Will Your Chub Make the Cut?

[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Off and on now for several years, guys wanting to fish tube jigs tipped with chub have asked me how I would recommend they prepare their chub. Trying to describe it in PMs or over the phone or texting is less than successful. So just for fun (and for future reference) I decided to do a post on how I prep my cut chub. I use cut bait primarily for vertical jigging at Strawberry.[/size][/#000080][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]I must warn you up front; the following is graphic and may be disturbing to watch. Viewer discretion is advised.[:p][/size][/#000080][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Oh, and one more thing before I begin, I don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence here. No doubt, many of you will see/read this and wonder why I am wasting internet space. But I wish someone would have shown me long before I figured it out. So here goes:[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]I typically catch and freeze my own chub. But for this demonstration, I'm using frozen chub I bought at Angler's Den. You can get frozen chub at Sportsman's, Smith & Edwards, etc..[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Use a good heavy chef's knife. I've broken other good knives that aren't heavy duty enough trying to cut frozen chub. Make sure that your knife is very sharp. Anything less than very sharp will pull the skin right off the meat.[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Take it out of the freezer and cut it while it is still frozen hard. That way the skin will remain in much better condition. One benefit of cutting it while at home rather than out on the boat is that the mess stays home and not in the boat. Also, it sure is nice to not have to spend time cutting bait on the boat when you could be focusing on fishing. So cut your bait at home hours before going on your fishing trip.[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Make the first cut right behind the gills. I throw the head away.[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Continue making cuts parallel to the first cut. Cut each piece about ½ inch wide (or slightly wider … but not any narrower) . You can keep or discard the tail. Some folks say that the tail is the best part. But I disagree. I throw the tail away.[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Now tip each piece up on edge so that the cut edge is against the cutting board. Cut each piece right through the middle making two mirror image pieces.[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Place all of the cut pieces in a baggie. Once you have cut all of the pieces and put them into the baggie, flatten and spread the pieces out so that when you carefully place them back in the freezer, they won't freeze all together in one big glob.[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Now, the last thing you need to do is to go put a note under the windshield wiper of your truck that says, "Don't forget to get the cut chub out of the freezer!".[/size][/#000080][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#000080][size 4]Reply with your post of related ideas. I'd love to read them.[/size][/#000080]
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[Catcherman.]

Mmm... Sushi!
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[cbassonafly]

Thanks for the tip! I will use it for ice fishing this year for sure. I always have them out on the ice and end up with a mess
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[fsh4fun05]

Vacuum seal it, keep heads and tails for chum (where allowed). I don't leave any meat on the tail unless I use it to tip a tube for the troutskies. Spot on Coot
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[Kent]

Ralph, IMNSHO you are tossing the two best parts of the chub. I use a pair of cheap shears that I purchase from Harbor Freight and cut them as I go. Works really slick and is much easier than using a knife.
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[RockyRaab]

I think that the note is THE most important tip.

Thanks, Ralph. Now those of us who only knew how to cut the cheese can also cut the chub!
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[Old_Coot]

[quote kentofnsl]Ralph, IMNSHO you are tossing the two best parts of the chub. I use a pair of cheap shears that I purchase from Harbor Freight and cut them as I go. Works really slick and is much easier than using a knife.[/quote]

Kent, a few questions for you here.

1. I can understand using the tail (I do sometimes myself) but the head? Do you tip your hooks with the head?

2. You say that you "cut them as you go". Does that mean that you cut them as you need them out on the boat?

3. If your are cutting them out in the boat, can I assume that the chub are not frozen when you cut them ... right?

4. When you say that you use "shears", would that be the same as sissors. If they are not sissors, could you please discribe what shears are?

Thanks,
--- Coot ---
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[wiperhunter2]

Totally agree that remembering the bait is the most important step[], I don't want to think about how many times I've got to the lake and remembered that important step.[]
As far as the head and tail being thrown away, I'll have to agree with Kent on that part. The tail is the most natural part of the bait fish, imo. When put on a jig it gives the impression of a real fish, plus the head and tail are the parts with the most bone, so it does not come off as easy when the fish hit it.
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[UTExplorer]

Great write up for those new to fishing cut bait, I know when I first started fishing the berry my main problem was using too big of a peice making my jig lifeless I use the head and tail just because I think fish key in on both of those parts specifically... BTW I still chuckle to myself when I think of the report you wrote about the disastrous ice fishing trip you had a few years back at the berry and reading those reports helped me figure that place out....Thank you
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[Old_Coot]

[quote wiperhunter2]As far as the head and tail being thrown away, I'll have to agree with Kent on that part. The tail is the most natural part of the bait fish, imo. When put on a jig it gives the impression of a real fish, plus the head and tail are the parts with the most bone, so it does not come off as easy when the fish hit it.[/quote]

I too have uesd the tail because of how it looks on the jig. But I don't think that the tail gives off nearly as much "smell" as the belly part. I use the tails as last resort (if I haven't already thrown them away).

I have never used the head because I would think that the hunk of head on the hook would look too rigid and werid. But then when I run out of chub, I'll bet that It would be nice to have a head to hook on there. And, because of its bony structure, it would probably stay on for the rest of the day.

I have to admit ... I will probably give the head and tail a little more respect in the future.

I sure do love this BFT Web site ... great ideas and info that gets shared here.
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[Kent]

[quote Old_Coot]

Kent, a few questions for you here.

1. I can understand using the tail (I do sometimes myself) but the head? Do you tip your hooks with the head?

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Yes, I definitely tip my tubes with the head, it is a toss-up between which works better the head or the tail, and both of them work better than the body of the chub.

[quote Old_Coot]

2. You say that you "cut them as you go". Does that mean that you cut them as you need them out on the boat?

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Yes. I will often cut up an entire chub at one time, or I may just cut off one piece at a time.

[quote Old_Coot]

3. If your are cutting them out in the boat, can I assume that the chub are not frozen when you cut them ... right?

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I freeze my chubs in baggies with a little water. I thaw them just enough that I can separate one or two and then I always keep them in an small cooler with Blue Ice. They stay "almost frozen" all or at least most of the day.

[quote Old_Coot]

4. When you say that you use "shears", would that be the same as sissors. If they are not sissors, could you please discribe what shears are?

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They are probably closer to shears than scissors. All of the ones I have seen have a green handle and have serrated blades that grip the chub as I cut off a piece.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I use mostly whole chubs for the fishing I do. But I have used pieces to "sweeten" jigs too. I always use the heads. "The eyes have it". Many predators respond more to eyes than scent at times.

I have been using the heads, rather than discarding them, since some of the fish I brought in and kept had discarded fish heads in their innards. (discarding...not chumming).

I also had a report from a guy a few years ago that brought home a large cutt that was full of chub heads. He wondered if that fish was swimming around and biting the heads off the chubs. I told him that some guys didn't use the heads and just tossed them overboard. He must have been fishing near you.
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[WaveWolf]

[#484848]Good Thread Ralph ....... I remember the first time fishing with Anchovies. We didn't keep them frozen and they can disintegrate and smell up a boat, Big Time.[/#484848]
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[Old_Coot]

[#800000][size 3]"... it is a toss-up between which works better the head or the tail, and both of them work better than the body of the chub."[/size][/#800000]

[#000000][size 3]Wow Kent, that is interesting that you would say that the head and tail work betteer than the body of the chub. I will definately have to reconsider using them in the future.[/size][/#000000]
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[Old_Coot]

Interesting story Pat. So, if pros like you and Kent are using the heads, guess I'll have to give them a serious try.

Next thing ya know, people will try to convince me that it's worth keeping the cheaks of walleye to eat.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]It's the age old process of deciding between what's good...what's good for you...and what you like or dislike. Always good to keep an open mind and to give something an honest trial before rejecting it out of hand.

But..."A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."

And, by the way, the cheeks of almost any fish large enough to produce a decent cheek chunk are very good...even wipers. You can either cut and scoop during the filleting process...or poach (boil) the whole head and scoop out the cheeks after you peel off the skin. See below.

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[akammerman]

Excuse my ignorance. I couple of questions:

a) Is this the same method I would use to use perch as bait in the field?
b) Do you put the bait on in addition to a tube (or something else) or do you simply put the bait on a jighead? A picture would help.

Thanks a lot for this post, Old Coot. I am still very new to fishing and I really appreciate the detailed information on anything.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]No apologies needed. Not ignorance. Just a lack of exposure to that type of fishing. Questions are free...or should be.

The methods described for cutting up fish flesh is similar...depending on the size of the bait fish and the size pieces you want to use for the targeted species. As a general rule, you should use only a large enough piece to create both scent and visual attraction without overpowering the lure you have "sweetened". Usually best to just cover the hook or even to leave the hook point exposed for better hook penetration.

I am attaching a writeup on how I cut up and prepare my PPP...processed perch pieces. I use this both when ice fishing or for open water. You can make similar cuts if you want to use a fresh perch for immediate bait application. Again, you may also want to cut it into larger or smaller pieces. Where legal you can use whole, half or strips of perch. Some tiger musky waters have a restriction of a maximum of 1 square inch size.

I hook the little strips on a variety of jigging lures and tube jigs. I usually run the hook through one end so that the little strip wiggles and flutters as I work the jig. Here's a pic showing a bait sized piece of perch meat on a jig...in the mouth of another perch.

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[MasterDaad]

I also prefer fishing with heads.

My record Utah trout (30" Tiger) was caught on a tube jig tipped with a small chub head.

My father used to cut anchovies for Lake Powell striper bait as instructed above. And we still do that.... except now I keep the heads and prefer those when available.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Yeah, 'chovies are a good example of how effective the heads can be...compared to a plain old chunk from the middle. Not only do they hold on the hook better but a lot of fish seem to be more attracted to them.

I have fished a lot in the Pacific...from boats, piers and shoreline...surf and rocks. Anchovies are a major bait for many species. Whenever I have used anchovies cut up, rather than whole, the front sections almost always seem to get more action.

In Lake Cachuma, above Santa Barbara, I was trying some leftover anchovies for channel cats. Imagine my surprise when I hooked about a six pound rainbow on a front half of an anchovy intended for catfish. Stupid fish.
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