How to Bait a Fishing Hook
Use worms and mealworms when in doubt., Use minnow as a general purpose bait fish or specialize with another variety., Hook certain species with crayfish., Use shrimp when saltwater fishing near the shore., Bait freshwater fish with insects.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use worms and mealworms when in doubt.
This bait is widely used in many types of fishing.
Use earthworms or manure worms in freshwater and bloodworms or sandworms in saltwater.
Mealworms and other live grubs are usually used for trout or bass.
Pierce through several smaller worms or cut up worm halves to hide the hook in a mass of wriggling worms.
Some hooks come with smaller hooks attached to the side for this purpose.
For large worms, thread a single worm along the hook until the hook is mostly or completely hidden.
For very large worms, pierce the hook through several points of the body.
Leave a length at the end to wriggle and attract fish. -
Step 2: Use minnow as a general purpose bait fish or specialize with another variety.
Many fish feed on minnow, but make sure you pick a size appropriate for your target fish to eat.
Ask at the bait shop what kind of local fish your target eats, too.
If you are dragging the bait behind you in a moving boat (trolling), hook the fish under its jaw and exit through the top, or just through its upper jaw for especially large bait fish.
Alternatively, you can hook it through both nostrils.
Any of these hook methods will maximize the fish's ability to swim with a natural motion to attract predator fish.For fishing while still or moving slowly, hook the bait fish on its back just in front of the dorsal fin.
Hook it underneath the spine to avoid paralyzing it.
This forces the fish to swim more frantically and head-downwards, attracting attention.
You can fine tune the depth by placing it further ahead of the dorsal fin; this causes it to swim at a shallower downward angle.
If you are freelining (fishing while stationary, using no floats or weights), you can hook the bait near the tail to make it swim forward.
To force it to swim downward instead, hook into the mouth and exit through the gills., Fish that are attracted to crayfish bait include smallmouth bass, catfish, and walleye.
Thread the hook shallowly through the back or front of the crayfish, pushing it out again on the same side.
Don't go any deeper than necessary to get under the main shell segment, or you may kill the crayfish.
Alternatively, thread the hook through the meaty tail.
This can hide most of the hook and will not hit any of the crayfish's vital organs.
Start at the end of the tail and push the hook out just before the body. , Shrimp are a common, cheap bait that many inshore fish varieties feed on, including redfish, jacks, and grouper.These are similar in anatomy to crayfish, but you may need to use a thinner hook for small varieties.
Hook shallowly through the body or through the meat of the tail.
Remove a few segments of shell so the shrimp scent is stronger. , During the summer when insects are plentiful, fishermen can simply catch adults from the ground or young nymphs from under the water surface to guarantee bait that's part of the local fish diet.
Trout are especially attracted to insects.Insects should be handled carefully, as they area easily killed while baiting.
Tie a flexible thin wire to the shank of the hook, then wrap it carefully around the insect to affix it to the hooked section.
If you can't affix it with wire, hook through the rear section of the body.
The vital organs are mostly in the front and should be avoided.
It doesn't matter which direction the insect is facing. -
Step 3: Hook certain species with crayfish.
-
Step 4: Use shrimp when saltwater fishing near the shore.
-
Step 5: Bait freshwater fish with insects.
Detailed Guide
This bait is widely used in many types of fishing.
Use earthworms or manure worms in freshwater and bloodworms or sandworms in saltwater.
Mealworms and other live grubs are usually used for trout or bass.
Pierce through several smaller worms or cut up worm halves to hide the hook in a mass of wriggling worms.
Some hooks come with smaller hooks attached to the side for this purpose.
For large worms, thread a single worm along the hook until the hook is mostly or completely hidden.
For very large worms, pierce the hook through several points of the body.
Leave a length at the end to wriggle and attract fish.
Many fish feed on minnow, but make sure you pick a size appropriate for your target fish to eat.
Ask at the bait shop what kind of local fish your target eats, too.
If you are dragging the bait behind you in a moving boat (trolling), hook the fish under its jaw and exit through the top, or just through its upper jaw for especially large bait fish.
Alternatively, you can hook it through both nostrils.
Any of these hook methods will maximize the fish's ability to swim with a natural motion to attract predator fish.For fishing while still or moving slowly, hook the bait fish on its back just in front of the dorsal fin.
Hook it underneath the spine to avoid paralyzing it.
This forces the fish to swim more frantically and head-downwards, attracting attention.
You can fine tune the depth by placing it further ahead of the dorsal fin; this causes it to swim at a shallower downward angle.
If you are freelining (fishing while stationary, using no floats or weights), you can hook the bait near the tail to make it swim forward.
To force it to swim downward instead, hook into the mouth and exit through the gills., Fish that are attracted to crayfish bait include smallmouth bass, catfish, and walleye.
Thread the hook shallowly through the back or front of the crayfish, pushing it out again on the same side.
Don't go any deeper than necessary to get under the main shell segment, or you may kill the crayfish.
Alternatively, thread the hook through the meaty tail.
This can hide most of the hook and will not hit any of the crayfish's vital organs.
Start at the end of the tail and push the hook out just before the body. , Shrimp are a common, cheap bait that many inshore fish varieties feed on, including redfish, jacks, and grouper.These are similar in anatomy to crayfish, but you may need to use a thinner hook for small varieties.
Hook shallowly through the body or through the meat of the tail.
Remove a few segments of shell so the shrimp scent is stronger. , During the summer when insects are plentiful, fishermen can simply catch adults from the ground or young nymphs from under the water surface to guarantee bait that's part of the local fish diet.
Trout are especially attracted to insects.Insects should be handled carefully, as they area easily killed while baiting.
Tie a flexible thin wire to the shank of the hook, then wrap it carefully around the insect to affix it to the hooked section.
If you can't affix it with wire, hook through the rear section of the body.
The vital organs are mostly in the front and should be avoided.
It doesn't matter which direction the insect is facing.
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Diane Ferguson
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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