the egg loop of a yarn ball Etc. You get the idea.
You can also tip a jig with a small chunk. I like to use a pretty small piece for tipping a jig.
Good luck,
Ryan
These are incredibly simple and cheap baits to make, and they work very, very well.
Start with store bought prawns.
Next, remove the shell and cut them up into bait size pieces.
Now, these could be fished just like this and they'll work just fine. I prefer to add some color to mine, and I do not prefer to cure them. I like to fish them raw. So I just use dye to liven them up a little. I found this stuff which has some cool colors, but you could use any bait dye, or food coloring. Just don't use too much. A little goes a long ways.
Next I put a tiny bit of water in the bag with the shrimp. Just enough to make them wet but not swimming in the bag. Then add 3-4 drops of dye to the bag and mix it around. As you can see in the photo below there is a little bit of extra water around the shrimp. The purpose of the water is to disperse the dye evenly over the shrimp. Otherwise they'll dye unevenly if you use dye with no water. Let them soak for a few minutes, the shrimp absorb the dye pretty quick so it doesn't take long.
After they have absorbed the dye I dump them out to drain the excess water off. They're ready to fish.
You can add sugar, salt, egg cure, whatever you want to modify how you make these. These also take scent VERY well. But to me the whole purpose of this bait is simplicity, so I keep it very basic. The bag pictured above cost me maybe $1.50-$2.00 and is plenty of bait for a day of fishing.
I like to drift fish these on a size 1 or 2 hook with a small corky of your preference above it. You can fish them with a rag, You can add a small piece in the egg loop of a yarn ball Etc. You get the idea.
You can also tip a jig with a small chunk. I like to use a pretty small piece for tipping a jig.
Good luck,
Ryan
