Florida Live Bait Tricks
We loaded up the fishing boat and reels and got ready for the long awaited fishing trip. Once on the water we stopped at a secret spot and thru the cast net a couple times. After only a couple throws of the cast net we had more than enough live bait. So with a good 400 green backs or shiners we headed to a local grass flat that had a nice bank of mangroves that I knew held monster snook. When we arrived my two fishing buddies hooked on a nice size shiner and cast out towards the mangroves and waited. After about 10 or 11 green backs for each of them and about three nice hook ups on snook and redfish they started to look at me a little funny. Like I was cheating or something? So I finally broke down and told them that the reason for me catching fish and them catching seaweed is that I keep my bait moving. The entire time they were just casting their shiner out and letting it sit there. While I was casting my bait in the same area but I was slowly reeling mine in and “working it” as it made its way in.
To work live bait right you have to hook it like a trolling rig (through the head or the lips, bottom up). Keep in mind that seaweed will tear your bait off, so a weed-less hook will work better in grassy areas. If able to hook the bait in the eyes it is best. This way the bait can see the bigger fish and panic for added attraction. When I use this method I like a long spinning rod with light line for longer cast while keeping the bait on. So all in all my advice is to never let your bait sit when the fish are scattered.
