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if a bait ball were to show up in casting distance from the pier along with diving bird show what would be your ultimate or go to lure you would quick tie on and throw? im thinking a DOA swimmin mullet in white/red or a gold or maybe a poppin plug. i havent had many opportunities so i thought i would ask here. thanks
Match the hatch as they say.
IF it's striped sardines ("red minnows"), a Bubble Rig or Speck Rig is hard to beat.
IF it's LYs (Scaled sardines), a pogy-shaped swim bait.
IF it's herring (Spanish sardines), a longer profile swimbait or hardbait.
Spoons and tin jigs work well at times too. It mostly depends on what gamefish are present and the mood they are in.
Popping plugs work great from a boat or in the surf, but not as well from a pier due to the high angle.
plus the bird issue may come into play ;-)
the only time ive seen a well defined bait ball on the pier , it was on the old pier . the water was ultra clear that day and you could see the ball wall just like a brick wall. it was of the southeast side of the pier . the ball was all hardtails so there were no birds but a beautifully defined ball none the less. the reason didnt dawn on me at the time , all i saw was bait for my trolley rig. i ran grabbed the only jig i had rigged, a red head gotcha with 60lb mono leader. i threw on it ,the gotcha went well out into the ball i started working it . the hardtails werent having any of it , that i found odd. as soon as it dropped off the edge of the bait ball i let it fall a little. it wen down 6-8ft and a 22lb king swipped at it , missed and did a full 180 and struck it. from there the fight was on. luckily the hook set right in the corner of his mouth. i fought him to the edge of pier, it was me and two younger guys on the pier and very few others . i called for a gaff no one had one. one of the young guys had one in his car . i held the fish doing circles and small runs till he got back from getting it. he gaffed it and pulled it up. sorry for the long storybut it was one of my best memories from old pier. all that said now to answer your question . what i didnt know at time i saw the ball was why they were balled up so tight was the active fish under and how fast the ball would go away . the best bait is what you have ready at the time cause it could could go away as soon as it appears.