Fishing With Live Bait – Tips And Techniques

Earthworms and nightcrawlers are by far the most popular bait used in freshwater fishing. While most live baits are limited to certain species of fish, worms will take nearly anything that swims.

I have found that the very best time to catch crawlers is in the spring right after the first good rains when the frost is out of the ground. These peak times are typically in late April and May, but you can gather worms all summer if you’re willing to put in more work.

Nightcrawlers have long been a favorite bait of mine. I go through hundreds in a typical summer. I especially like them for walleye fishing in June through early September.

To keep worms, put them in a container with some soil. And make sure there is proper ventilation in the container. Milk cartons and ice cream pails do not allow adequate ventilation.

Feed them a little cornmeal from time to time, and sprinkle water on the soil occasionally. It is important that you keep your container out of the sun; too much heat can kill them. Placing leftover worms in your refrigerator between outings will lengthen their usefulness.

I always sort my crawlers before I put them in bedding. If you come across any that have been broken or damaged, throw them out. Sick crawlers will lie on top of the bedding and should be removed or used first.

There is nothing more frustrating than opening up a container of crawlers in July to find that they are mostly dead, so make sure you check your worms often.

Nightcrawlers are good for big walleyes. I fish them just like a plastic worm, except that I leave the point of the hook free. They must be retrieved slowly so that they appear to crawl naturally over the bottom. When they are attached to a Lindy rig, they undulate and drive suspended walleyes crazy.

You can also use a faster retrieve if the walleyes not responding to a slow approach.

Next to earthworms, minnows are probably the most popular live bait. They are food for a wide variety of game fish found in practically all freshwater habitats. When hooked properly, they will swim energetically. Unfortunately, minnows are difficult to keep alive.

The key is to provide them with cool, uncrowded, well-aerated water. There are many devices marketed to do just that, but most are expensive.

There are dozens of ways to rig a minnow for fishing, but two are used most often. For trolling and casting, run the hook upward through both lips. Your bait will then move through the water in a natural manner.

When still fishing, run the hook through the back just in front of or behind the dorsal fin, being careful to miss the backbone. Hooked there, your minnow will remain lively for quite a while.

The third bait I use a great deal of is the common leech. Leeches are the most plentiful baits and are native to nearly all bodies of water including creeks, rivers, and lakes. And they are easy to care for and can be left in a container of water for a long time without food. Walleyes, especially, love leeches at nearly any time of year.

Leeches, minnows, and worms can all be fished below a Thill Float or on a Lindy rig or they can be tipped on the end of a Fuzzy Grub Either way, they are fish-catching magnets and I never leave home without them.

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