Lately, I've been catching quite a few grunt with my sabiki and I was wondering if they are good for bait. I tip it with squid because bait fish don't seem to hit it where I fish in the ICW. I usually throw them back, but I've heard here and there they're ok for bait.

I talked to a guy at my store and he told me to clip off the dorsal spines. I don't know if that is sound advice so I wanted to get your opinions before I did that.

I did at one time catch a nice Jack with a grunt, but I don't know if that was just luck or whatever.

Thanks

Kevin: Grunts work very well as bait for snook, cobia, tarpon....as for clipping the spines, I used to do that with pinfish, not so much with grunts though.

Good luck!!!

Alright awesome. What's the best rig to use when fishing with grunt? Also, where's the best place to put the hook? I usually do behind the anal fin.

I either use a fishfinder rig or I freeline it.

For bottom fishing w/ grunts I like to clip their tail, makes them swim all funky and gets predators attention.

like PP said i like to cut the tail that blood smells they hit it faster hook behind the eyes make sure the hook come out the tip.

i also like to clip the spines like pale rider said.

Ok thanks guys. When you say clip the tail, how much do I clip? The whole thing?

Pale Rider said he clips the spines on pinfish not grunts. Do you do it for grunts too permitchaser?

yes sir the ones for grunts are harder

I like them free lined or under a float for tarpon, cudas, snook, or cobia. They also work well on bottom dead or alive for grouper or snapper.

If I want the grunt to dive straight to bottom I hook them in the ass. If not I usually under the mouth. I do not clip anything as the hook with leader will slow them down and makes them swim erratic. For Grouper I usually butterflied a big Grunt and pitch them out or cut them in half.

take some grunts to the keys and fish the bridges. then see what you can catch.
other than that, go bottom fishing if you can over a deep wreck and see how far the bait sinks down before an AJ locks on to it.

I only use Grunt as a last resort bait. There are better bait out there then a Grunt.

Grunts are a bait of last resort .

lil YELLOW TAILS I dont used them

Bolo I keep hearing "butterfly" is that the same as what you do to Fillet Mignon?

Butterflying is when you fillet the bait up to the head on both sides and then pull the bones out.

AAAAAHHHH Thanks bro, btw LandShark beer isn't that bad.

You wanna taste an ass of a bear, try Steel Reserve 211

.
Steel Reserve is hobo beer, along with Natty Ice.

Drink Guinness, it drinks like a meal.

I went out and it was still slack tide, so not a whole lot of baitfish where I was but I got some grunts. I freelined a live grunt with the hook behind the anal fin and let it soak for about ten minutes. Got a nice barracuda on my light tackle. 9 lbs or so. It was a fun fight. Frayed the hell out of my 50 lb. mono.

I have this same philosophy. I was a bit early for high tide today, so no bait. I used grunts as my back up until the bait started to come in.

why would you butterfly a fillet mignon????

This way they feel like they are getting a bigger steak.

bolo you know way too many restaurant tricks

No idea, when I used to be a server @ Roadhouse Grill sometimes the guy on the grill would do that.

Butterfly a filet add a slice of gorganzolo or blue cheese then grill medium rare ....

Why did Roadhouse Grill went belly up again?

No idea bolo, the last time I worked there was 6yrs ago. I worked for them in Georgia & Fl.

I was a server, host, bartender, on the fryer, grill cook sub, food runner, etc.

I got fired and rehired so many times that after the last time I was deemed unhirable by the company.

One time in Georgia I had a table of 5 that paid with gift certificates (they were mexicanos but I had high hopes being the meal was free). Any ways, when I get back to the table there was 15cents on the table.

I went outside only to see them piling up into a brand new Expedition. I got all the change and pitched it at the car and when they came out I told them they needed it more than I did.

That was the 1st time I got fired.

Guys, remind me not to hire BigBoi. Needs a little work on the customer service.

It took me a while to think about this and I would have to say my answer is a no. Thank you for the offer!