The Best Saltwater Bait

By: Rose Ariadne

Saltwater fishing is an entirely different sport than freshwater fishing and has a lot of specialized techniques, materials, and needs. This includes the saltwater bait that you use for any particular kind of fish you intend to catch. There are, of course, several choices for kind of saltwater bait to use, but typically, this is based on what you are fishing for.

For example, if you are fishing for redfish, you'll use a different type of saltwater bait than you would to fish for flounder. Redfish respond well to grubs, especially those between 2 and 4 inches long. On a good day, the use of smaller grubs is highly productive; however, on days when you can't seem to get a bite, try using bigger grubs, closer to 4 inches in length. This will attract redfish often even when they aren't particularly hungry.

In some areas of the Gulf of Mexico, especially in Alabama, fishing for sheepshead is a popular pastime. The saltwater bait used for this breed of fish is very different, since they don't base their instinct for food on smell. Stinkbait won't work for sheepshead; they eat crustaceans, so take a good supply of shrimp or squid to attract these babies. Tiny crabs like fiddler crabs can also produce excellent results and tend to be a favorite saltwater bait to use in pursuit of sheepshead in Alabama.

In Georgia, speckled trout is the one of the preferred catches. The beauty of this species is that there are several different saltwater baits that work well to target them. If you choose to use live saltwater bait, opt for shrimp or mud minnows. You can also use 3 or 4 inch menhaden. When live saltwater bait isn't available, or if you simply don't wish to mess with it on a particular excursion, artificial baits that are 3 or 4 inches in length and white, green, chartreuse, or smoke colored will produce the best results.

Flounder fishing is a little more specialized, and you really need to take into consideration the size of your saltwater bait. Finger mullet is probably the best choice for flounder bait, and you should be sure that your picks are about 3 to 4 inches in length. This is a general rule because anything smaller will be difficult to keep on the hook, and anything larger will be too large for a flounder to grab and hold easily for a good hook. If finger mullet aren't available, other saltwater bait can be used, including mud minnows and live shrimp. When all else fails, pink or red grub tail will also do the trick.

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