How to Cut Up Baitfish (For More Redfish, Snook, Black Drum & Tarpon)

It’s cut bait time!!
Predator fish, such as redfish, black drum, snook, and even tarpon can’t resist a stinky chunk of ladyfish or mullet sitting on the bottom.
The smell attracts them from yards away and the innocent piece of meat looks like an easy meal for these big, lazy fish.
However, there’s a lot more to cutting up bait than you might think.
If you cut it the wrong way, or rig it the wrong way, you might be missing out on a lot of fish, so in this video, I’m going to show you the best ways to cut up fish for cut bait.
I’ve got a few different sizes of fish and I’ll demonstrate six different ways to cut them.
Plus, you’ll also learn:
- How to hook cut bait to disperse more scent
- The biggest mistakes people make that make when cutting cut bait
- How to catch more redfish (and fewer catfish)
- And much more
Have any questions about cutting up baitfish?
Let us know in the comments below!
P.S. To get our best fishing spots and tips, plus discounts to our online tackle store, click here to join us in the Insider Club: bit.ly/2VmMt9o

[@Saltstrong]

To get our best fishing spots and tips, plus discounts to our online tackle store, click here to join us in the Insider Club: bit.ly/2VmMt9o

[@nclark3rd]

Thanks so much, I caught more fish and lost less bait today thanks to these methods!

[@tightlineanchorinc.3308]

Great advice! That's how we roll with mackerel when fishing Striped Bass up here in Nova Scotia

[@lugo2510]

Tony, you always know how to answer my questions. Your videos are so informative. I have been doing it wrong the whole time. Thank you for the great info brother.

[@Saltstrong]

Glad to help

[@webincomeincome8767]

Thanks for the video. Might wanna do one next on knife sharpening before cut bait lessons. That one is terribly dull. Lol

[@roelgarcia4249]

One of my favorite baits for bullreds and you did a perfect job with the video.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment Roel!

[@roelgarcia4249]

Salt Strong yes sir nice vids good knowledge.

[@MrThoLuu]

You are a pro no doubt. Good video

[@deanv5470]

Thanks man knowledge is good straight from the animal house statue I appreciate your time

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for watching!

[@thenort13]

Since some time I always add a two-way swivel to the top of my rigs in order to prevent line tangle, works great even when I use the tail section of the baitfish as bait.

[@Discod6969]

Great video!

[@markthomasstopani8516]

Great video!!! Have you tried trimming the tail to a point instead of just cutting it off? Hook it so the smaller end of the tail is towards the main line.

[@jeffreybabino8161]

Great video thanks 🐟

[@Saltstrong]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stevenaronson4268]

Strips of meat make great flounder bait and great to tip buck tails with

[@garyferrer2032]

I usually leave the tail I have had good results with that

[@jelly_fishing]

What size of hook do you use or recommend ?

[@iancordova]

Thanks Tony! This was helpful! I was doing this yesterday but I was using small pieces and they were getting stripped by catfish. I took a bigger tail piece and hooked up on what would've been my PB snook but the hook pulled at the last moment. Question: Does it matter the storage of cutbait fish? For example yesterday it was more of a sandbar day and I just bought frozen mullet at the bait shop. I just threw the mullet in the live well with no water. The wife hates the smell and seeing it. The heat seems to make it mushy. Does it matter if it is on ice versus just sitting out?

[@CraftingDivision]

I think it will have more smell if you leave it out but the mushiness will make it easier to fall off the hook

[@dh3940]

Well just you would rather eat a fresh cut steak that was in the fridge one hour ago. Fish would much rather eat a fresh bait that isn’t mushy like oatmeal so make sure when you buy your mullet it’s very white and fresh looking or else you will just catch catfish. That’s from my experience anyways

[@christosvournazos1368]

Wich video is the one that shows us diffrent types of rigging mullet

[@P8intballEvans]

I never catch anything on the head so I cut another section out right at the Gill plates...also I remove all the fins

[@erockscott1184]

This is a good video. All of what you explained in very relevant and easy to understand. My problem is exactly what you said at the end. Im in Fort Myers I dont have a boat...I have to find areas where I'm not getting "by catch" and Catfish...I cant find any areas where there are Snook or Reds at all...I just catch dinosaurs and Catfish...its very frustrating. Do Sea Trout take cut bait????

[@FunkyD47]

I also live in fort myers and I’ve caught a few trout on cut bait

[@oaksterbrophy]

Use a popping cork with your cut bait

[@erockscott1184]

@@oaksterbrophy I'm gonna try that

[@BrandonWatkins614]

When using this technique is frozen mullet just as effective as freshly caught or is fresh caught significantly better?

[@MrxSheeK]

Fresh is always better.

[@PracticeMakesPaper]

Frozen mullet can work but it gets picked off easier compared to fresh

[@smokenjoe4022]

I’ve got a good tip for ya don’t use a knife just tear it into peaces then it will bleed lots of blood and oil into the water! Also I like to use self hooking circle hooks! Just lift and wind no hook setting!

[@cameroneagle4370]

What do I do to stop sharks eating my bait!

[@fishingpinky3165]

WHere did you get those gloves?

[@josephdoby6411]

What size hooks were you using for this video?

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you for your question! We have a massive library of fishing tips on our website along with a search feature to let you quickly filter down to find help you're looking for, so just go to www.saltstrong.com/ and use the Search feature in the top menu. Note: If you don't see the exact answer you're looking for, just leave a comment in the post that most closely matches up with your search and one of our coaches will respond to your question... our coaches only make time to answer questions that get submitted to our website.

[@monsterhog1118]

I was typing always cut the tail off 😂

[@yairexposito6518]

What hook did you use?

[@thenobleone6255]

Looks like a Whiner Hook

[@thenobleone6255]

Shiner*

[@FishingFloridaWater]

Boy ain't nothing stopping a string ray with a 4 foot wingspan from taking a piece that big or 5 inches

[@anthonymannarino3376]

Yep lol. But you need to catch those garbage fish to get the good ones. Action brings more action

[@bigtalk7456]

Honestly, here in NC , we catch MONSTERS ON THE TAIL

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Lex.polupan]

What is that sound?

[@emanuelfarrugia342]

Hi why you don’t get sharpened knife

[@Saltstrong]

We finally did!

[@smallcarbigcountry.9074]

Thanks for the great info. But that has to be the dullest knife ever.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for watching! Noted on the knife :)

[@joebowen8345]

Want to try to sharpen your knife.... so you don't tear up your bait

[@coolbreeze2291]

What I do is cut a slit from the top of the head, down The the spine to the tail. That way the guts will stay attached and smelly. You’ll get a bite from whatever’s in the area. Even sharks

[@dh3940]

Make sure y’all bring a nice ziploc bag to put your cut bait in and clean up guts and blood near you or else you will be bombarded with flies and fire ants

[@DamianT361]

The locust was super annoying!

[@tonyacevedo3149]

Damian Trotter unfortunately there’s no stopping them outside this time of year haha.

[@xRamZx]

Right! Lol I was using headphones, I thought it was on my house

[@williamblack2549]

That's a good ol cicada

[@robertloughran]

I had to pause the vid because I thought they were in my backyard. Ha! Also, sharpen that knife bro!! 😁

[@bidensucsbigdickskalmadrin6877]

catfish setup terrible