Content

• Part 2 of 3: Tackle and Accessories for Fishing Live Bait
• Part 3 of 3: How to keep live bait on fishing longer
• Tips
• Warnings

1 When fishing with a trolley, or when you often have to throw in and out the fishing rod from the water, it is recommended to thread the bait through the lips. Live bait planted in this way, once in the water, swims more naturally.

• The method of putting live bait through the lips is suitable for such types of bait fishing as fishing with tackle with a sliding weight or a drop-shot, as well as tackle with a sinker and a float. In this way, live bait can be put on a jig to "sweeten" the bait when fishing.
• To insert live bait through the lips, pass the hook first through its lower lip, then through its upper lip. The hook will be turned upward, allowing the bait to float upright.
• Placing the bait on the hook through the lips, you prevent water from entering the fish's mouth and exiting through the gills, which ultimately leads to the death of the bait. Zhivtsy planted in this way should be constantly checked and changed if they do not show signs of life.

2 For fishing with a line in calm water, live bait can be placed on the hook behind the back. If you hook the bait with a hook behind its back near the dorsal fin, it will swim more naturally. When doing this, use a sinker to keep it underwater and place the float about 18 inches (45 cm) in front of the live bait so it doesn't sink too far.

• This method is also recommended for live bait with ice fishing on the girder.
• Live bait stuck behind the back can live longer than hooked on the lips. When planting live bait in this way, try not to pierce the ridge, otherwise the fish will stop moving. However, if you pierce the minnow's spine when hooking it this way, you’ll paralyze it.

3 If you are fishing with a line without weight or without a float, you can put live bait on the hook by the tail. This gives the bait maximum freedom, there is no weight on it, except for the hook.

• Fishing with live bait, attached to the tail on a hook without a float, is recommended for those who are guided by a certain type of fish, catching fish hiding in the thickets, or fishing near the pier.
• Some anglers put live bait on the hook by the tail when using a very light lead.

Part 2 of 3: Tackle and Accessories for Fishing Live Bait

1. 1 It is important to choose the right hook. The size of the hook depends on the size of the live bait you will be fishing with.
   • For fry up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) in size, hook # 4 or 6 is best.
   • For live baits 4-5 inches (10 to 12.5 cm) or larger, hook # 2, 1/0, or even 2/0 can be used.
2. 2 Avoid unnecessary gimmicks. If you use swivels with a carabiner, it will be easier to change hooks and spinners, but extra weight will be added to the tackle, which may prevent the bait from moving fully.
   • However, it is possible to use a single or triple swivel at some distance from the hook if you fish with a sliding lead (using a single swivel to hold it in place), a plunger or a weight (with a triple swivel).
3. 3 Use thinner line in clear water. For fishing in clear rivers or lakes, a 6 to 8 test lb (3 to 4 kg) line is recommended.

Part 3 of 3: How to keep live bait on fishing longer

1. 1 Maintain a cool water temperature. Live bait stays better in cool water or at temperatures no higher than the water in which you will fish.
   • Cold water contains more oxygen than warm water, so a bucket with live bait should be kept away from direct sunlight.
   • If there is a danger of overheating the water in the bait bucket, ice can be added to it in small quantities. Do not add too much ice at once, the water will cool too quickly, the live bait will not be able to adapt and will die faster.
   • If the temperature of the water in which you place the bait while fishing is very different from the temperature of the water in the bucket for storing it, let the bait get used to the new temperature by gradually adding water from the reservoir to the bucket. Some live bait buckets are designed to be submerged in the water in which you fish. But if the bait is not allowed to get used to the new temperature, the fish will not tolerate a sharp change in temperature and will die.
2. 2 Keep the water clean. In order for the bait to remain alive for a long time, the water in the bait bucket must be filtered and changed in the same way as when caring for fish in an aquarium.
   • If you are fetching live bait water from the city water supply, add a few drops of dechlorinating solution to the bucket to remove the chlorine present in the water.
   • As soon as the water in the bucket becomes cloudy, it must be replaced immediately in order to avoid the accumulation of ammonia released during the life of the fish.
3. 3 An aerator can be a useful purchase. Portable aerators oxygenate the water. Oxygen in a bucket of live bait helps keep the fish alive longer. Aerators are usually battery operated, but some models have adapters for connecting to a 12 volt battery.
   • Some aerators allow you to adjust the oxygen saturation of the water. The main thing is that the aerator maintains the constant formation of small bubbles, they carry more oxygen. In addition, large air bubbles can press on the fish.
   • Choose an aerator that is as quiet as possible so that the sound doesn't interfere with your fishing.
4. 4 Don't put too many live bait in one bowl. When there is too much bait in a cramped bucket, the fish do not have enough oxygen in the water and they release more ammonia.
   • A 1 gallon (3.79 L) bucket can hold up to 70 3/4 "to 1" (19.1 by 25 mm) fatheads, 50 to 60 golden breeds, 2 to 3 1/2 "( 50 to 88.9 mm) and 10 to 18 chubs 3 1/2 inches (88.9 mm) or more in length.
   • For very coarse bait, such as sticky lures 10 to 18 inches (25 to 45.72 cm) long, a 5 gallon (18.93 L) bucket is recommended.

Tips

• If you know the area where you fish well enough, you can catch live bait yourself with a bottom seine. This method is suitable for fishing rainbow trout. Before fishing for live bait, familiarize yourself with the fishing laws and regulations in force in the area where you intend to fish.

Warnings

• Many jurisdictions have regulations on the use, transport and disposal of live bait and other types of bait due to the dangers of viruses such as viral hemorrhagic septicemia. Contact the natural resources agency in your country or other jurisdiction where you plan to fish with live bait, read and follow the appropriate rules.