Dead bait presentation.

[Norfolkdipper]

Now it is the predator season :-

What is the correct way to hook your deadbait? Facing you or facing away. Hook to head & dorsal or dorsal & tail???

I never have worked this one out, so any advice appreciated...

Mark.

[Brian Carragher]

Head pointing away from you and the barbs pointing towards you, working on the theory that deadbaits get picked up and swallowed head first so when you pull into a fish you set the hooks with your own force

[Phone]

Norfolk,

 

I suspect you're going to ge as many opinions as there are anglers.

 

The option most favored in the US is not one you've offered. Tail hooked.

 

I'm assuming the "deadbait" is a minnow? Not a chicken liver.

 

Phone

[Sportsman]

This pretty well sums it up

 

http://www.fishing-tips-techniques.co.uk/F...Baits_Fish.html

[corydoras]

Norfolk,

 

I suspect you're going to ge as many opinions as there are anglers.

 

The option most favored in the US is not one you've offered. Tail hooked.

 

I'm assuming the "deadbait" is a minnow? Not a chicken liver.

 

Phone

Phone

 

How would you present a live fish as bait. I don't do it very often I haven't done so for years but I use Newt's method. In one eye socket and out the other.

[Peter Waller]

You could of course use a snap tackle, especially good if you use a circle hook against the dorsal fin, ideally one with a squeezed barb.

[Phone]

Cory,

 

Well, I've always been told that how to keep a minnow alive a lot longer, through the eyes. It is also a "tough" place and hard to cast off your bait hooked like that. Newt's a bass guy, that's how many bass guys do it. I actually believe the target species dictates presentation. For crapie (a smallish schooling perch like fish) very small minnows tail hooked are favored. If you are flathead catfishing with 12/0 hooks and one pound carp for bait you better have the hook woven in, out, around, up, and then tied down.

 

Peter makes a good point. Not sure why he would squeeze the barb execpt I guess it is politically correct? Lots of large fish in the "pike" family are targeted in this manner.

 

Phone

[grumpybum]

I would agree that the correct way is head down. How ever for moving water the opposite allows a much better presentation.

[Peter Waller]

Phone, I squeeze the barb because it makes hook removal a darn sight easier, now't to do with political correctness

[PeterNE1]

This pretty well sums it up

 

http://www.fishing-tips-techniques.co.uk/F...Baits_Fish.html

 

I'd caution against using the info on that link too literally ... it also advocates using eels ... and goldfish ... as live baits!