# Catch blueback herring on Lanier



## teebert (May 14, 2017)

For the frugal with plenty of time to spare, how hard is it to catch your own herring on Lanier?  How deep do you find them and what do they look like on a graph?  Paying almost $20 for a couple dozen as often as I like to fish could get expensive.  Just wondered if I could get a cast next and catch my own or if they're like stripers, hard to consistently track down unless you're a pro.  Thanks.


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## Worley (May 14, 2017)

*Cast net*

Well I'm no pro and don't have a ton of time on my hands.  But cap'n Jeff Blair / and Jim Farmer videos taught me the basics of cast netting and I enjoy it almost as much as fishing.  When u figure time and energy for herring u ain't gonna save a ton of money on herring...Now Shad, that's a different story at $3-5 bucks a piece. My quick advice would be book a  trip with a guide like Jeff and mention u would like a few hours of it to be cast net basics...I bet he would do it if ya requested it. U gonna see a cloud of bait on ya graph, and lights have seem to draw em in good, sodium light seems to be better for some reason from my limited experience.  Good luck and purchase a decent quality net like filtec super spreader 8' and it will speed the learning curve up.  Good luck


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## beanutputter (May 14, 2017)

Setup a light and use a sebiki rig as well.


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## Big7 (May 14, 2017)

beanutputter said:


> Setup a light and use a sebiki rig as well.



That's the way.

Put a heavy weight on the drag end.

Drag top. (fast) Where you can see the rig and any
jumpers.

Drop a few feet until you find them.
(use the "count down"method) 

Done it _*MANY*_ times at Santee where they are sometimes
seen @ $2.00 each at peak times there.
Which happens about right now until it gets really hot.

Should work on Lanier. But I have never had to try it there.

Good luck!


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## lampern (May 14, 2017)

Yep.

Use a sabiki rig.


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## Thunder Head (May 15, 2017)

Find some bait balls on the graph. Usually in at least 20' + water.
Put out the lite and take a nap.  Wake up and check the water. If theirs lots around. Turn off light and throw the net. Easy as can be.

 A tip for you,
Watch some youtube videos on throwing the net. Try several different methods. I struggled for a long time. I finally got fed up and tried a two handed method. I went from barely throwing a 8' net to doing pretty good with a 10'.


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## Coenen (May 15, 2017)

lampern said:


> Yep.
> 
> Use a sabiki rig.


Care to expound on the sabiki rig? I've heard of them being used, and I know they work in saltwater. How would I go about setting one up? What are the pros and cons over a cast net?


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## lampern (May 15, 2017)

All you need is a 1-2 oz sinker to attach to the snap at the end of the rig.

The sinker is important to weigh the rig down and let it drop down to the depth of the bait.

Then you jig the rig up and down till you feel some fish on it. 

You can catch multiple herring or whatever your after at once. Sunfish and white perch also like sabiki rigs.

Edit you can use them deeper than a cast net.

Bass Pro Shops in Lawrenceville sells them in the saltwater department.


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## Cashvaluerecovery (May 15, 2017)

Coenen said:


> Care to expound on the sabiki rig? I've heard of them being used, and I know they work in saltwater. How would I go about setting one up? What are the pros and cons over a cast net?




Pros-- way easier to locate herring on graph and drop hooks into them than casting a net into them unless they are in very shallow water or near the surface.

Pros-- they are voracious predators and always ready to eat even in situations where they are actively being fed upon.

Cons-- Sabikis are very sharp and a pain in the butt to deal with if you arent a clean organized person. They snag on anything and everything unless you use a system to keep the sabiki line covered when not being used.


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## King.Of.Anglers.Jeremiah (May 15, 2017)

Use a wine cork or sabiki rod to store the rig. Wrapping it and sticking each hook around the cork or a pool noodle works.  A sabiki rod just reels the entire rig into the blank and stops at the sinker


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## Coenen (May 15, 2017)

Does the unhooking process damage the bait at all?


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## teebert (May 15, 2017)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.  Watched a YouTube video and tied a couple sabiki rigs tonight.  Can't wait to try them this weekend.


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## Browning Slayer (May 16, 2017)

Coenen said:


> Does the unhooking process damage the bait at all?



If you do it correctly you never even touch the bait. Use a small pick tool to grab the hook and turn it sideways and the baits just fall off in your live well. Throw your rod in a rod holder and just hold the weight on the end. Never tried it on Lanier but we catch plenty of bait in Florida.

This video shows getting bait off the hooks.


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## teebert (May 18, 2017)

One more question...if you buy herring from hammonds or oakwood bait and tackle is it necessary to add salt and water conditioner to your bait tank or do they do that already?  Thanks.


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## Browning Slayer (May 18, 2017)

teebert said:


> One more question...if you buy herring from hammonds or oakwood bait and tackle is it necessary to add salt and water conditioner to your bait tank or do they do that already?  Thanks.



They'll throw a cup of salt in your tank at OBT.


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## teebert (May 23, 2017)

I've been researching oxygen tanks to try to keep the bait lively longer.  How do you know how much to use?  It's my understanding the regulator tells you the output amount, but there's different levels.  If I had just a 5 gallon buck with a dozen bluebacks how much O2 would they need?  Thanks


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## j_seph (May 23, 2017)

We use to catch em with the rig on Hartwell when they would spawn and would be swarming around bridges.

Have also caught them in winter in the back of creeks with a castnet when they are all schooled up in cold water.

Have also done like was mentioned and put lights out, wait for the bait to come up and start circling. Get the net ready, have a friend turn off the light and you will hear them come to the surface, throw the net and catch em


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## Redbeard01 (May 23, 2017)

*Catching herring on lanier*

I have caught them by the cooler full on Hartwell with a home made sabiki.  Use light line, no bigger than 6 lb. test, tie a half dozen #8 or 10 gold hooks about  6" apart, tie a weight at the end of the line, about a  half ounce.  Always jigged  it under a light while  fishing for hybrids.  Sometimes you will see them balling under the  light and  sometimes they will be  deeper.  Just look on your fish finder  and  jig at the  depth they show up.  You will catch them!  I have not tried  on Lanier, but really want to see if  it works  in the daytime when you see a baitball on the  finder.

Redbeard


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## teebert (May 25, 2017)

So can anyone comment on what oxygen level to use?


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## seabolt (May 25, 2017)

The first 1/16


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