How to Rig Live Bait
Learn the live bait fishing regulations in your area., Select a variety of live bait, or choose from what's available., Keep your bait alive., Wait to rig your bait until you are about to cast., Remove your bait from the habitat securely., Hook...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn the live bait fishing regulations in your area.
In some areas, especially in the Northwest, fishing with live bait is restricted to particular varieties of bait and particular waters.
Bait fish, for instance, are often illegal in rivers in Washington and Oregon.
Double-check to make sure it's legal to fish with the kind of bait you intend to use by checking with the state department of Fishing and Wildlife in your area. -
Step 2: Select a variety of live bait
The right kind of live bait depends completely on where you fish, what you're fishing for, and what's available.
If you've got an infestation of grasshoppers, don't waste time trying to catch up a bunch of minnows to go fishing.
Get rid of your pests and find some bait at the same time.Common live baits include: fathead minnows goldfish loach nightcrawlers rat-tailed maggots corn borers grasshoppers crayfish small salamanders or frogs , Find a small habitat for your live bait to keep them alive until you're ready to set out fishing.
Make sure there's enough moisture and air circulation, and any leaves or bits of grass for them to feed on until you're ready to fish.
Try not to keep them in there for more than a day or two, or they may die.
Worms will be fine in some fine moist earth for a longer period. , The whole point of using live bait is to keep it alive as long as possible into the fishing process, so the wriggling attracts fish.
If you rig your hook too early, your bait will be dead by the time you get it in the water.
Keep it close by and get your hook on the line, get set up, and get ready to fish. , This is easier said than done with bait fish.
If you're fishing with minnows, getting a hold of one is more than half the battle.
Pull bait-fish from the bait tank by grasping it firmly and preventing it from squirming.
Get a good grip on it with one hand and bring your hook in with the other. , You can often insert your fish hook in one smooth motion either just behind the dorsal fin, then cast immediately and gently, letting the bait fall into the water as easily as possible to keep it alive.Alternatively, hook bait-fish through the lips and jaw so they'll live longer.
The position behind the dorsal fin is often most secure, but causes the bait to tire out quickly and die fast.
Inserting the fish hook through the lips makes it more likely that the fish will not drown quickly, but will cause it to move more awkwardly through the water.
Inserting the hook through the nostrils will keep the bait alive as long as possible, but is riskier, as the fish may escape. , Like bait-fish, crayfish give you a number of options for hooking them.
Make sure you go deep enough into the tail and close enough to the torso to get a good grip on the crayfish, to avoid losing the bait to wriggling.
If you go through the head, you'll get a secure grip but the bait won't last as long.
For salamanders and frogs, go through the torso near one of the back legs.
They'll still put up a good amount of wriggling, but it'll be difficult for them to wriggle off the hook. , Start close to one end of the worm, folding it back over on itself multiple times--at least 3--to secure the worm or other wriggler snugly on the hook. , Make sure you don't lose your bait before you get it in the water.
Hold onto it gently as you prepare to cast, and cast gently into the water where you want it to go.
Do it quickly, but gently. , To keep the live bait at an appropriate depth and control the line for the kind of fish you want to catch, it's usually common to rig your line up with a split-shot sinker to weight things down.
Alternatively, grasshoppers and other lighter insects might be more appropriate to let float on the surface, depending on what it is you're fishing for.
If you want it to float, leave the sinker off. , Remember not to tug too strongly on the fish hook.
Proper rigging requires you to keep the bait as healthy as possible before casting it in the water.
Happy hunting! Remove dead bait if you are not successful and rig again.
Try to troubleshoot any problems you may have had with the last bait and adjust hook position accordingly. -
Step 3: or choose from what's available.
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Step 4: Keep your bait alive.
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Step 5: Wait to rig your bait until you are about to cast.
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Step 6: Remove your bait from the habitat securely.
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Step 7: Hook bait-fish through the body behind the dorsal fin.
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Step 8: Hook crayfish
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Step 9: salamanders
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Step 10: and frogs through the tail or through the head.
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Step 11: Hook worms
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Step 12: caterpillars
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Step 13: and grubs by bunching them up.
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Step 14: Hold the bait firmly while preparing to cast.
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Step 15: Use a split-shot rig with a sinker.
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Step 16: Keep a light touch on your line.
Detailed Guide
In some areas, especially in the Northwest, fishing with live bait is restricted to particular varieties of bait and particular waters.
Bait fish, for instance, are often illegal in rivers in Washington and Oregon.
Double-check to make sure it's legal to fish with the kind of bait you intend to use by checking with the state department of Fishing and Wildlife in your area.
The right kind of live bait depends completely on where you fish, what you're fishing for, and what's available.
If you've got an infestation of grasshoppers, don't waste time trying to catch up a bunch of minnows to go fishing.
Get rid of your pests and find some bait at the same time.Common live baits include: fathead minnows goldfish loach nightcrawlers rat-tailed maggots corn borers grasshoppers crayfish small salamanders or frogs , Find a small habitat for your live bait to keep them alive until you're ready to set out fishing.
Make sure there's enough moisture and air circulation, and any leaves or bits of grass for them to feed on until you're ready to fish.
Try not to keep them in there for more than a day or two, or they may die.
Worms will be fine in some fine moist earth for a longer period. , The whole point of using live bait is to keep it alive as long as possible into the fishing process, so the wriggling attracts fish.
If you rig your hook too early, your bait will be dead by the time you get it in the water.
Keep it close by and get your hook on the line, get set up, and get ready to fish. , This is easier said than done with bait fish.
If you're fishing with minnows, getting a hold of one is more than half the battle.
Pull bait-fish from the bait tank by grasping it firmly and preventing it from squirming.
Get a good grip on it with one hand and bring your hook in with the other. , You can often insert your fish hook in one smooth motion either just behind the dorsal fin, then cast immediately and gently, letting the bait fall into the water as easily as possible to keep it alive.Alternatively, hook bait-fish through the lips and jaw so they'll live longer.
The position behind the dorsal fin is often most secure, but causes the bait to tire out quickly and die fast.
Inserting the fish hook through the lips makes it more likely that the fish will not drown quickly, but will cause it to move more awkwardly through the water.
Inserting the hook through the nostrils will keep the bait alive as long as possible, but is riskier, as the fish may escape. , Like bait-fish, crayfish give you a number of options for hooking them.
Make sure you go deep enough into the tail and close enough to the torso to get a good grip on the crayfish, to avoid losing the bait to wriggling.
If you go through the head, you'll get a secure grip but the bait won't last as long.
For salamanders and frogs, go through the torso near one of the back legs.
They'll still put up a good amount of wriggling, but it'll be difficult for them to wriggle off the hook. , Start close to one end of the worm, folding it back over on itself multiple times--at least 3--to secure the worm or other wriggler snugly on the hook. , Make sure you don't lose your bait before you get it in the water.
Hold onto it gently as you prepare to cast, and cast gently into the water where you want it to go.
Do it quickly, but gently. , To keep the live bait at an appropriate depth and control the line for the kind of fish you want to catch, it's usually common to rig your line up with a split-shot sinker to weight things down.
Alternatively, grasshoppers and other lighter insects might be more appropriate to let float on the surface, depending on what it is you're fishing for.
If you want it to float, leave the sinker off. , Remember not to tug too strongly on the fish hook.
Proper rigging requires you to keep the bait as healthy as possible before casting it in the water.
Happy hunting! Remove dead bait if you are not successful and rig again.
Try to troubleshoot any problems you may have had with the last bait and adjust hook position accordingly.
About the Author
John Powell
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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