Bait Fishing in Florida?

[smr_hga]

So I haven't been fishing in like 6 months. It's not really my fault since it's hard to get my parents to take me anywhere seeing as I'm still 14. But i should be resuming my adventures soon. With that said I want to learn about bait fishing here in Florida. Obviously I use shrimp a lot for saltwater but what about using worms or something in freshwater? When I lived in Maryland I used to dig up worms and catch all sorts of fish at my local pond. I'm kinda tired of lure fishing for dink bass. So maybe some Florida guys could tell me about bait fishing for multi species, or even bait for monster bass because I'd like to change up my approach a little.

[bagofdonuts]

Wild caught shiners are the ticket on the big o. They're expensive tho. You might try to learn how to throw a net. At 14 that skill would serve you well living in Florida. 

[Outdoor Zack]

Live bluegills work well in my lakes for bass, catfish, and freshwater stripers 

[RoLo]

It's universal knowledge that Florida-strain bass grow BIG, but it's much less mentioned

that they're not as aggressive as northern-strain bass. Even with live bait, fishing for Florida bass

can be mighty slow.

 

Although a largemouth bass will eat any species of fish, the hands-down favorite bait

is a "native golden shiner". On a low note though, a dozen large shiners (5 to 9") will cost

about $20. Not to worry, baiting a selected area and catching your own native shiners is a blast!

Now you have fodder for your next thread 

 

Roger

 

[smr_hga]

Is there a bait that works well for bait sized bluegill? I've caught some huge coppernose bluegills on small spinnerbaits but they're too big to use for live bait.

[Outdoor Zack]

On 1/25/2017 at 9:03 PM, LiftedSquare13 said:

Is there a bait that works well for bait sized bluegill? I've caught some huge coppernose bluegills on small spinnerbaits but they're too big to use for live bait.

 

Small hook (real small, like size 10 or so) and a chunk of night crawler, grub, bread, or other bait.  Rig with a little weight and put it under a bobber and you're set

 

On 1/25/2017 at 9:03 PM, LiftedSquare13 said:

Is there a bait that works well for bait sized bluegill? I've caught some huge coppernose bluegills on small spinnerbaits but they're too big to use for live bait.

 

Small hook (real small, like size 10 or so) and a chunk of night crawler, grub, bread, or other bait.  Rig with a little weight and put it under a bobber and you're set

 

[RoLo]

On 1/25/2017 at 9:03 PM, LiftedSquare13 said:

Is there a bait that works well for bait sized bluegill? I've caught some huge coppernose bluegills on small spinnerbaits but they're too big to use for live bait.

 

In brief, catching 3-5" bluegills depends on 'location' more than bait.

Juvenile bluegills aggregate in shallower water than adult bluegills.

Once located, they're as easy as taking candy from a baby.

 

Roger

 

[WRB]

Catching your live bait serves a few purposes, you learn what your area has that fish (bass) like to eat, where the bait lives and local coloration of the live bait. In Florida you need to also learn about poisionus snakes and alligators, both live in the same areas as the bait.

Go online and study how to make crawdad and minnow traps. Golden shiners require a good aeration container with pump to transport to where you fish. Broadcasting bread crumbs tends to attract shiners and using a net to capture them or small pieces of earth worms on size 12 gold trout hooks to catch them.

I am not sure about big night crawlers in Florida? If big 6" to 8" night crawlers are available , you can catch them on a golf coarse lawn at night, same with crawdads near ponds. Small 2" to 3" live frogs are good live bait. 

Tom

[RAMBLER]

For panfish (bream, bluegill, coppernose, or whatever) you can't beat grass shrimp.  It is in most Florida lakes.  Use a long handled dip net and work it along the top of the weeds. Go to a local tackle/bait shop and they can tell you about the net and maybe sell them.  They might also sell grass shrimp.

[smr_hga]

Thanks everyone. The pond I have in mind is surrounded by houses and some of the homeowners like to throw bread into the pond to feed the fish. So I think I'll try bread to catch some bait fish. I guess I have nothing to lose and it would be cool if I ran into a new species. Let's just hope I don't hook into a grass carp accidentally xD

[primetime]

Nothing works as good as Live Wild Golden Shiners and if you can get the really big 8-12" shiners, they will get smashed within minutes if in a good lake. Just make sure you have heavy line, and the right hooks. Kahle Hooks work the best imo but you can rig them different ways to get them to stay on top, move a certain way, lots of articles, I just know that whenever I put on a shiner, I realize that there is no such thing as an artificial bait that works nearly as well.

 

I use shiners whenever I am taking someone fishing for the first time, catching shiners is often just as much fun as catching Bass, usually a few lunkers will show up as you are chumming, if a Pond has Big Shiners, you may not need to take a trip anywhere else.

 

It is true, Florida Strain Bass especially bigger ones are much tougher to catch on artificials than on live bait. I would say it is not even close. I have spent hours on a dock in a good lake and only caught a few fish, then throw shiners and catch fish after fish which makes it almost seem unfair.

 

I usually live line them not put them under floats, but I would read articles from Florida Guides, they know how to do it and landing them and setting the hook is not as easy as it may seem.

one trick that helps catch shiners is a gold or silver hook, I find Shiners will often hit a bare hook if the bread fall off, I also use a small Nymph that works really good for shiners....

 

Chum the area the night b4 with Dog Food, then hit it with sinking bread balls, then leave big chunks on the surface. You can tell when the shiners come as they will be in a school & they get really aggressive with the bread floating on top. Usually you want to fish near weeds, They will only come out if baited, they rarely roam free unless spawning then you will see them circling ponds on the surface. 

 

Bluegills work but I would suggest trimming the fins on top so the fish does not get damaged. You can use big bluegills which are better than artificials but not nearly as good as shiners imo but they will work if wounded.

[RoLo]

5 hours ago, LiftedSquare13 said:

Thanks everyone. The pond I have in mind is surrounded by houses and some of the homeowners like to throw bread into the pond to feed the fish. So I think I'll try bread to catch some bait fish. I guess I have nothing to lose and it would be cool if I ran into a new species. Let's just hope I don't hook into a grass carp accidentally xD

 

If landowners are doling out bread, you'd be well-served to best their efforts.

Fish for bluegill sunfish using frisky red worms or lively crickets.  Just "food" for thought

 

Roger

[blckshirt98]

Just make sure you're not the live bait in Florida, there be gators down there!