Jump to content

Catching sawbellies/alewife


Recommended Posts

I have always used a seine net when sawbellies are in close to shore while spawning but once they finishing spawning in the shallows I am left with no way to catch them. The local bait shops I have seen have live sawbellies and I didn’t know if there is possibly a way to catch them while they are deep that is legal these days, any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once the sun goes down a lantern over the side will bring them right to the surface, as they start to show up dim the light and they'll come closer. A small hook sabaki rig will jig them up nicely.Put them in a cooler about a 5gallon size with about 1/4 cup of dissolved Kosher Salt, do not use table salt the Iodine will kill them, add a couple of ice cubes to slowly lower the water temp.The Kosher salt keeps a slime coat on their body and keeps them nice and hard not mushy.Salt is the game changer keeping them alive.Also a good aereator , I like to use 2 minnow-misers

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once the sun goes down a lantern over the side will bring them right to the surface, as they start to show up dim the light and they'll come closer. A small hook sabaki rig will jig them up nicely.Put them in a cooler about a 5gallon size with about 1/4 cup of dissolved Kosher Salt, do not use table salt the Iodine will kill them, add a couple of ice cubes to slowly lower the water temp.The Kosher salt keeps a slime coat on their body and keeps them nice and hard not mushy.Salt is the game changer keeping them alive.Also a good aereator , I like to use 2 minnow-misers

Thank you! If I am trying to keep them alive for a couple days what will I have to do to keep them cool?


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, leadcore troller said:

Once the sun goes down a lantern over the side will bring them right to the surface, as they start to show up dim the light and they'll come closer. A small hook sabaki rig will jig them up nicely.Put them in a cooler about a 5gallon size with about 1/4 cup of dissolved Kosher Salt, do not use table salt the Iodine will kill them, add a couple of ice cubes to slowly lower the water temp.The Kosher salt keeps a slime coat on their body and keeps them nice and hard not mushy.Salt is the game changer keeping them alive.Also a good aereator , I like to use 2 minnow-misers

 

Betcha a dollar that there's lakers down under the sawbellies. :smile:

 

Year ago used to do this with my grandfather on Canandaigua - after we started getting sawbellies, we'd  drop  a Seth Green rig over the side and put the sawbellies on 5-6 ft leaders and wait for the lakers to start smashing em. 

Edited by JJBat150
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Betcha a dollar that there's lakers down under the sawbellies. :smile:
 
Year ago used to do this with my grandfather on Canandaigua - after we started getting sawbellies, we'd  drop  a Seth Green rig over the side and put the sawbellies on 5-6 ft leaders and wait for the lakers to start smashing em. 

IMG_1819.JPG
Saw this on my screen today looks like a nice laker underneath the baitfish sometimes watching the screen is more entertaining than the fishing haha


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fished with a charter captain out of Port Ontario a couple of years ago that told me he caught alewives using small Sabiki rigs when he located large schools of baitfish. One word of caution though, watch out how many hooks you have on your Sabiki rigs,there's a legal limit on the number of hooks if I'm not mistaken.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...