Apr
22
In the article, “How to Get the World’s Best Fishing Baits for Free”, I mentioned that there were essentially three ways to catch fish:
• Use live, natural baits
• Use imitation or artificial baits and lures
• Use hardware such as traps, nets, etc.
One of the most efficient and productive of these three methods is to use live, natural baits. Live, natural baits are proven to be highly effective when acquired locally. Their price is right since they’re available for free. You “spend” only the time to gather them. When using live, natural baits be sure to check local and regional regulations.
Bait fish
These can be caught with a cast net and kept in a live well or an aerated container. Although you can catch numerous species right from the beach, casting in the shallows of rivers and lakes works well too. If you locate a school of fish in open water, a cast net can garner you enough of a supply to last the day in only a few minutes.
Maggots
Maggots are a “best” live bait and many anglers swear by them. Raising your own to use as live bait is no where near as gruesome as it sounds. Contrary to some popular opinion, they won’t hurt you and are not “dirty”. You can raise a batch of your own by burying a scrap of meat in a small container of moist sand. In two or three days you’ll have a lively batch of “squirmers” ready to use. The animal rights activists and conservationists won’t bother you either. (Gosh, I wonder why?)
Aquatic species
A number of aquatic species can be easily harvested from streams and river flats or shallows. Newts, salamanders, worms, small frogs, hellgrammites and additional amphibious species can be trapped or netted in ponds, streams, shallows of lakes and rivers. Take care to store them in a cool, shady place in a well ventilated but closed container until you’re ready to use them.
Goldfish
A controversial live bait is the use of goldfish. Be sure to check local / regional regulations on their use. Where legal, anglers swear by these. They are especially effective for a number of large catfish species. Catfish seem to hate goldfish. The goldfish is always mangled almost beyond recognition whenever a big cat gets a hold of it. They hold up relatively well in fresh water but don’t last long in brackish or salt water. They’re still an effective bait either way. You can also buy them in bulk fairly cheaply where they are legal.
So put more depth and variety into your live bait presentations with these additional, free live, natural baits. Don’t forget to include the kids in collecting your specimens. It’ll add to their accomplishment of catching a fish if they can say, “I caught the worms myself!”
If your fishing is part of a beach resort vacation, then you might enjoy the suggestions offered in the article, “Unique Things to Do at the Beach” at: http://EzineArticles.com/?id=122266 Have fun and good luck.
Prof Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He lives in Cali, Colombia, fishes the South American Pacific coast, Amazon and Orinoco River basins for exotic salt water and fresh water game and food fish. For no-obligation information on how to get original, exclusive Exotic fishing stories, fishing technique articles, fishing-action photography and one-of-a-kind content for your fishing-related newsletter, blog or website contact him today at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for more free, action photo-packed, South American fishing adventure articles.
Popularity: 2%
Apr
20
How to Get the World’s Best Fishing Baits for Free
April 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
1f58
There are essentially three ways to catch fish:
• Use live, natural baits
• Use imitation or artificial baits and lures
• Use hardware such as traps, nets, etc.
One of the most efficient and productive of these three methods is to use live, natural baits. This is especially true if the waters and area you’re fishing are new or unknown to you. These live, natural baits are proven effective when acquired locally. Their price is right since they’re available for free. You “spend” only the time to gather them. Be sure to check local and regional regulations on the use of live baits.
Worms
The world’s all-time favorite. You can dig them up from your yard or garden or a wooded area near your fishing grounds. If you’re not that energetic, get some kids to do it for you. They’re available most of the year (winter might be tough), easy to find and gather. Leave the smaller ones. Use the larger earthworms or night crawlers.
Minnows
A technique I like involves using an old window screen. We used to walk along in the surf of the Chesapeake Bay with a framed meter-square piece of window screen to trap all kinds of small salt water fish, crustaceans, sand worms and even small crabs. It made for an interesting series of “catches” and provided endless hours of simple fun for me and my siblings. Minnows swim in fairly large schools so you can scoop up a bunch of them fairly quickly. Walk a few feet with the screen in the water. Lift it up quickly to scoop up your catch. Then dump it into a bucket. Repeat the procedure as you walk along the beach or shore. Keep them alive and fresh in a bucket partially filled with the same waters you collected them from.
Crabs
To catch crabs you can use a crab pot or home made traps. Be sure to check local regulations. These can be used in brackish and salt water shallows baited with a chicken wing tip or other bony meat. At a beach fronting a wooded area more than one kind of crab can be caught. I designed a simple “drop in” trap that I set into the sand near the edge of a coconut grove and caught hermit crabs, fiddler crabs and sand crabs. I even got a small snake once, but that’s another story.
Insects
Crickets, grasshoppers, beetles and other insects can be caught in a meadow, wooded area or park using a butterfly-type net. Lightning bugs (which flash their tail lights at night) are a good bet too. Crawling insects, grubs, maggots and larvae are good too. They are often found under rocks, fallen logs or other materials which have been on the ground for some time. Again, you could just get a bunch of kids to do it for you if you don’t have the time or need the exercise. Cockroaches make good live bait too if you can stomach using them. Not the small North American varieties that plague households mind you, but the large, three-inch long ones common here in South America and in Asia.
So, look into what live, natural baits are available locally near your favorite fishing grounds. It never hurts to have a variety of presentations for those “dog days” of fishing. Fishing with some new offerings can add an extra dimension to your next fishing trip. Getting them might even be a bit of fun too, especially if you “involve” the kids. On vacation, abroad or simply “away” from your usual fishing haunts, it’ll put more than an extra bit of enticement into your presentations. Good luck.
Prof Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He lives in Cali, Colombia, fishes the South American Pacific coast, Amazon and Orinoco River basins for exotic salt water and fresh water game and food fish. For no-obligation information on how to get original, exclusive Exotic fishing stories, fishing technique articles, fishing-action photography and one-of-a-kind content for your fishing-related newsletter, blog or website contact him today at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for more free, action photo-packed, South American fishing adventure articles.
Popularity: 2%
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