Carlos Santana once explained what makes guitar player great, “You have to get inside the note. The great ones do.”  The same holds true in fishing.  If you want to be a great “bait” fishermen it is more than just putting live bait in the water.  Become part of the environment not just a bystander.  Know what your target fish is looking for. Know where they are. Then make the perfect presentation of that bait to the fish.  It may sound like I am talking about fly fishing but really this holds true for any fishing.

Lets take for example summer open water fishing.  You are on the stern of a long-range vessel with 20 plus other anglers and the Bluefin are showing. How do you improve your chances? 

First off pick a perfect sardine.  Easier said than done.  I will let you in on a secret blondes are more fun.  And I am not talking about women.  Every now and then you’ll find a sardine that has a golden haze to their appearance.  If it is lively and healthy that is the one you want to use.  If there is no “blondes” pick the sardine that is the liveliest and healthiest in the tank.  If the bait is easy to catch in the live well there is a good chance that it is not “frisky” enough to use as a hook bait.

Check the sardine for fin damage, a red nose, two eyes, and discoloration in the scales.  If the sardine has any of these faults leave it in the bank tank.  If you are having trouble picking out a perfect sardine ask the crew to show you want to look for. 

Picking perfect bait takes a little time and many anglers don’t want to “waste” time find the best bait.  But rushing and putting in a poor bait is more of a waste of time.  So take your time and check out the different baits in the tank.  If there are not any quality baits in the tank ask the crew to scoop you out some bait.  Do not scoop out your own bait from the main tank. The crew knows what they are doing and will quickly get the top tanks refilled.

You should already have your hook in one hand while you are scooping up the sardine with your other hand. Firmly hold the sardine while you hook it.  But do not squeeze it to death.  As for where to hook the bait please check the past tips on hook placement or just ask the crew which placement has been working best.

So you have the bait hooked and ready to go. Get it into the water quickly.  If you cannot cast you are already at a disadvantage.  But try dropping the bait into the water on the side of the boat so the wind is in your face.  The wind and current will do the rest of the work for you.  The boat will drift away from your bait and when it gets into the strike zone you still have a chance.

If you can cast, cast your bait to where the crew are chumming the sardines.  This is the best place to get picked up quickly.  Once your bait lands in the water it should start swimming away from the boat.  If it doesn’t, crank in and start all over.

Next month part two on bait fishing