Bait vs Lure, What Charter Boats Use and Why

The Short Answer

Charter boats use bait. Fresh squid, pilchards, and mullet, mostly. That's what you'll be using on your next charter, almost regardless of where or what you're targeting. It's not because bait is always better than lures, it's because bait works on more species with less skill, and charter boats are usually catering to anglers who don't fish every weekend.

If you've booked a charter and you're wondering whether to bring your favourite lure collection, leave them at home. The skipper will provide everything you need, and on a shared charter you'll use whatever the boat provides. This isn't a lure snobbery thing, it's a practical reality of running a boat that takes six or eight people fishing and needs them all to catch something.

That said, lures have their place. Trolling for tuna and marlin, soft plastics for flathead, stickbaits for tailor, there are situations where lures outperform bait. This page breaks down when each works, why charter skippers default to bait, and what to expect on your next trip.

What Bait Do Charter Boats Use?

Three baits cover the vast majority of Australian charter fishing: fresh squid, pilchards, and mullet. Each has its place.

Fresh Squid

The number one bait on reef and offshore charters. Squid is oily, smelly, and tough, it stays on the hook through the strike and the long fight. It works for coral trout, nannygai, snapper, red emperor, and most other reef species. Most operators buy it frozen in 5kg or 10kg blocks and cut it on the boat. You'll see it on every Cairns, Port Douglas, and southern reef charter.

Pilchards

The all-rounder. Pilchards work for trolling, a single pilchard rigged behind a skirt is the standard spread for marlin, sailfish, and tuna. They also work as a cut bait for reef species, and they're cheap. Southern Queensland and NSW charters use pilchards heavily. Frozen pilchards come in 1kg and 5kg packs and last weeks in a freezer.

Mullet

The big-fish bait. Mullet is the standard offering for large predators, barramundi, mulloway, kingfish, and large flathead. It's oily, it casts well, and a whole mullet head or fillet is hard for a big fish to ignore. Northern Australian charters targeting barra use mullet almost exclusively.

Other Baits

Garfish, yakka, slimy mackerel, herring, and prawns all show up on specific charters. Garfish works for snapper and bream in the south. Yakka is the premium trolling bait for marlin, pricey, hard to source, but deadly. Prawns work for estuary species. Most operators carry two or three as backups but rely on the squid/pilchard/mullet foundation.

Why Charter Skippers Default to Bait

Catch Rate Across Skill Levels

Bait catches fish on the first cast, the tenth cast, the hundredth cast. It doesn't require the angler to do anything technical, drop it down, wind it tight, wait for a bite. Lures require retrieve technique, knot tying, lure selection, and timing. On a charter with mixed-skill anglers, bait produces more consistent action. The skipper wants everyone catching, not just the experienced anglers.

Wide Species Coverage

A pilchard on a ganged hook rig will catch tuna, mackerel, kingfish, and a dozen other pelagics. A lure covers one or two species well and ignores the rest. Bait is the democratic option, what gets everyone in the boat into a fish. That's what charter operators are selling.

Cost

Bait is cheap. Squid is around $15-20 a kilo. Pilchards are $5-10 a kilo. A quality trolling lure is $20-40 each, and you lose a few every trip to Spanish mackerel, reef structure, or a slack line strike. A trip might use $30-50 of bait. The same trip on premium trolling lures could burn through $200 of gear.

When Lures Beat Bait

Trolling for Tuna and Marlin

Skirted lures, those big colourful trolling lures with the plastic skirt, are the standard for offshore trolling. They create a disturbance underwater that drives pelagics wild. Bait works too (a rigged pilchard or live yakka is deadly on tuna), but lures let you cover more water, run more lines, and trigger strikes from fish that wouldn't take a bait. Most game fishing charters troll lures, not bait.

Soft Plastics for Flathead

If you're targeting flathead specifically, soft plastics often beat bait. A 3-inch paddle-tail plastic worked slowly along the bottom triggers flathead that ignore bait offerings. The strike is visual, you'll see the fish follow and inhale the plastic, which makes the fishing more engaging than sitting and waiting.

Stickbaits and Poppers for Tailor and Tuna

On the surface, tailor, small tuna, and Australian salmon respond explosively to stickbaits and poppers. The visual surface strike is the whole point, bait can't do that. It's a different style of fishing, less about catching the most fish and more about the experience.

When the Fish Are Fussy

Sometimes fish just won't take a bait. They're shut down, the pressure's been on them, or the conditions are off. A small lure, a metal slug, a soft plastic, a vibes-style lure, can sometimes trigger fish that bait can't. It's not a common situation on charters, but experienced anglers know it.

What You'll Actually Use on Your Charter

Reef Charters (Coral Trout, Snapper, Nannygai)

Bait. Almost always. Fresh squid cut into strips, sometimes whole half-squid for bigger fish. Pilchards as a backup. You'll be drifting with the bait on the bottom, waiting for the bite. Lures are not used. The bottom structure is too rough and the strikes are too subtle.

Game Fishing Charters (Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna)

Lures for trolling. Skirted trolling lures in a spread of five or six lines behind the boat. Pilchards or live bait as a teaser. Some operations switch to live bait when they raise a fish, a live yakka bridled and switched out is the deadliest marlin offering. But the default is trolling lures.

Estuary Charters (Bream, Flathead, Whiting)

Mixed. Bait (prawns, squid strips, mullet) works well and is forgiving. Soft plastics and vibes lures work well for flathead specifically. Some estuary operators offer a soft plastics trip, bring your own or hire from the skipper. Most run bait as the default.

Shark Fishing Charters

Bait. Big baits. A whole tuna head or a large slab of mullet is the standard shark offering. Lures don't feature much in shark fishing, the fish are too slow to chase a moving lure and they want a smelly meal that sits on the bottom.

Common Misconceptions

"Lure fishers are better than bait fishers."

No. Lure fishing requires more skill, but it doesn't make you a better angler in any moral sense. Plenty of bait anglers outfish lure anglers every trip because they're fishing the right spot at the right time. Style of fishing is not a measure of competence.

"Charter boats only use bait because they're lazy."

No. Charter operators use bait because it produces results across skill levels. Switching to a lure-only format would mean less action for less experienced anglers, which would mean worse reviews and fewer bookings. Bait is the business choice, and it's also the right choice for most charters.

"Lures always catch bigger fish."

Not really. Lures can target bigger fish selectively, but bait also catches trophy fish. The biggest coral trout I've seen caught on a Cairns charter came on a whole squid bait. Size depends on where you fish, not what you use.

If You Want to Use Lures, How to Make It Happen

Most charter operators won't switch to lure-only formats, but some will accommodate if you're upfront about it. Here's how to get what you want:

• Book a private charter. Private boats let you dictate the format. If you want to soft plastic for flathead all day, the skipper will work with you.
• Talk to the operator before booking. Ask whether they run lure trips or if they'll accommodate a lure-only session.
• Bring your own gear if you have it. Experienced anglers with quality tackle can usually negotiate a private charter that uses their preferred lures.
• Accept that on shared charters, you'll use what the boat provides. This is the trade-off for the cheaper price.

Final Word, Don't Stress About It

Honestly, the bait vs lure question matters less than most anglers think. Location matters more. Timing matters more. Tide matters more. Whether the skipper knows where the fish are matters more than anything. The argument between bait and lure is mostly an angler's bar argument, both work, both have their place, and the difference in catch rates on any given trip is usually small.

If you're heading out on a charter, trust the skipper, use the bait they provide, and focus on the fundamentals, bait the hook properly, feel for the bite, set the hook firmly, and don't horse the fish. You'll catch plenty. And if you want to switch to lures on the next trip, hire a soft plastic rod from the tackle shop and spend a Saturday morning walking the estuary edges.

For more on what to expect on a charter, the fishing charter guide covers the basics of trip format. The Cairns guide has the rundown on reef and game fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, where the bait vs lure distinction is most relevant.