Things You'll Need:
- Sabiki rig,live well, fresh water
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Step 1
Many late-model fishing boats are equipped with factory live wells; other boaters use five-gallon buckets or coolers to keep bait fish alive. Unfortunately, the water in coolers and buckets must be changed frequently, or impurities, secretions and oxygen depletion will degrade water quality to the point that the bait dies. Moreover, there are species such as anchovies that won't live for five minutes without a constant source of "fresh" water.
Finally, don't beat up your bait by going too fast. Even moderate boat speeds across a short wind chop can quickly bruise the bait to the point that picky game fish will ignore your red-nosed or scale less offerings. And speaking of rough conditions, be sure to mount the tank securely, and in a location that does not compromise boat handling or seaworthiness. -
Step 2
If you want to catch fish, really catch fish, live bait is the only way to go. You may catch some fish on dead cut bait, but in general they will be smaller and fewer in number. We’ve proven this to ourselves more times than I can remember. Shiners and shad live longer if hooked through front lips or bottom lip through nostril. Care must be taken not to break the neck of the bait. This technique makes the shiner swim in a downward motion, and works great for trolling. Hooking in the dorsal fin will make the bait swim up and away from the line or bobber, thus creating more action, but the bait will wear down much quicker and die sooner, so wait until you are anchored to try this technique. Anal fin hooking close to back bone, but taking care not to touch spine, will make bait swim down and away. Shiners can actually be steered under vegetation to exact points where you want to be. When casting live bait, remember the object is to get them to the fish in perfect condition. Underhand pitching or side arm casting prevent hard impact with the water, thus helps to keep all the scales intact. Scales that are knocked off leave white spots on your bait that can be seen under water as well as makes your bait weak. Take the time to hit your target the first time without repeated casts. Just remember you are not fishing with artificial bait, so let the shiner sit and do his job.
Handling live bait can be very important. Water temperature should make slow changes, if any, from the time shiners are placed in live well, until they reach destination to be fished. Plenty of oxygen must be provided also. Bass rarely hit bait that can't run away from them. -
Step 3
The most difficult way is to use a cast net.
This requires at least two people, one to manage the boat and one to cast the net. The cast net should be sized according to the size of the fish. This method is useful in shallow water or when the fish are near the surface.
Have you ever heard of a Sabiki rig? This is approximately four feet of leader with six small feathered flies and a small sinker attached to the end. Hopefully you will cast into a small school of fish and they will bite the flies
Whether you choose a plastic or fiberglass tank, a round, "trash-can style;' or transom-mounted "diaper bag" bait tank, the two most critical installation factors are the location of the water pickup and the type of pump you select.
Through-hull intakes are the best, and the optimum location is in the center of the boat about three feet forward of the transom. With I/Os, the best location is usually in the forward part of the engine bilge compartment, where access for the fitting and seacock is normally excellent.
Comments
drenee said
on 11/1/2008 I tried fishing once, needless to say they never took me again. I will pass on the infor though, great article