cut bait?

[captain hook]

what is cut bait for salmon? im used to ocean fishing and its dead baitfish cut up in chunks. you do this and troll for salmon also?

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[Charley Tuna]

CH,

Cut bait for salmon here refers to herring strips. These are fillets are from herring or alewives (alewives being the fresh water version of herring) ussually 4 or 5 inches long with the skin still attached that are usually placed into plastic "bait heads" and fished behind a flasher. Usually a large flasher (11-inches or bigger) is used and the bait head / herring strip is fished anywhere from 3 to as much as 5 or 6 feet behind the flasher. The bait head is constructed so that one side of it is curved and allows the herring strip to spin behind the flasher. The leader going from the flasher to the bait head is usually at least 30 # test. I like 30 or 40 # flourocarbon. Sometimes 2 or 3 mylar flies are placed on the leader to add attractiveness. These are called "twinkie rigs" The herring fillet is positioned onto the bait head and locked in position with toothpicks. Any bait dealer that sells cut bait will be able to show you how it all works. Its a very effective salmon getter in the late season. Hope this helps.

[Charley Tuna]

CH,

Just found some pictures of cut bait on the web. Check out:

http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/tips/ ... sdavis.htm

A lot of guys are using whole herring with similar plastic harnesses as well with success.