With the summer sun beating down on us it’s often hard to get the fish in a biting mood during the day. That’s why many anglers turn to live bait in these heated conditions, as live bait is a much better bet to draw a strike from lethargic fish than cut bait or lures.
Everyone knows live shrimp is a good bait, but it is hard to find and expensive if you do. Here are some of the other best live baits for inshore saltwater fishing you can use:
Sand fleas
You can dig these critters up right on the beach and they are beloved by kids who like to gather them at the surf line. If you have some youngsters get them out there with a bucket, since sand make great baits for the delicious pompano. If you don't have kids to do your work for you sand fleas can be gathered up with special rakes available in coastal tackle shops. In addition to pompano, sand fleas are terrific bait for sea mullet (whiting) and flounder.
Mud minnows
A big advantage of mud minnows is that you can buy them at the bait shop instead of having to gather them in your cast net, so they are always available. Mud minnows can live in fresh or salt water and are hardy on the hook. They are terrific bait for flounder and also catch speckled trout and redfish.
Fiddler crabs
Fiddlers are easy to gather (don’t worry about their little pinchers, they don't hurt) and make a good bait for sheepshead when fished near pilings. Hook them up through the shell and use just enough weight to get the fiddler crab down into the feeding zone, which is usually from the bottom to halfway up the water column. In addition to sheepshead, they also will catch the occasional redfish, black drum or flounder.
Pogies
These fish are actually little menhaden. They won’t live long in a bait bucket and they won’t survive long on the hook, but redfish, bluefish, and flounder all love them so you should fish them if you’ve got ‘em. If you toss a nervous pogie into a feeding school of redfish you’d better hold onto your rod tight.
Finger mullet
Small live finger mullet are one of the best baits for fishing around docks, bridges, or piers. During all of the warmer months hordes of finger mullet schools roam vast distances through the inlets, waterways, and beach fronts while predators follow them. Finger mullet are a top bait for flounder, bluefish, redfish, and speckled trout.
Pinfish
These pesky little critters make excellent live bait for flounder, specks, and redfish. They can be fished under a cork for speckled trout, but their best use lies on a bottom rig. Big doormat flounder love a flashing little pinfish. Hook them through the eyes and clip off their top fins to make them more attractive to predators.
For more fishing articles and links see my website Surf and Salt
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