A regular
method to attract larger fish is by using live bait. Fishing with live
bait is done by using the prey of larger, predator fish. Live bait will
attract large fish and in some cases increase the anglers chance of
catching a fish
There
are many myths that surround using live bait instead of artificial and
most of them are not true. Live bait is still used by many anglers. The
one factual part of live bait, which no one can dispute, it that is
often messy, and it smells terrible. If you can surmount these two
factors, you will be in good shape to try live bait on your next
fishing outing.
There are some basic principles that should not be ignored when using
live bait. None of the principles concerning live bait are clean or
nice, but they are mandatory.
Live Bait
Handling
You should never handle live bait when
your hands are dry. Bait has a slimy layer on the outside, which is
protective as well as inviting to predators, and if your hands are dry
you will risk removing that layer.
If you are running short on live
bait, try to save the bait that dies in your live well or in a nearby
bucket. When your live bait has run out, you will still be able to use
the freshly dead bait on your hook to attract fish. All you have to do
is cast your line and bob it a little to give the appearance that your
decoy has some life left. Be careful of the weight that you put on a
line with live bait. Fish are going to spot a weight if it is too heavy
and weighting down the bait. Your weight or sinker should be light
enough to give the bait the appearance of free floating in the water.
Seasons & Conditions
Seasonal fishing can change the perspective on live bait. For instance,
the summer months can be brutal, especially in the South. You may need
to adjust your thinking and practices when the summer months hit.
Keeping the bait alive will be the hardest obstacle for any angler in
the summer.
In order to keep your bait living, you will need to change
out the water regularly so that the oxygen can keep flowing through to
the bait. However, you can't just stop at changing out the water.
The
temperature of the water is crucial because the water on the surface is
hot and deadly for living bait. Therefore, having ice on hand to put
into the live well will be the most beneficial way of keeping your live
bait happy until they reach the hook. There is also a bait shortage
during the summer months on things like shrimp and live croaker. You
will save yourself a lot of time if you call the bait shop the night
before to ensure that the bait you want is available. The shrimp are
the most common bait in the summertime, but they are not as effective
as you may think. When everyone is using shrimp, the fish are not as
excited by them because they see them everywhere.
Try using a baitfish
that is not as often used in the summer months and guarantee a better
chance of catching a fish. Some other tips you should keep in mind when
fishing with live bait is to never hook your live bait in the eyes.
The
reason is that you want the bait to see the fish approach them because
they will become more excited and it will cause the fish to latch on
better. Another thing is that you should add water softener salt to the
water that is holding your live bait.
The salt will make the scales of
your bait harder while instantaneously preserving the slimy coat that
attracts predators.
Lastly, you should make sure that you know how to
properly throw a casting net before trying to catch bait. People often
times throw the net too hard or too soft and this results in
frustration and a net that does not consistently open. Live bait can
come in handy when you are trying to have a big day out at sea. Reason
and logic will tell you that a fish would be more attracted to real
food as oppose to faux food.
However, the live bait does increase the
workload so make sure you are prepared to deal with the entire package
before committing to fishing with live bait.
Lastly,
you should make sure that you know how to
properly throw a casting net before trying to catch bait. People often
times throw the net too hard or too soft and this results in
frustration and a net that does not consistently open. Live bait can
come in handy when you are trying to have a big day out at sea. Reason
and logic will tell you that a fish would be more attracted to real
food as oppose to faux food.
Using live bait can pay off when fishing and so it should always be a
plan B when fishing. - Enjoy!!!!
