Catching Bait for Your Fishing Trip
Saltwater fishing lends itself to both live bait picked clean from the ocean to artificial lures. Whether you need to drop quickly (using a 16 ounce diamond jig) to interfere with the group of bluefish, or you need something splashing across the surface such as a top water plug you have to determine which is the time and place for each.
Fresh bait can be extremely expensive and quite a nuisance. First you need to spend a small fortune at a live bait shop, and then you have to transport it to the boat to get to live fishing grounds. Unfortunately, all of this moving tends to upset the fresh bait, and by the time you arrive at your fishing spot, but they could be very stressed. This is of course assuming that you are able to find the live bait you with looking for at your local bait shop. There are times, when it’s preferable to gather your live bait yourself.
Anglers in the Northeast love chasing striped bass. Fortunately, the favorite food of the striped bass is menhaden which is known locally as a bunker. The good thing about bunker is it is usually readily available in nearly all bait shops. The downside of this is that it’s nearly always frozen. However, rather than purchasing frozen bait that could be very old, you can find fresh bunker fairly easily. These bait fish can be caught using hooks or nets by the hundreds. Any leftovers you can freeze them in the event you’re unable to locate fresh bait for a future fishing trip.
Live bait is very helpful if you are fluke fishing as well. While it may be easier to use dead and frozen bait, live bait can often provide an edge over those who are fishing with frozen bait. Mummichogs are the preferred bait for summer flounder. They can easily be found in creeks, the mouths of rivers, and other shallow estuaries that are typically found along the coast. It is not unusual to find these mummies in marinas. Place a trap and simply put a can of wet cat food into your trap, and within 30 minutes if you’ve placed in the right spot you’ll have all the bait you need.
Anglers in the Northeast have learned long ago if they want to be successful blackfish fishing they need either green or Asian crabs. While this bait is locally available, it’s very expensive. The active fisherman will need a lot of these - these fish fight for the bait and are experts. It’s far more cost effective to invest in a crab trap and place it in jetties, near rocks, or at docks in a marina. The best bait for landing these crabs is a fish carcass that’s been filleted. If the location is right, you can gather a 5 gallon bucket of crabs inside of an hour.
Bait fishing and trapping can improve your overall skills as an angler. The thrill of the catch isn’t any less just because you’re fishing for baitfish. Another side benefit of this type of fishing is it can provide you a window of opportunity to see what attracts your intend quarry to the bait fish they enjoy so much. In addition to these benefits, you’ll save a significant amount of money catching your own bait than purchasing frozen bait that you have no idea of its age.
When you are out saltwater fishing it is important to make sure you have the right supplies. Some of the most popular brands include Shimano Fishing Reels, Penn Fishing Reels, and Daiwa Reels.