How to Prep Ballyhoo Bait

Brining and Properly Preparing your Baits is Critical to Fishing Success

A little brine makes baits hold up better and swim longer

Ballyhoo fish is one of the most widely used trolling bait in offshore saltwater fishing because it is readily available for purchase - typically sold frozen in sealed bags. But, they can also be caught off the coast of South Florida.

Also, rigged ballyhoo are a great bait for just about any offshore game fish like billfish and tuna. They are frequently used as trolling purposes and as cut bait. If you get a ballyhoo into the bait well without touching it, it can live long enough to be used as a live bait.

Learn how to prep Ballyhoo for a productive day of offshore fishing with this quick video from The Tackle Room. Brining baits saves time on the water and ensures you get the most value from your bait. We use Bionic Brine, available from The Tackle Room.

Frozen ballyhoo are full of poop. That’s not to say they don’t tell the truth, I mean it literally…they’re full of poop. You’ve got to properly clear their contents to ensure they swim properly. Limbering them up is also critical, you’d be a little stiff too if you were flash frozen and shipped across the country. Another important part of the process is using brine on your baits. Brine toughens baits up and also helps to give them a little added shine in the water. You’ll notice that brined baits last longer on the troll and if you’re cheap like I am, you may even want to re-freeze some baits. Just don’t tell anybody, it’ll be our secret.

Check out this video and be sure to hit us up if you’ve got any questions. We are happy to help.

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