Live Bait fishing is the most productive way to catch fish anywhere or any time. That is why we take the time necessary to catch fresh bait each morning. Only during tournaments is it necessary to pre catch and store baits so that you will not run out of bait during the tournament. Day old baits are not as energetic as fresh and they will die much sooner than fresh baits. We believe that, the fresher the better, better catches and better quality of catches than those fishing with lesser quality baits. Compare our catches, both quality and quantity, on a regular basis with any other boat. Check out the Carts Full of Fish page to see why we use fresh bait every day.
The baits of choice here in Key West are Threadfin Herring, Pilchards, Cigar Minnows, Spanish sardines, Pinfish, Goggle Eyes, Ballyhoo, Speedo’s and Blue Runners along with a variety of other less popular species when the aforementioned are hard to come by.
Whether fishing for pelagic or bottom species, the way that you hook or fish that bait is of paramount importance. You can fish a free-spooled bait, or a drifting bait. You may also use live bait for kite fishing or slow trolling. While bottom fishing, you may want the bait to swim up off of the bottom, or you may want the bait to dive to the bottom and swim along the bottom. All of these require different techniques and different baits. Understanding both your quary and your bait will catch more fish.
The boat that you use can determine the condition of your live bait for the entire day. A live well pumping too much or too little water can kill or hamper the liveliness of your baits. Running the boat fast in rough water with the live well half full will destroy your baits. Many years ago, I devised a gate on my live well that allows my live well to fill to the top and slowly over flow, causing a positive pressure inside the live well so that a steady flow of water displaces the air, leaving no room for the water in the live well to slosh around. Knowing where to catch your bait and how to care for it is as important as knowing where to use it.
Live Bait Fishing Locations
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