Live bait for Brown's

[jth21usa]

Has anyone used live bait to fish from shore for browns in spring in lake Ontario? I have a dock and dream. Any advise would be helpful, I do very little live bait fishing. 

 

 

[rolmops]

Close to shore, browns would mostly feed on gobies. Gobies do not have an air bladder so they usually lay on the bottom and in order to propel themselves they swim upward and then forward while sinking back to the bottom. I would use gobies, casting them as far as possible  with a big sliding bobber on the line. Then I would cast and jig while slowly retrieving. I do not know if it still illegal to use gobies for bait. Another way to go is casting very small bait such as spikes or small worms and catch small baitfish that way. Then you can use these fish for bait

Edited March 10, 2018 by rolmops

[Xxx]

I don’t think it’s legal to use gobies for bait, or any other bait for the reason you  won’t have that slip that says it’s approved bait. I’m almost positive that gobies are illegal for bait. I think that’s about the dumbest thing. Who would care if you used them for bait other than the boys in green.

[Gill-T]

Typical spring pier fishing or in Olcott harbor from the docks is typically one rod for casting and one rod with a minnow tail hooked fished 4' below a float.  

[Roys Boys]

On Seneca we put alewifes off bobbers with slip sinkers.. you might be able to get away with bobbers or even bass minnows off bottom..

[John Kelley]

I used golden shiners on Lake Michigan, in Milwaukee harbor(right next to docks) through the ice to catch browns, on a slip bobber, so I don't know why that would not work from your dock.  Large emerald shiners would probably work, as well.

 

[hard knox]

Browns are caught on live shiners and smelts well ice fishing so why not .

[fisherman21]

Egg sacs and minnows 4-6 feet under a float will produce browns for you on the lake in the spring. I’ve done it with good success.


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[Lucky13]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 11:25 PM, pap said:

I don’t think it’s legal to use gobies for bait, or any other bait for the reason you  won’t have that slip that says it’s approved bait. I’m almost positive that gobies are illegal for bait. I think that’s about the dumbest thing. Who would care if you used them for bait other than the boys in green.

Gobies are off lmits for bait.  One guy thinks it doesn't matter if he uses them in Lake Ontario because they are already there, the next guy fiogures if its OK in LO, why not in his local lake and soon you've got gobies eating all the trout eggs all over the northeast. 

 

Same argument for bait from out of the area, somebody figures his wahoo or whatever from the salt will be fine for a cut bait rig, and brings something new in.  What happens if somebody brings in bait that has some "new" disease, and it turns out that Salmon are very susceptible, and there is no cure? One guy saves a few bucks and everybody else loses their fishery!