bent87 0 Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 I was thinking what a versatile bait the humble pilchard is. It can be used whole, cubed, filleted, used as strip baits, halved,scored,salted, used with the head lopped off....the list goes on.I was wondering which species people had landed when using a WHOLE pilchard bait. I'm sure salmon is a popular choice, along with mullies, snook, couta and snapper. Some of my more unusual captures on a whole pilchard include some XOS sweep, one very unlucky 10 lb drummer who ended up with a ganged hook through his head, and a massive King George Whiting.I'm sure this only scratched the surface,pillies are a first choice bait for me with several species, including elephant sharks- and are also a top standby bait and burley. The big fresh ones from the fish factory are like hand grenades. Mixed with a bit of coarse salt and bound to the hooks with some black cotton for "better casting and lasting" is a favourite technique.So, what has suprised you by gobbling down a whole pillie? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
urhookedfish 12 Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 I find that Like schools of Mackeral, schools of Pilchards show up well on the sounder:P :P :POn a serious note I find that Pillchards are an EXCEPTIONAL SNAPPER BURLEY AND I VARY RARELY LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A BLOCK. I always start my snapper trip by cubing Pillies upIn fact this post is makiing me realise that quite often I fail to have a hook in cube size peices and are probably missing the opportunity to hook a lot of eatable size fish in the 38-50cm bracket. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
afishyfish 4 Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 I was wondering which species people had landed when using a WHOLE pilchard bait. So' date=' what has suprised you by gobbling down a whole pillie?[/quote']Yep, had a few god size KGs take a pilchard meant for snapper, most unusual catch was an XOS Bream taken while trolling whole Pillies for Spanish mackerel on a reef in Queensland :woohoo: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Softy 2,991 Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Hate using pilchards due the rate they come off the hook,will have to remember that cotton trick.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peelin 0 Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 super sized gar on a 3/0 hooked in the mouth snapper fishing off the rocks was pretty weird but a 40cm yellowfin whiting at night snapper fishing middle of winter off shore in 40ft wins it for me Also all the usual suspects above + big tommies, big leatheries..... well pretty much big versions of all your regular species.I agree, pillies are a ripper all round bait choice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fishie 98 Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Most unusual catch are those bloody annoying muttonbirds that sit behind your boat off Stanvac and dive down and grab your half pillies, whole pillies, cubed pillies, butterflied pillies.... Geez! they drive me nuts somedays when they're migrating past our coastlineFirst one appears behind your boat and next minute there's 20 odd chasing your pilly bait :pinch: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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