Dropping Deep with Spot

[mytmouse]

Hey all,
I have a question that some of you guys might be able to help me with. Let's say I wanted to go on a Fluke trip and wanted to bring along some live Spot to drop down to go after some bigguns. Would dropping in excess of, let's say 80' have any negative effect on the Spot? I know pulling fish up from the depths causes their swim bladder to balloon. But would dropping to fast have some adverse effect too?

Thanks!

[Cowpokey]

I would not expect it to hurt the spot, on the way down.

[mytmouse]

Thanks Cowpokey! I figured the same... just didn't want to drop a few bucks into Spot only to have them laying on the bottom! LOL

[Cowpokey]

I've heard striper don't care if spot are alive or not, when used as bait.

Flat fish are scavengers and predators; so I would expect them to eat the bait whether it is alive or not also. I know flounder are caught on both here. In Alaska we used mostly frozen herring as cut bait for halibut, sometimes octopus or grey cod; all dead bait.

[Memory Maker]

No .......won't hurt them .......... Spot usually live on the bottom. When I fish with some of the most guys, we cast as close to the pilings without hitting them with on weight. The spot swim as fast as they can to the bottom. They only make it if a striper is not there.

I've fished with them with weight when drifting at the Cell and 36a bouy in Va. Without problems and they are deep

[Memory Maker]

Thanks Cowpokey! I figured the same... just didn't want to drop a few bucks into Spot only to have them laying on the bottom! LOL

Better to catch them ......... They usually don't survive very well from the tackle shop to the boat. I bought some and used a bucket with an aerator and 1/2 were dead in the 15 minutes to the boat. They really need circulating water and fresh

[mytmouse]

Normally I would just catch them. I've never tried to catch them on the boat I go after flatties on. I'm sure they're in the areas we fish... I juts never dropped anything down that would attract a spot. So maybe I'll try that next time. I've never had issues with my livewell and keeping fish alive. I've gone from Angler's and fished the BB all day with them surviving all the way back to the launch. I would only buy like 6 or so. I just want to see if they yield a better result than the squid strips or gulp.

[MD Dore]

Even if the spot don't survive, you can cut them in strips and the flounder should bite. That said, on a recent flounder trip I made in about 70 ft of water, Gulp outperformed all other bait, live or not, 3 to 1.

[Memory Maker]

Normally I would just catch them. I've never tried to catch them on the boat I go after flatties on. I'm sure they're in the areas we fish... I juts never dropped anything down that would attract a spot. So maybe I'll try that next time. I've never had issues with my livewell and keeping fish alive. I've gone from Angler's and fished the BB all day with them surviving all the way back to the launch. I would only buy like 6 or so. I just want to see if they yield a better result than the squid strips or gulp.

My biggest flounder was caught on a 6" live spot ....... Another big one that same day was caught by us on another live spot. We used all kind of other stuff but that day and caught but the biggest were on spot

[RavensDfense]

If they die, chunk em' up. I caught two big flounder at the CBBT last fall while using a half of a cut spot for bull reds. It might not be as effective as a live one, but its better than wasting a fresh spot.

[mytmouse]

Thanks fellas! I just needed a little nudge to jump off the cliff! LOL I never see guys fishing with Spot on the boat I go out on so I figured I'd try something new. I'll let you know how I do, if I ever make it! LOL

[ronaultmtd]

Spot work- but nothing beats corn cob mullet for monster doormats...we used to throw our cast nets in Lake Rudee to catch 6-8 inch long silver mullet the locals call corn cob mullet and keep them in an aerated live well- drifting them over the tube at the fourth island of the CBBT on an outgoing tide is the bomb for big flounder in Virginia...mullet aren't always available but big mud minnows are...the best way to rig mud minnows for flounder is on a Fishfinder rig with a long shank hook in a "flounder sandwich"...a six inch strip of tapered shark belly (the inside lined stomach side is best) with a mud minnow hooked through the the bottom lip exiting through the top lip- use enough lead to firmly hold bottom- when the flounder bites don't touch the rod until it is bent over...they will hook themselves on a drift...I have caught most this way...