how to catch frash water bait fish?
470436
Minnows:  buy a minnow trap and bait it with bread crumbs\nworms:    pick them up off the road after a heavy rain. Keep them in the basment or garage with coffee grounds and dirt\n\ncickets:  catch them as you find them.
721335
i have been using 6in pumpkin colored Zoom worms. they have worked well. in the post-spawn season, try using a wacky worm. the fish are fickle, but can't seem to resist them. buzz bates and other top water lures are working really well in the early morning hours.try using these over fallen timber.
1062350
There are too many ways to list, but in addition to the other 2 responses above mine, you can put them on a leadhead jig, and jig them on the bottom. Try tying a palomer knot, and on the tag end tye on another hook, and rig 2 flukes this way.  You can also get a threeway swivel, and rig two at the same time, make one of the lines atleast 6 inches longer than the other though..  Start off with two different colors, and which ever one catches more is the one you use on both hooks.  That rig kills the smallies in my area.   I prefer using the threeway swivel.  I have also caught largemouth using this rig.  And you can catch bass, as well as trout using the jig method.  Here's a few articles about fluke fishing. Although the first one talks about parasites.  Have fun, and tight lines.
261884
frogs or any topwater bait
330619
We have the best luck with spinners and buck tails.  Usually like them to have a little red on them.  You can use a little red finger nail polish on the head or spinner.  Also perch colored ones work great. When we are going after large pike we like to use muskie bate.  You will usually catch a lot of pike but an occasional muskie.  Nothing beats that!\n\nhttp://www.crazydtackle.com/spinbuckraddog.shtml
427411
I have never fished in NY, however, I have fished MOST of my life in North Florida flats. I'm not sure if this will even be helpful?!!\n\nMost times, when I fish the "flats", we are fishing for "Red-fish", "Sea-trout", "Flounder", "Sheep heads","Drum", and the occasional "Mangrove Snapper". \n\nI'm not exactly sure what type of fish are prevalent in your area??\n\nAnyway, Most fisherman use "chartreuse Jigs" in the 1/8 & 1/4 OZ size,(either "tipped" with a "Mud-minnow" or a "Berkley" saltwater series curly-tailed grub). These are your "go-to" bait when conditions are tough.\n\nAlso, Any type of soft-plastic "Stick-bait" works well,("Senko's", "Berkley Power Tubes","Charlies" ETC). The colors vary, but, "Chartruese", "Root-beer", "Cream", and any variation's of these seem to work well. Of course, rig them "Texas-Style" and try to do the "under-water walk the dog".\n\nAlso, early morning "top-water" is my favorite. Try a saltwater version of a "Rapala Skitterpop", or "Cabelas Walking Dog". Any type of "walk the dog" lure should work great. Just remember, get one that has "red" on its "underbelly" toward the "head".\n\nAlso, try to "match the hatch" with any lure that you are throwing(if there are alot of menhaden, anchovys, ETC, try to find lures that will "mimic" that particular "forage").\n\nIf you are "baitfishing on bottom", use a 1 1/2-2 FT leader(12-14LB "Berkley Vanish"), a 1/0-2/0 "circle hook", "Sinker-slide", and a "Pyrimid Sinker". "Fresh" dead shrimp, squid, or "cut-bait" is your bait of choice for "bottom-fishing".\nMost of the times, "Live" bait under a "cork" will outfish any baits "soaking the bottom". \n\nGo to your local baitshop and ask! Usually, they will be very helpful and tell you what type of baits will work in your region. If all else fails, contact Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas. They WILL assist you in every way possible.\n     \nGood luck and good fish'n.
224449
for bait id say minnows and salmon eggs. they love 'em. for lures run spoons, spinners, rooster tails, even some rapala minnows will get eaten by the big ones.\n\ngood luck and leave a few for me!
882830
Probably the best bait would be large black lug and squid. Use a pully rig.First cut a lenght of shock leader approx 2ft.Tie a weight clip on the end ,then slid a bait clip above it a peice of silicon rubber holds it in place.Follow it with a bead then a large swivel another bead goes on next. Tie a overhand knot to form a loop.To this tie a length of nylon about 18ins long use two hooks pennel style,they need to be large hooks2/0 say.The swivel fixes to your shock leader. When you bait up use 2 or3 lug and a peice of squid to tip off .Put the hook onto the bait clip,the weight of the lead will hold it in place.When this hits the water any slack line will make the hook fall away. This time of year the main speices will be cod.These fish have big mouths so a big bait is needed. Hope this goes some way to helping you out.Tight lines.
622515
you might want to try dawn or dusk hours depending on the heat. soft plastics minnows or crankbaits for bass and spinners or live bait for trout.....try a slip sinker about 16 inches from you hook with a small split shot to hold it from sliding down then use half a mini marshmallow twords the eye of the hook then tip it with about 8 to 12 maggots might want to use a size 6 hook.. the marshmallow keeps the maggots up and out of the vegitation you can chage your depths with the small split shot. it also works with meal worms..
589384
I live in ILL as well, I catch them using corn and nightcrawlers.  If they are spawning snag them with a treble hook.
867259
The fish in question is an Australian Jumping Frogfish. It inhabits small to medium size streams in the southern part of the U.S. I've only been fishing for them for a few years, and am still in the learning process. The biggest one I caught was a 74 inch trophy. I couldnt weigh it because my Berkley digital scale only goes up to 50 1bs. You mentioned you use rattle traps and that is probaly not the best choice since the fish are herbivores. I find it best to use large dandilions wrapped around a 5/0 trebble hook. Cast your bait out as far as you can since the Jumping Frogfish is easily spooked. Also, do not use a rod holder because you need to be fast with the hookset. As soon as you feel a tap, give the fish a little bit of slack, then wind up and set the hook. If you do hook the fish, prepare yourself for the battle of a lifetime! That 74 incher I caught, took over 6 hours to reel in!   I hope these suggestions will help you out.  Good luck!!
221302
Rule #1. The most important fundamental, if you want to catch salmon, is action on your bait or lure. If you have good rolling and erratic action, you will have a much better chance of catching salmon. When a salmon hits your bait or lure he is looking for dinner. If your bait looks like a wounded struggling baitfish you have a much better chance of getting the salmon's attention. Let me explain. Salmon have three sensing mechanism they use to find their prey. They are sight, smell and lateral line response. If you are trolling and your lure passes within a few feet of a salmon and he sees it, you will probably catch him. The problem is that in the ocean and most other bodies of water the salmon can't see more than four or five feet. The water is too murky. If you are relying on sight alone, you probably won't bring home many salmon. The second sense is smell. Salmon have an extremely sharp sense of smell but if you are trolling a bait forty feet down and the salmon is at fifty five feet he will never smell the scent trail left by your bait unless he gets right behind it. The third sensing mechanism is the one you want working for you. Down a salmon's side and on his head and back there are tiny hair-like projections called cupula. Each of these has a nerve cell at the end. These cells are used to pick up vibrations in the water. If a salmon is swimming thirty feet down and a school of baitfish swims across the surface above him, he knows exactly what's going on. His lateral line cells pick up the vibrations made by the wiggling tails of the baitfish. He doesn't see them or smell them but he knows exactly where they are. If some of them are wounded and swimming erratically he knows he has his next meal. This is the mechanism you want to take advantage of. If your lure is putting out erratic vibrations twenty or thirty feet from a salmon you can pull him like a magnet. He will follow the vibration like a radar beam and attack your bait. This is why we say action on your bait or lure is the most important strategy you can use. Lures like the Crocodile, the Apex and the Rotary Salmon Killer put out the erratic powerful vibrations that will get you salmon. Whenever you put a bait or lure in the water you should carefully check its action. If it is not rolling or shaking, don't let it down. Sometimes the bait needs adjusting or a hook is lodged at a funny angle. Another possibility is that your boat trolling speed is not right for the lure you are using. Sometimes all you need to do is speed up.\n\nRule #2 Sharp Hooks. This seems like an obvious thing but most fishermen ignore it. In the authors experience, very few salmon hooks are sharp enough even brand new. The author and his Scotty Pro team worked eight years filming salmon hitting baits and lures in the ocean. They learned that the salmon come after your bait time and time again. The average salmon misses or just grazes the bait at least two times before he hits solid enough to get hooked. We observed one salmon hitting a bait twenty two times before he got hooked on the twenty third try. If your hooks are sticky sharp you have a much better chance of that hook digging in as a salmon hits and slashes at the bait. Carry a small file or emery stone and sharpen those hooks on every trip. You will definitely be rewarded with more salmon in the fish box.\n\nSee the link for more details!
1149470
Renting a boat will always increase your odds there,This time of year reaction baits work well,try Lucky craft pointers ,rapalas,etc..shad color will increase your odds as well.Try dropshotiing worms like roboworms in martin madness,margarita mutalator,chocalate worms with blue,purple or black viens work well.I would stick to the buzz baits early in the A.m. those should work.try spinnerbaits etc as well in white , silver etc..try to fish the water around 5-15 ft. deep as the lake has steep walls and 3 feet from shore could be 10 ft. deep.
228467
You use a tiny treble hook, so that it floats up above the bottom. It will stay on, and you can catch big fish with a small hook.
1187469
Try a Rapala "shad rap" in a perch pattern.  I have found it to be very productive for lake perch. A few years ago, I caught almost 30 perch in 3 hours using this lure.  Tight lines.
131100
i dont know where this lake is' best 2 ask the local fishermen.\nthe most effective bait for pike is a live bait. you need a big float' some sinkers to keep it balanced. use a thin 15 cm long steel tippet with a trebble hook in the end. cach a small bait fish(10-20 cm) and put the trebble hook in its back(make sure its alive). be carefull when you cast so that the baitfish doesnt get torn of the hook. when you see the float sink dont hook-up directly. wait 5-15 seconds so it has a chance 2 swallow the bait.\n\nyou can also use spinners and wobblers. pike like hiding in vegetation so try a few casts nearby without getting caught in it.\ngood luck!
1084481
Patience is a virtue.  You have to make sure they have taken the bait.  If you are using a bobber or a float.. wait until they take it all the way under the water.  If you are relying on line pull... when they run with it... set the hook.  Either way, setting the hook is similar.... sharply pull the end of the rod up from about the 3 o'clock position straight up to about the 12 o'clock position.\n Practice makes perfect.