Strip Bait on a Single Hook

When using strip baits the lengths will vary depending on the fish species that you are targeting. For bream and silver trevally, the length that I use will be about 5cm, while for flathead it will be 6 to 8cm in length. For larger fish, like kingfish and mulloway, it could be anything up to 20cm.

I like to cut the shape of the strip bait into the shape of an isosceles triangle. This will allow me to insert the hook through the pointy end (about 1cm from the tip), so that the point and barb come out of the flesh side of the bait.

This then allows me to tie two to three half-hitches around that top centimetre section, providing plenty of grip around the skin part of the bait so that it doesn’t slip down the hook.

Technique 1

Any fillet of fish could be used as a strip bait. It’s just that some will hold on better than others. Slimy mackerel, bonito, tailor, and Australian salmon tend to break down when fresh and therefore I tend to salt down some of my fillets to toughen them up a bit before using them.

Once I have filleted the fish, I will place the fillets skin side down into a plastic food container and then lightly sprinkle salt over the flesh side. This can be repeated several times, layering the fillets until you fill the container.

If you are going to use a freezer bag, I would suggest that you prepare it in the same way, making sure that you press all the air out of the bag and seal it properly. You could just pressure seal it as another option. What you will find is that the fillets will not freeze but toughen up while remaining moist.

Technique 2

If you are having trouble using the half-hitch around the pointy end of the strip bait, then you could always try just passing the hook through the end and then pass the hook back through the same hole a couple more times. This will lock the line onto the skin, while not forming a knot in the line. When the fish takes the bait, the loops will straighten out.

Technique 3

Even though the strip bait will have plenty of scent and taste to it, you can always apply some Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent or Bait Sauce to the bait. I tend to be quite liberal with it as well.

Try using the Bait Sauce Sardine/Pilchard flavour on a fillet of pilchard or Tuna flavour on bonito or striped tuna.

As for the Pro-Cure Scent the options are almost endless and I have created one of my own, combining equal portions of Pro-Cure Aniseed, Garlic, and Pilchard.

Don’t forget that you can also cut squid into similar strips and then enhance it with the Squid Pro-Cure Scent.

The type of strip bait you use will depend on the fish species that you are targeting. As for me I prefer to use fillet for flathead when offshore, slimy mackerel and mullet for bream and flathead in the estuary, yellowtail for mulloway and gummies off the beach and squid for kingfish both inshore and offshore. You could also use this rig when bait fishing for barramundi, mangrove jack and other tropical fish species. Remember to check the regulations in the area you are fishing in terms of legal sizing for baitfish, along with bag / possession limits.

Suggested Rods and Reels

Rods:

Okuma Barbarian Spin Rods - BN-S-702NT, X-Light, 7'0", 2-4kg, Nibble Tip for the boat.

Okuma Barbarian Spin Rods - BN-S-802NT, Light, 8'0", 2-4kg, Nibble Tip for the boat with an extra-long leader.

Okuma Barbarian Spin Rods - BN-S-1162NT, Med/Light, 11'6", 2-6kg, Nibble Tip for either off the rock breakwall or beach.

Reels:

Okuma JAW Spin Reels - JAW-30 for the boat.

Okuma JAW Spin Reels - JAW-55 for the rock breakwall or beach.

Okuma Ceymar HD 3000 or 4000 size would be ideal for the estuaries off the shore or out of a boat.

Okuma Epixor XT Spin Reels - EPXT-20, 30 and 40 would be ideal for the estuaries off the shore or out of a boat.

Lines:

Platypus Pulse X4 Braid for those real snaggy areas.

Platypus Hard Armour FC Fluorocarbon Leader for your leader material.

Platypus Pulse Mono straight through for beach, rocks, estuaries and offshore.

Accessories:

Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent - Aniseed, Garlic, Squid and Pilchard.

Pro-Cure Tinted Bait Sauce - Sardine/Pilchard