[jspooney]

this week I got a 5 lb box of Cigs to take offshore from a local shop and they were horrible. They were mushy and basically worthless. At $17.99, I expected better. Where can I get good frozen cigs in bulk? It’s getting too expensive to buy the 5lb boxes, especially when it’s junk.

 

[John B.]

People still fish with cigs offshore?

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[jspooney]

People still fish with cigs offshore?

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Why not?

 

[John B.]

Why not?

Sardines/pogies/mackerel are half the price and bottom fish don't care.

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[jim t]

Any bait shop should have a pretty good turnover and relatively fresh fish

I would avoid the grocery store and walmarts that might hold on to their inventory for awhile.

Jim

 

[jspooney]

Sardines/pogies/mackerel are half the price and bottom fish don't care.

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Those are usually mushy every time I’ve bought them as well. Maybe I’m buying from the wrong place. Where is the best bait found? I’d rather just catch and freeze a bunch.

 

[John B.]

Those are usually mushy every time I’ve bought them as well. Maybe I’m buying from the wrong place. Where is the best bait found? I’d rather just catch and freeze a bunch.

They are all mush for sure, but the thawing process is important. Buy them the night before and throw them on ice in the cooler. If they just set on the deck in the sun you might as well throw em over the side. I normally get them at GBBT but like anything it can be hit or miss.

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[kingfish501]

Any bait shop should have a pretty good turnover and relatively fresh fish

I would avoid the grocery store and walmarts that might hold on to their inventory for awhile.

Jim

It's not the holding on, it's the bait companies they buy from. The ones over seas don't ice or even cool the bait down. It's dumped into big piles. Combination of heat and weight starts the process. Then, they freeze them in bulk...then thaw them to make smaller batches and refreeze them...then thaw them to box them. Those cigs are shot before they ever start the trip to America.

Patti's used to carry cigs from Raffields in St Joe. Local caught, iced down on the boat, taken back to the fish House, boxed and frozen once.
Then Patti's switched to Vietnam cigs....pure mush.

Best ones I've found recently were at GBBT...when I buy any. I catch cigs, LYs and small mullet when I find them, salt them down and vacuum pack them.

 

[jspooney]

The ones I bought this morning were from Vietnam and they were the worst I can remember.

 

[LY-zer]

Sabiki Rig $1.44 from WallyWorld and about an hour at the Mass or maybe a bouy. You save and have better baits. Live or fresh dead.

 

[Boat-Dude]

18 buck for a box of dead cigs, wow I never bought any. I will buy squid chunks from time to time but it's live bait for me. That pier fishing has been ingrained into mahbrain.

 

[O-SEA-D]

this week I got a 5 lb box of Cigs to take offshore from a local shop and they were horrible. They were mushy and basically worthless. At $17.99, I expected better. Where can I get good frozen cigs in bulk? It’s getting too expensive to buy the 5lb boxes, especially when it’s junk.

I’ve experienced this with the last four or five boxes I’ve bought as well. I to notice it’s the cigs coming from over seas. At that price I’ve thought about complaining but enjoy the store otherwise. I think I’ll just start looking elsewhere. Or just go on a bait catching day and bag and freeze a bunch myself.

 

[kingfish501]

18 buck for a box of dead cigs, wow I never bought any. I will buy squid chunks from time to time but it's live bait for me. That pier fishing has been ingrained into mahbrain.

Lol...on the pier I have snaked many Kings from someone who was using a live bait by snobbling a dead cig or hardtails or even a dead LY.

 

[Boat-Dude]

You can have all the kings you can carry.

 

[kingfish501]

You can have all the kings you can carry.

I give em all away on the pier. I'm just there for the fight.

 

[fishinbug]

I learned a new word this morning.

Snobbling
The art of slowly working a dead bait to make it look alive and entice a strike.
Cast it out, let it drift while giving it an occasional twitch & a very slow retrieve.

 

[jwilson1978]

I learned a new word this morning.

Snobbling
The art of slowly working a dead bait to make it look alive and entice a strike.
Cast it out, let it drift while giving it an occasional twitch & a very slow retrieve.

so what you do when your really old and go out to the bars?

 

[stevenattsu]

I don't think we've ever bought frozen bait except for some squid. Live bait only

 

[jack2]

don't never, ever, ever get frozen bait from walmart. it's worthless. most of y'all have explained why.
jack

 

[jspooney]

I prefer frozen bait or self caught bait as well. But, my situation doesn’t always allow for it. I live 3 minutes from the launch. If I have bait, I can hit the water at daylight, catch a limit of fish, and be at work by 9 am. This means I can fish 4-5 days a week. That’s why I want quality frozen bait. I also take a lot of kids, so they just want fish...regardless of how big they are.