The Basics of Cut Bait

[Steve Arend]

There are various forms and presentations for running cut-bait. I will be explaining a few of the presentations that I have been running for the last couple of years.

First of all “What is cut-bait?†Cut-bait can come in different types, the most commonly used is pre-cut herring strips that you can buy frozen at most bait and tackle shops along the great lakes shores. There are also whole herrings that you can run whole or Fillet out the side and run each side. You can also use smelt and alewives for cut-bait.

There are different manufacturers on the market that make what is called a Cut-Bait Head, Rhys Davis, John King, Church Tackle and Challenger Lures are just a few. Heads are used to hold a cut-bait strip or whole herring and to help run the cut rig through the water smoothly.

You can buy just the cut-heads and rig them yourself or you can get them pre-rigged with a hook or with a set up called a triple rig. Right now I’ll talk about rigging a cut-head yourself.

When rigging a cut-head I like to use heavy mono line like 50lb. The stiff mono helps give the cut head a little more action when you run them behind a flasher or spiny. For hooks you can use any Treble that you have confidents in, I like to use the hooks for J-plugs. Once you have the cut strip or whole herring placed in the holding head, adjust the hook or if you’ve rigged 2 hooks with your head, adjust the last hook so that the hook is even or slightly forward from the back tip of the cut strip or the tail of the whole herring.

You can also buy pre-rigged cut heads that come complete with hook and line.

Or there is also what is known as a Teaser rig or Twinkie rig which is a series of 1 to 3 fly or squid type attractors on a 3 to 4 leader ahead of the cut head.

When I run a straight cut head I like to use them behind an 8†spiny or flasher on about a 12 to 14 inch lead. I’ll run this set up off a dipsy diver or straight off my downrigger balls back around 8 to 15 ft. behind the ball or with a 4 ft. leader behind a dipsy. The best depth that I have found to run this set up is 20 ft off bottom all the way to 4’ off bottom.

When running a cut head with what is known as a teaser or Twinkie rig, I like to run these mainly off an 11 inch spiny behind a dipsy about mid way through the water column or lower. You can also run this set-up off one of the inside down riggers up high in your spread. The theory behind this is that an 11†flasher/Spiny will have a lot of flash and bring the fish into or spread.

At times running meat in your spread can be a deadly combination for kings and Lakers. I have also taken a few steelhead running meat rigs up high in the water column. Typically the best times for running meat have been mid summer to later fall, but this year has proven that there is nothing typical about fishing and I started running cut bait mid April.

Disclaimer:

I have only Rhys Davis Cut Rigs at this time so all the pictures that I show are of Rhys Davis products.

Steve Arend

[GLF]

Nice article Steve! I have never ran cut bait and have a few questions.

1. How long do you run a cut bait, before you put on a fresh one? Or, do you never change the bait until you get a fish?

2. How long can you keep cut bait unfrozen before it goes bad?

3. Do you refreeze it if you do not use it?

[Steve Arend]

1. How long do you run a cut bait, before you put on a fresh one? Or, do you never change the bait until you get a fish?

I have run a strip of cut bait all day, after fishing thrown it into my container and the used it again the next day and have caught fish with it. So I guess use and re-use.

2. How long can you keep cut bait unfrozen before it goes bad?

We have been buying the cut strips by the case and keeping it in the freezer all season. I have never had any left at the end of the season to see how long it will last. It should stay good for as long as you keep it frozen.

3. Do you refreeze it if you do not use it?

Yes! I have refrozen my cut after I'm done fishing and I don't plan on going out for a few days. If you keep it in the refrigerator for a few days it starts to smell pretty ripe.

I also add salt to my cut bait and I talked with some guys that will add garlic.

[CaptLevi]

Very, very nice work Stevo!

I like using fresh cut-bait while it is still frozen....the water thaws it in no time. I just pull a pack from the freezer, throw it in my fish cooler, pull it out as needed. I do like to change it out every time I change baits and set ups to keep the stink good and strong.

Unless I can get Mark Turner to brine it up for me...

[spoonfed]

Nice thread Steve. Now everyone should be able to run it, and catch fish!

[spoonfed]

Also, every time you go to a resturant, grab some tooth picks. You will find a use for them with the twinkie rigs. Nail clippers work good to trim them when you pin the herring.

[Tom Thumb]

I have been running cut bait for three years now and this will be the forth year. I have found that refrezzing the bait will soften the strips up. I mix a brine of salt and borax solution and put the strips back in the brine in the refigerator. Treat them just like pickles and they will keep all summer. The brine solution also firms up the strips, this keeps the strips firmer so the fish can not rip them off the bait head.

The main problem has been the fish swallow the hook so far that the leader gets a nick in it from the teeth of the fish so watch your leaders. I have gone to 90# mono and plastic coated wire leaders and this has helped from loosing a fish during the prime time of fishing when you just want to get it back into the water. I have also made some leaders out of Cortlands Toothy critter material and have not had these in the water yet but am very confident that this will also be an answer for longer use of the leaders. It is my problem that I do not check the leaders for I get excited to much and fail to do this.

[Sixshooter]

Great Read Running Arends.

[too deep]

Spoonfed-that wall where your fish are looks very familiar! Where is it at? I am guessing a marina in Ludington???

[GLF]

Spoonfed-that wall where your fish are looks very familiar! Where is it at? I am guessing a marina in Ludington???

Abrahms Marina in Ludington. I have a picture that has the famous wall on it also.

[too deep]

That has got to be one slimy wall! I have seen many fish hanging there.

[Blue Knight]

I've been running cut bait for a good number of years now & wouldn't leave the dock without it. I've found Rhys Davis strips to be the best. They hold up well & I've used them all day & thrown them back in the freezer & used them again without any problem. As for heads well since I'm the pro staffer for Hot Spot I use their Roller Baiter. Actually I think they're great. No need for toothpicks or tuning them to get the right roll. Just throw them over the side & they're ready to go.

[KoneZone]

I have run Plug Cut Herring for 20 years on the west coast. Once I tried a nose cone helper and threw it out after a few minuets. I usually run a bait for 20- 30 minuets and then put on a new one. Tides and currents dictate when I will put on fresh bait. I am always fiddling with baits and will have about 6 rigged for when the bite hits. I run all Diver Rods with KoneZone Flashers direct connected to the Divers. Trailing the KoneZone I will trail a 12- 18 inch leader with a Bead Chain swivel. The 6 and 4 inch models have a Wing Hole that will allow for a slight action. Now I can snap the Bait leaders on there. The bait leaders will be 2 and 3 hook hand tied rigs of about 4- 5 feet in length. This is the way I do it in Oregon in the Rivers and on the Pacific Ocean. Some guys are using this technique to target large Rainbow, Brown and other Lake Trout. Good luck and good fishin'. Thanks, Mike