Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association

Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association

  • Artificial Bait

Artificial Bait

Just as people prefer certain foods over others, so do fish. Squid, herring, clams and mackerel have been used as bait for generations among longline fishermen. Bait preference lets fishermen direct on a desired species. For instance, cod prefer clams or squid while haddock will scavenge on practically anything (Bjordal, 1996). Taking advantage of these natural preferences, sausage-like baits can be fabricated from various ingredients, which can maximize selectivity, while providing a product consistent in quality, size, and shape. This is ideal for longlining because it streamlines baiting and eliminates waste.

In this study three fabricated baits were successfully tested to compare catch of cod and haddock. The baits were designed to target haddock with a low bycatch of cod because the haddock stock is healthier than the cod stock. Since haddock and cod spend the majority of their time on the bottom of the ocean and tend to aggregate in similar locations, fishermen who want to fish sustainably for haddock and avoid cod must develop innovative ways to do so.

 While two commercially produced baits were tested (Norbait™ and Trident™), of particular interest was a third homemade bait custom produced for the study. Our collaborating partner Dr. Susan Goldhor custom crafted this fabricated bait in a sausage laboratory at Cornell University. This bait was primarily herring based, and like the others, was a continuous sausage extruded into a casing.


The baits were tested in Georges Bank Closed Area I in late fall 2003. This and other year round closed areas have helped the haddock stock to rebound, and CCCHFA has helped open them on a limited basis to hook and line fishing for haddock.



Fabricated bait was very successful in catching more haddock than cod in Closed Area I. The final report on the pilot study can be viewed here with Adobe Reader.

The homemade bait was surprisingly effective- demonstrating a lower cod catch rate then herring or squid with good a catch rate of haddock in limited trials. The commercial fabricated baits were also very effective, and further work was initiated on the most promising product, the Norbait 700E™  in other areas and with other fleets. The results of the ongoing study can be found under the Haddock SAP demonstration project . This work was funded by the Northeast Consortium, the J.M. Kaplan Fund, and the Chatham-Harwich fishing fleet.

Last updated: May 16, 2006

Today's Catch


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Get Ready for the Event of the Season! Hookers Ball VIII - August 16th.

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See the boats unload and visit the Hosts at the Chatham Fish Pier!

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Help Hook the Cure Striped Bass Derby! August 23, 2008, Benefits Parkinson disease research.
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HAVE YOU CAUGHT A TAGGED HADDOCK OR COD?

Report the tagged fish and receive a prize!

If you catch a haddock or cod with a tag:

  • Record
Tag #
Fish length
Spawning condition
Date and time
Location
Water depth and temperature
Gear used
Fate of fish (released or landed)

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