FRESHWATER BAITS

There are many different baits available to make it easy for everyone to get in on the fun of freshwater fishing. These include commercial baits bought from tackle and bait shops, baits that you can find in your yard, and baits that you can make from natural materials. Let’s look at the baits available and how to use them.

WORMS – Worms include large species, often called earthworms or night crawlers, and small, frisky manure worms. Earthworms and night crawlers are found in any lawn and can be easily gathered after a rain or found under boards or rocks. Smaller manure worms are found around farms. Large worms are good baits for walleyes and bass, while small worms are good whole or in pieces for panfish,sunfish and trout.

MINNOWS AND BAITFISH – Many types of minnows and baitfish are available from bait stores. These can range from small minnows to large shiners for bass and pike fishing. Capture minnows by using minnow traps or mesh minnow screens/nets. Use bait such as bread crumbs to attract the minnows to a trap and check the trap daily.For a minnow net or screen suspended from a rope, use crumbs to attract the minnows and raise the net frequently to capture the prey. Vertical minnow nets can be pulled through the water to capture minnows and sometimes crayfish. Store minnows in a minnow bucket using the same water from which they were bought or captured and use them as soon as possible. Minnow buckets are special buckets with an internal perforated container designed to hold minnowand allow retrieval of them through a snap lid.

INSECTS – Insects such as ants, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, etc., are ideal for panfish, sunfish and trout. You can buy crickets or capture field insects by using a net or screen. Ants can be gathered from a nest, and caterpillars can be found eating leaves on trees and plants.

CUT BAIT FOR STILL FISHING (FISHING IN ONE SPOT WITH BAIT)
You can use any caught fish,including bait fish, to make cut bait to catch more fish. To prepare cutbait, fillet your catch and cut bait chunks from each side. For best results,scale the fish but leave the skin on. Thread the hook through the skin of the fish to help keep the bait on the hook. Cut bait is ideal for still fishing using a float or on bottom rigs.