Fishing Blog- Catching Bait is the Most Crucial Step

Whether you are fishing in freshwater or saltwater, acquiring bait is the only factor that will make or break your day. For me, I live in Florida, so it is pretty easy to catch bait in any type of fishing. However, if you are reading this blog and not from Florida then you might have to get creative.

Some of best bait to use in freshwater would be shiners and shads. These are smaller fish with white and shiny scales that travel in school. If you are targeting bass or any other predatory fish then these shiners and shads are your best friends. You can catch shiners and shad with a castanet or a fish trap. If you are lucky enough to live in Florida then mayan cichlids and small tilapia would be great choices for bait as well. Some benefits about these bait would be their abundance and their hardiness. I have seen mayan cichlids get hit by a bass several times and still swim. For these fish to die, it must take a total beatdown. In my opinion, I would use these cichlids and tilapia over shiners in Florida. You can catch cichlids and tilapia with a cast net or a small hook with bread. Freshwater fishing in Florida is like opening a mystery box every five minutes. Especially if you are fishing in South Florida. The lakes around Miami and Fort Lauderdale hold some rare monsters.

Some of the fish you can catch in Florida's freshwater lakes and canal could be largemouth bass, bluegills, snook, tarpon, peacock bass, and pacu. This is not the total list but you can see all of the species on this site, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/#!categoryid=1305&subcategoryid=&status=. Florida is the fishing capital of the world, so if you ever decide to visit Florida make sure to try both freshwater and saltwater fishing. To effectively use live bait in Florida's lakes, you should be prepared for hooking up to some monster fish that could break your line. In my experience of fishing all around Florida, I can say that I was under gun multiple times when fishing with live bait. Big fish love lively small bait. They have grown to their immense size due to being elusive and smart. With age, they have learned to strike on live bait more often than lures.

As for saltwater fish, the list for live bait is super long. However my top three would be greenbacks/ pilchards, pinfish, and mullet. These are your best baits for inshore saltwater fishing. You can usually buy pinfish at a bait shack. Pilchards and mullet require more expertise. If you are an avid fisherman and know how to use a cast net and where to look for these bait then you can skip this blog. However if you are new to the bait catching game then continue reading. Most of the time, pilchards and mullet can be found on the beach in the summer or in the bays/ calmer waters. Seeing erratic ripples on the surface of the water usually signify that bait is there. Simply throw your cast net out and you'll catch plenty of bait.

This 32 inch snook was caught by freelining a pilchard around the pier.