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Tips For Fishing Live Bait

Summary: Fishing live bait is very effective for most game fish and most often results in a lot of action for the fisherman as multiple species of fish will be attracted to the same live bait. For instance largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleyes, and catfish will all take a crawfish or a night crawler when put in front of them. Sounds like a lot of fun to me!

1. When fishing with live bait rig the bait with a hook/s that is proportioned to the size of the bait you are using. By keeping the weight of the hook/s to a minimum so the bait can swim naturally and thus provide more action to attract more strikes from the fish you want to catch.

2. Before putting hooking live bait or just handling dip your hands in water first. By doing so you will remove less slime or scales from your bait and it will live longer and stay livelier.

3. Don’t hook live bait through the eyes. By doing so the bait will not be able to see and thus react to a predator fish approaching it. Many times a predator fish will back away from lifeless bait, this includes crappies. Bait hooked through the eyes will also fall off the hook easier.

4. Bring along different sizes of whatever live bait your using. Just like a lure or crankbait size can make a big difference. By bringing along different sizes of live bait you will be able to experiment to see what the fish really want.

5. Keep your bait as lively as possible. A half dead shad, crawdad, or minnow will not attract near as many strikes as fresh live bait. The only exception here would be dead stinky bait for fishing catfish.

6. To keep shad alive for longer periods of time use a round bait tank. Shad have a tendency to congregate in corners, which reduces water flow through their gills resulting in less oxygen, which causes them stress.

7. When seining bait in clear water have a buddy go up stream and kick at the bottom to churn up sediment. This will dirty the water so the minnows don’t swim ahead of the seine.

8. During the summer heat live bait will stay livelier much longer stored in styrofoam lined containers with a small amount of ice. Be sure to make your ice with creek water or freeze plastic 16 oz pop container with normal tap water.

Examples Of Livebait For Fishing

Night Crawlers – A very versatile live bait, crawlers can be fished on the bottom, under a bobber, or even trolled on a crawler harness. Good bait for bluegills, bass, walleyes, and catfish. Most rough fish will also take a crawler. Crawlers are most effective in warmer waters of early summer into fall.

Minnows – Best fished for crappies and walleye. Good bait for bass also. Minnows should be hooked through the mouth bottom up for trolling or jig fishing, and above the dorsal fin when fished under a bobber. Dead minnows are also great bait for catfish in the spring time. Minnows are most effective in the cooler waters of late fall, winter, and then into late spring.

Shad And Creek Chubs – Most commonly used for larger predator fish such as largemouth bass and northern pike. Should be hooked same as the minnow and can either be trolled or fished under a bobber.

Leeches – Most commonly used for walleye fishing, but will also catch bluegill and crappies. The leech should be hooked right through the sucker. Leeches are presented on either jigs or a plain hook when trolled. Most effective when fished in the warmer waters of summer.

Leafworms - These little worms work well for fishing trout and call also work good for bluegills.

Wax Worms - These little grubs work great for bluegills year around, even through the ice. Simple hook the waxie on a small jig. Waxworms can also be good for tipping a jig for crappies.

Crawdads - A good bait for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleyes, and catfish. Crawdads should be hooked through nose, not between the eyes. Work best in warmer waters of summer.