Good Things Come to Those Who Bait Part 1
The art of baiting is debated. Experienced anglers have various preferences of what bait they use. Since there is such a great variety of bait out there, it can be intimidating for the beginning angler to choose which bait he'll use to catch his first fish. This article gives you a basic guide to fishing bait. Bait is something live or artificial that attracts fish. There are a few types of bait you can choose from: live, artificial or prepared bait. We will explain the three types of baits in this two part series. In part one of this series we will discuss natural bait.
First, we will take a look at natural bait. Natural bait can either be alive or dead. They are effective due to the fact that they are life-like and release an odor appealing to the fish. Natural baits include earthworms, leeches, grasshoppers, flies, ants, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, insect larvae, crickets, shrimp, crayfish, frogs, minnows, shad, eels, squids, octopi, mussels, crab, and chub. Worms are the most universal freshwater bait, with the most effective way of fishing with worms being through the use of gang hooks. Gang hooks are basically a pair of small fishing hooks tied back to back, which allow the worms to look outstretched as they do in nature thereby giving it a natural appearance in the water and increasing bite rates.
While worms are whole, cut baits are baits that are cut up into pieces. Fish that are attracted by scent are more likely to respond to the cut bait in comparison to whole baits or lures because a fish which is cut up exposes its organs releasing a strong odor. This is because all fish have sense of smell. Fish which are more likely to respond to cut baits include catfish, salmon and sharks because they have a higher developed sense of smell than other fish. To create your own cut bait follows these guidelines:
-Scale the fish
-Leave the skin on the fish
-Cut the fish into pieces
Freshwater fish prefer cut and prepared baits while saltwater fish enjoy sea worms, eels, crabs, shrimp, squid, octopi, and cut baits. Live bait typically can be purchased at tackle stores and in popular fishing areas or you can find some on piles and around piers.
Hunting down natural bait can lead you to a number of destinations. Grubs and meal worms are common and available at most tackle and bait shops; these are perfect for pan fish, sunfish and trout. Any minnow, or baby fish, can be used as good freshwater bait - those can be caught yourself. With many sources to choose from, oftentimes mussels are overlooked as bait especially in Southern California fishing. Mussels can be used as bait particularly if they are abundant and native to your area.
If you want to continue learning about the other types of bait, read part two of this series Good Things Come to Those Who Bait Part 2. In part two we will discuss artificial and prepared bait.
First, we will take a look at natural bait. Natural bait can either be alive or dead. They are effective due to the fact that they are life-like and release an odor appealing to the fish. Natural baits include earthworms, leeches, grasshoppers, flies, ants, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, insect larvae, crickets, shrimp, crayfish, frogs, minnows, shad, eels, squids, octopi, mussels, crab, and chub. Worms are the most universal freshwater bait, with the most effective way of fishing with worms being through the use of gang hooks. Gang hooks are basically a pair of small fishing hooks tied back to back, which allow the worms to look outstretched as they do in nature thereby giving it a natural appearance in the water and increasing bite rates.
While worms are whole, cut baits are baits that are cut up into pieces. Fish that are attracted by scent are more likely to respond to the cut bait in comparison to whole baits or lures because a fish which is cut up exposes its organs releasing a strong odor. This is because all fish have sense of smell. Fish which are more likely to respond to cut baits include catfish, salmon and sharks because they have a higher developed sense of smell than other fish. To create your own cut bait follows these guidelines:
-Scale the fish
-Leave the skin on the fish
-Cut the fish into pieces
Freshwater fish prefer cut and prepared baits while saltwater fish enjoy sea worms, eels, crabs, shrimp, squid, octopi, and cut baits. Live bait typically can be purchased at tackle stores and in popular fishing areas or you can find some on piles and around piers.
Hunting down natural bait can lead you to a number of destinations. Grubs and meal worms are common and available at most tackle and bait shops; these are perfect for pan fish, sunfish and trout. Any minnow, or baby fish, can be used as good freshwater bait - those can be caught yourself. With many sources to choose from, oftentimes mussels are overlooked as bait especially in Southern California fishing. Mussels can be used as bait particularly if they are abundant and native to your area.
If you want to continue learning about the other types of bait, read part two of this series Good Things Come to Those Who Bait Part 2. In part two we will discuss artificial and prepared bait.
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