voyager35
01-21-2009, 09:18 PM
Some tips for the beginners
How to Hook Bait
Hooking artificial bait is simple and straightforward. They don't wiggle and they're not slippery. Though your hands may be, but that's easily solved. They come in sizes that make it easy to position them to best advantage. Live bait are less easy to use, but often much more effective.
Bait for attracting freshwater fish run the gamut. Worms, leeches, minnows, crayfish, crickets, grasshoppers... the list is long. Saltwater fish have their own favorites, including sea worms, small eels, miniature crabs, shrimp, squid and a variety of small fish species.
But these are most effective when used fresh - when they're the most difficult to hook. They wiggle, they're slippery and they smell. But, hey, fishing is nothing if not messy. That's part of the lure.
Worms make good bait for just about any freshwater or saltwater fish species. Digging these up out of your garden is a distant third choice, though, if you want the best. Gardens don't usually have enough and by the time you get them to the lake they're often less useful. Transporting them is a pain. Make it easy on yourself and get them as close to the lake as possible, preferably at the bait shop.
Hook the worm at multiple points along the body from head to tail, to keep them on long enough to do the job. Thread them around as you do so, to hide the hook as much as possible.http://www.agooddayforfishing.com/images/fishing-hooks.jpg
Minnows make great bait, provided they're kept fresh in a bucket of cool water. Keep the number down so they don't get crowded together. Minnows need to swim around.
Hook them through the back bone or behind the head. Some anglers find it easier to hook them through both lips, but they're prone to pull off the hook that way. Hooking through the tail makes it harder for them to thrash, decreasing their attractive character to your target.
Highly skilled anglers are fond of crickets and grasshoppers. They're only useful when fresh, and then they are damned difficult to hook. But if you have nimble hands and can master the technique they're great attractors.
Leeches make excellent bait, though they can be harder to find in bait shops. Take care to avoid getting them attached to your hands and arms. Hooking them through the sucker in the tail is the preferred method.
Great for perch, rockfish, sea trout and others clams are easy to use and very effective. Removing them from the shell is pretty easy with a knife or nimble fingers.
Used for saltwater fishing, shrimp are near perfect. Great attractors and ultra-easy to hook. They don't slide around and they're a size that makes them easy to manipulate by young and old anglers alike. Peel off the shell, then hook through the tail. Just don't be tempted to eat them yourself!
Every angler has his or her favorite bait and hooking methods. Some like to spend more time fishing and less time fussing and go for the ones that are effective but easy to snag and cover the hook well. Others may prefer more of a challenge before dropping their line. To each his own, so long as you catch something!
How to Hook Bait
Hooking artificial bait is simple and straightforward. They don't wiggle and they're not slippery. Though your hands may be, but that's easily solved. They come in sizes that make it easy to position them to best advantage. Live bait are less easy to use, but often much more effective.
Bait for attracting freshwater fish run the gamut. Worms, leeches, minnows, crayfish, crickets, grasshoppers... the list is long. Saltwater fish have their own favorites, including sea worms, small eels, miniature crabs, shrimp, squid and a variety of small fish species.
But these are most effective when used fresh - when they're the most difficult to hook. They wiggle, they're slippery and they smell. But, hey, fishing is nothing if not messy. That's part of the lure.
Worms make good bait for just about any freshwater or saltwater fish species. Digging these up out of your garden is a distant third choice, though, if you want the best. Gardens don't usually have enough and by the time you get them to the lake they're often less useful. Transporting them is a pain. Make it easy on yourself and get them as close to the lake as possible, preferably at the bait shop.
Hook the worm at multiple points along the body from head to tail, to keep them on long enough to do the job. Thread them around as you do so, to hide the hook as much as possible.http://www.agooddayforfishing.com/images/fishing-hooks.jpg
Minnows make great bait, provided they're kept fresh in a bucket of cool water. Keep the number down so they don't get crowded together. Minnows need to swim around.
Hook them through the back bone or behind the head. Some anglers find it easier to hook them through both lips, but they're prone to pull off the hook that way. Hooking through the tail makes it harder for them to thrash, decreasing their attractive character to your target.
Highly skilled anglers are fond of crickets and grasshoppers. They're only useful when fresh, and then they are damned difficult to hook. But if you have nimble hands and can master the technique they're great attractors.
Leeches make excellent bait, though they can be harder to find in bait shops. Take care to avoid getting them attached to your hands and arms. Hooking them through the sucker in the tail is the preferred method.
Great for perch, rockfish, sea trout and others clams are easy to use and very effective. Removing them from the shell is pretty easy with a knife or nimble fingers.
Used for saltwater fishing, shrimp are near perfect. Great attractors and ultra-easy to hook. They don't slide around and they're a size that makes them easy to manipulate by young and old anglers alike. Peel off the shell, then hook through the tail. Just don't be tempted to eat them yourself!
Every angler has his or her favorite bait and hooking methods. Some like to spend more time fishing and less time fussing and go for the ones that are effective but easy to snag and cover the hook well. Others may prefer more of a challenge before dropping their line. To each his own, so long as you catch something!