Although I don't use it all the time, groundbaiting is a definite plus for me when I have.
I have a homemade version of the secret weapon/berleybomb which I use in deeper water or strong tides but also when fishing in not so deep and not so strong tides I am happy to drop in free offerings.
I have used these methods mainly for tope and cod but have also had success with skate, spurdog, huss, whiting, garfish and mackerel. not to mention dubby for shark.
I fished freshwater for years where groundbaiting was essential, particularly for carp and even pike, so I thought why wouldn't it work at sea!
the proof, if I needed it, was found almost by accident when I was fishing well up the Welsh side of the Bristol channel, amongst several charter boats and caught a 6lb bass on a sandeel and mackerel wrap whilst targeting blonde rays.
when I cleaned it at home it was full of 7 mackerel heads!!! obviously discarded over the side of the charters and very willing to accept an easy meal.
I have had cod up to 17lb that when cleaned, had chunked fish in them that I had been dropping in as free offerings along with half a dozen spur dog, rarely caught in the area I was fishing that day, with only 35ft of water. I am convinced they followed the trail of free offerings that had been flowing down the tide.
In the deeper water, I use the bait dropper filled with chopped up bits of mackerel, or other fish.
I have had baited feathers on the bottom and not alot happening. then sent down the the bait dropper and in no time at all had several whiting on the same rig.
So, for me groundbaiting is yet another weapon in the armoury. why not give it a try?
Stuart
a pair of codling that had free offerings of fish in them when cleaned
