Lesliekirk Loc: Marathon, florida

Going to fish for a couple days. What seems to be the bait of choice these days for yellowtail? Or what else seems to be good right now? TIA

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

There are different techniques to catching Yellowtail. First, don’t be stingy with the chum. Next, you can use a small filet of ballyhoo, shrimp, or cut bait to put on your hook. If you are fishing in shallower water, you can often get away with a naked filet.

But if you are fishing in deeper water, surround your filet with an oat ball. The oat ball consists of a bit of saltwater and rolled oats to make the oat ball sticky. If the fish come up to the surface in a feeding frenzy you can even catch Yellowtail on small live baits, which is a lot of fun!

Good luck Leslie.

Larry B Loc: Key Largo, FL

Good information from Leslie I would only add make sure you a current

Lesliekirk Loc: Marathon, florida

Thanks!

JOS Loc: Florida

Gordon has given some good advice on the chumming and yes you need some current to carry the sent to bring them in.

We prefer 60 to 120' of water column for flag size yellowtails. We also use drop balls (sand and fine ground chum in a small paper bag works best) of chum in deep water to take our chum down to them and attract em.

Depending on current if real slow use a bare hook with some current use a small jig head or split shots in line to get the bait to them.

As far as bait goes you cannot beat Silver-sides hook one or two on the jig and let it drop, you will know soon enough if you have drawn them in. Once you are on them drop a small one back down on a larger reel either spinner or conventional for the yellowfin, red or gag groupers that like to eat the yellowtails. Don't forget sharks and cudas like everything you put out there for them so reel fast and stay in control.

Don't anchor on the reefs stay off to the side or edge. So get your drift pattern down first before anchor deploy.

If I could get the darn picture to show you I have hundreds of the small jigs to show you for examples or send me your address and Ill mail you a bunch. I have been blessed to fish the last 44 years by grace of god! To fish the Bahamas from the Abacos all along the outside and inside passages to Crooked Island in the far south Exhumas.

In the deeper waters don't be surprised if you catch a nice size African Pompano as they love to feed along with the yellowtail snappers.

Good luck send pictures.