Different bait to attract certain fish?

Penelope · 01-05-2013, 07:05 PM

I fished frequently as a child. I have only fished a few times as an adult. My brother is in the middle of finishing the restoration of our Granddad's boat. Once that is complete, we intend to fish regularly. It will be freshwater fishing.
Is there is a particular type of bait that is used to catch certain fish.

dinosaur · 01-06-2013, 09:05 AM

That's a tough one and you're going to get a lot of different answers. People swear by certain baits but the truth is that most fish like natural baits.

However, you can stillfish (bobber) for trout with a strong smelling cheese. Bass will hit anything that moves. Bluegill will viciously attack small baits so you want to use a #8 hook. Catfish will suck down liver. Carp seem to be fond of niblet corn. You have to let crappie hold the bobber down for a minimum of three seconds before setting your hook. And the best bait for perch and walleye is anything accompanied by something shiny.

Pathfinder1 · 01-06-2013, 10:11 AM

Hi...

You'll get lots of related info if you put 'fish bait' in the 'Search Forums', found on the near upper right of this thread.

ppine · 01-06-2013, 10:37 AM

Absolutely. Start by figuring out the prey base for the target species and replicate it in your bait. ie Cutthroat trout eat tui chubs.

briansnat · 01-06-2013, 12:15 PM

Yes and no. Generally speaking, most freshwater gamefish eat smaller fish. So using live bait like shiners, herring, etc. or artificial lures that imitate fish is always a good starting point.

But that only works to a point. For the best results you need to target a species and though most species have an affinity for eating other fish in common, their diets diverge. For example bass will eat frogs, mice, small snakes and nearly anything they can get in their mouths. Trout love insects in various stages of development from nymph through adult, freshwater shrimp and other smaller creatures. Catfish love smelly dead things.

Different fish also prefer different water. Trout like colder water, bass prefer warm water. Bass like weeds, trout like clear, open water. In the summer you'll often find trout down deep and the bass in shallow water.

The key to success is to find out what species inhabit the lake you're fishing and then decide which species you want to target. There are fishermen who exclusively target certain species and become experts in that species. There are trout fishermen, walleye fishermen, bass fishermen, catfishermen, crappie fishermen and carp fishermen. For every species of gamefish there are fishermen who solely target that species. Many other fishermen may target one species on one outing and another the next time. And a lot of fishermen just want to catch anything that bites.

Fishing can be simple as simple as throwing out a shiner or worm on a bobber and seeing what bites or as complicated as using specialized baits, techniques and equipment specific to certain species.