Tile fish bait

[PaBeerGuy]

What's the best bait and rig setup for tile fish going out of NJ?

[Garone Custom Rods]

Fresh is best! I like squid (small whole or stripped), bluefish, bunker, whiting (spikes are best), silver eel, even strip doggies when we catch them.

If we are not fishing a big fish area I use a 2 hook rig, with glow squids or a bead. I personally like J hooks (7/0-10/0 gami 4x octopus hooks) but like 80-90% of guys like circle hooks. Big fish areas I fish a single hook rig.

[fishonmike]

I ike to tie my rigs with 3 way crossline swivels and use glow beads & glow squids like mike g said .. i like gami 4x strong octopus cicrle hooks

[Dave A]

What's the best bait and rig setup for tile fish going out of NJ?

When it comes to bait Mike G is right, fresh is best. I like to use fresh salmon strips trimmed and cut into 1" wide strips. I also use fresh bluefish strips. I usually add a small whole squid as well (these are frozen unless I can catch some on a 2 day trip). On my last trip I used strips cut from a couple of mako steaks (cut the skin off along with about 1/4" of meat. Worked well and was impossible for the tiles to rip off the hook.
As for rigs, I use (as well as sell) 2 hook rigs with Owner circle hooks when smaller tiles are around and I use a single hook Quick Rig hd Mutu style circle hook with a ball bearing swivel in the eye (to prevent a big tile from twisting off the hook). Call or stop by the store and I can show you what you need, always happy to talk "tiles!"

[aduma1107]

I recently had a fairly successful trip using only Striped Bass belly on a head boat out of Wildwood Crest, NJ

[SaltyAngler]

Fresh (as can be) bluefish = tile candy.

[bunker dunker]

butterfly cut a nice little rosefish,tile bubble gum

[PaBeerGuy]

with no time to go catch some fresh blue fish, can it be bought?:o

[Garone Custom Rods]

butterfly cut a nice little rosefish,tile bubble gum

Wow how did I forget rosefish? Definately a great bait.

[Ol Pedro]

I feel that Fresh Bluefish and Squid are great baits . you can use Skipjack/Bonito/Falsie strips too . Brine them to toughen em up .

[bunker dunker]

One Of Our Sponors Here Has Big Bucktails{30oz} That Are Rosefish Colored,with A Fresh Rosefish Fiilet Or Whole Medium Squid You Can't Go Wrong.;)

[Chico]

One of my first trips for tiles, the boat had mac "fingers" that worked VERY well as well!!! I have used frozen bluefish and it worked well.

[PaBeerGuy]

Found 'em. up to 32 oz bucktails in Rosefish color!

http://shop.jerseytackle.com/product.sc?productId=339&categoryId=78

[bunker dunker]

they have other jigs there too that work.just add alittle meat and work slow

[PaBeerGuy]

The current plan is to run down to Indian River Inlet Friday to catch some bluefish for bait. Boat heads out at midnight out of Lewes. Hoping to find some fresh squid too, do bait and tackle shops typically stock fresh squid?

[bunker dunker]

buy a few boxes at one of the sponsor bait shops

[Garone Custom Rods]

The current plan is to run down to Indian River Inlet Friday to catch some bluefish for bait. Boat heads out at midnight out of Lewes. Hoping to find some fresh squid too, do bait and tackle shops typically stock fresh squid?

Fresh would be great, but I doubt you will find it at a tackle shop. I like the small ones that you typically use whole for fluke. They come in a small box, grab one or 2 and your all set.

[the1jonc]

I am booked for a 3 day TNT (Tuna N Tile) trip out of Montauk next month. :)

With the excellent Bluefishing we are having I wanted to head out and get some for the grill and the smoker.

If I wanted to save some as bait for my trip next month how should I prepare? I have a Vac Sealer and a Chest Freezer.

Or should I not bother.

Any tips/advice appreciated.

Thanks

[MDeSi]

Fresh bluefish, bergall, sea robin, skate, eel, fluke, flounder, skipjack, seabass, dogfish, squid, skimmerclam, porgy, mahi, tllebelly, rose fish, bunker... Get it? Jus don't freeze the sh!t

[the1jonc]

Fresh bluefish, bergall, sea robin, skate, eel, fluke, flounder, skipjack, seabass, dogfish, squid, skimmerclam, porgy, mahi, tllebelly, rose fish, bunker... Get it? Jus don't freeze the sh!t


So it looks like go fresh or go home. Thanks

[Chico]

Hey Jon, I have used frozen bluefish filets both brined and not brined. They work fine, the oily smell seems to attract tiles. I use mostly the smaller blues, two or three pounds (that's what I catch from the Delaware Seashore). Of course fresh bait is always better and stays on the hook longer. I also save fluke belly strips, they are used with other baits as they stay on the hook longer. I have wanted to try the salmon fillets but have not been able to schedule a trip where I could pick up the salmon before boarding the boat. Any time I reel up, I put on fresh bait, no use sending some washed out bait back down a thousand feet!!!!