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Live Bait

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Welcome to our live bait web page.

Our live bait page is dedicated to those fisherman who love to fish with live bait. This website is also useful to you artificial bait lovers who know when the fishing gets tough you need to tip your artificial baits with some type of the live form. The page will include fishing information about fishing with leeches, crustaceans such as crayfish,scuds,freshwater shrimp,saltwater shrimp,mud shrimp and ghost shrimp. Our live bait page includes live bait information on salamanders such as waterdogs,spring lizards, mudpuppies as bait,and leopard frogs as bait. Our live bait page also includes good fishing information about fishing with insects. Our insect fishing information includes aquatic insects such as may flies, stone flies, caddis flies,crane flies, dragon flies. and dobson flies ( hellgrammites). We also have information about Terrestrial adult insect types such as crickets and grasshoppers as well as larva forms of catalpa worms, waxworms, goldenrod grubs, mousees, spikes, euro larvae, and meal worms. Please note to find information about fish species that are used as live bait visit our bait-fish web page by clicking here Also note to find information about any worm types that are used for live bait visit our nightcrawlers web page by clicking here

Fishing surveys have shown that live bait accounts for at least two thirds of fish caught on a hook and line. Even the staunchest artificial lure advocates switch to live bait or add live bait to their lures when fishing gets tough. Some of the most common and best live baits include minnows that you can read about on our website at our web page bait-fish. Another great live bait is nightcrawlers and we have a whole web page called nightcrawlers dedicated to this live bait.

Fishing With Leeches
Leeches are another excellent live bait that works great to catch a variety of species of fish. Using leeches effectively depends on the time of year and availability. Many anglers consider ribbon leaches to be the best live bait for walleye, or Pickerel for Canadian folks. The ribbon leech will also work great for other species of fish too. Ribbon leeches swim enticingly above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so they are considered a a preferred late spring and summer live bait.

Leeches are one of the more favorite live baits of most gamefish. Leeches are a common food item in the diet of many freshwater fish species. Amazingly using leeches as a live bait in the past was not a very popular fresh live bait for most fisherman. Just recently in the past few years leeches have gotten some popularity with many anglers who are fishing for walleye, smallmouth bass and panfish. Leeches got a bad rap because the misunderstanding that they are bloodsuckers. Actual this is not true at all. The leeches that are used for live bait are not bloodsuckers at all. They actually feed on small worms and other aquatic organisms. When a bait leech attaches itself to your skin with there powerful suction cup on their tail section, it is not trying to suck blood but trying to hold on. The live bait leech’s head is actually on the other end.

Good Leaches And Bad Leeches
There are good leeches and bad leeches to use for live bait and we will identify them below.

Good Leeches

Ribbon Leeches
These leeches have a wide body and are between 2 to 6 inches in length when stretched out. They get their name because they look like a ribbon when they swim through the water. The ribbon leech may be brown,black or olive in color.

Tiger Leeches
Tiger leeches are not as common as the ribbon leech but they make excellent live bait because they are considered to be one of the most active leech and are always moving around on your hook. They measure in length from 2 to 4 inches. They get there name because they have 4 black stripes that run parallel along their backs.

Bad Leeches

Horse Leeches
Horse leeches range in length from 3 to 12 inches. These leeches are may be black or mottled brown in color. They have very distinct grooves and are very squishy to the feel, and they have a very powerful sucking disk.

Medicine leeches
These are the little critters that gave leeches a bad rap as a fishing live bait. They were once used to suck blood from sick humans. Medicine leeches can be recognized by the row of red spots down their back and a rust color on their belly. They are also squishy to the feel.

Leeches swim slowly through the water their bodies moving in a waving motion as they swim. That’s probably why they are so enticing to so many gamefish. It is very important how you hook leeches so you do not hinder the leeches natural movement when you use them as live bait.

How To Hook Leeches

There are three effective ways to hook leeches with disrupting their natural movement. If you are going to cast and retrieve leeches you will need to hook them in the tail about 1/2 inch above their powerful sucker. If you are fishing for panfish hook your leeches just below the head. Push the hook through the tough skin of it’s neck so the hook barb is pointing upward towards the head. If you are going to be using a bobber, or plan on jigging leeches hook them through the middle of their body so both half drape downward evenly. This is a great bait presentation when you are vertical jigging.

Fishing For Panfish, Rock Bass, And Yellow Perch With Leeches
Use ribbon or tiger leeches 1 1/2 to 3 inches long when stretched out. Our you can use can cut a leech up and use pieces. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Small fixed or slip bobbers, or a casting bubble with a split shot and a panfish hook.
  • Inline panfish spinners and small spinnerbaits tipped with small leeches.
  • Plain panfish hook and a split shot fished on a cane pole or extension pole.
  • Small 1/64 to 1/32oz jig tipped with a piece of leech fished on a cane pole or extension pole.
  • Fishing For Walleye And Sauger With Leeches
    You can use ribbon leeches from 2 1/2 to 4 inches in length, Tiger leeches 2 to 4 inches in length to catch either sauger or walleye. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Slip sinker rig with a short shank walleye hook or with a floater jig hook.
  • Slip bobber rig with a short shank walleye hook or 1/16 oz jig head.
  • Split shot rig with a short shank walleye hook.
  • Weight forward spinner tipped with a ribbon or tiger leech.
  • Bottom bouncing rig with a spinner and single walleye hook.
  • Fishing For Smallmouth And Largemouth Bass With Leeches
    You can use ribbon leeches from 2 1/2 to 5 inches in length. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Slip sinker rig with a short shank bass hook or with a floater jig hook.
  • Slip bobber rig with a short shank bass hook or 1/16 oz jig head.
  • Spin rig tipped with a leech.
  • Split shot rig with a short shank bass hook.
  • Fishing For Trout With Leeches
    You can use ribbon leeches from 2 to 4 inches in length. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • 1/16 oz jig head tipped with a leech.
  • In-line spinner tipped with a leech.
  • Split shot rig with a short shank trout hook.
  • Small float fixed or a casting bubble with a split shot and a trout hook.
  • Fishing Crustaceans As Live Bait
    Most all game fish freshwater and some saltwater species have a steady diet of different types of crustaceans such as crayfish, scuds,Saltwater shrimp,grass shrimp or freshwater shrimp,mud shrimp and ghost shrimp Many gamefish feed off of tiny planktonic shrimp such as water fleas in the early stages of their life cycle.

    Types of Crustaceans Commonly Used For Live Bait

    Crayfish
    There are more then 500 species of crayfish that a habitat that includes North American waters. Crayfish are fond in ponds,roadside ditches,natural or man made lakes, fast flowing streams and sluggish rivers. Just about anywhere there is standing freshwater you will find some kind of crayfish. Selecting crayfish depends on the size of the fish you plan to target. For example if you want to use crayfish to catch trophy largemouth bass you need to use crayfish over 4 inches long. If you were fishing for panfish then small crayfish in the 2 inch range would work fine.

    Shrimp
    Many times freshwater fisherman will use both freshwater and saltwater shrimp as live bait or frozen bait. Fisherman along the coast can purchase shrimp in bait shops or catch their own in the estuaries near their homes. They can catch mud shrimp and ghost shrimp in the mud flats, and saltwater shrimp in the estuary waters. Other fisherman through out the country can buy chilled or frozen saltwater shrimp at the larger grocery stores in their area. I personally use frozen shrimp when I go fishing for catfish on occasion.

    Freshwater Shrimp Or Grass Shrimp
    Grass shrimp are a favorite live bait of panfish anglers in Florida and other Southeastern States. Recently, the popularity of grass shrimp has grown. There are bait stores in other parts of the country who now offer grass shrimp as live bait selection. Grass shrimp are very small only 1 to 2 inches in length. The have a light green to tan color and they are translucent. Saltwater varieties are located in estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf Costs. Freshwater types can be fond in ditches, ponds and small lakes in Southestern United States.

    Saltwater Shrimp
    Many species of saltwater shrimp, ranging from 3 to 5 inches in length are commonly used as live bait for both saltwater and freshwater species of fish. Saltwater shrimp have tiny claws and a short antennae and are tan to pink in color. Saltwater shrimp can be found in estuaries that have weed beds present. Ribbon weed beds make the best habit for shrimp to live in, and you will catch larger quantities of shrimp if you look in these areas. To catch saltwater shrimp for live bait head to the ribbon weed beds in estuaries. Shrimp will be hiding here. To catch them you will need a very fine mesh net that has a very long handle. Plunge your net down to the bottom and push the net along the bottom against the current. Bring the net up and do your sorting. Make sure you throw back everything but the shrimp or other bait fish you may catch. You do not want to destroy the weed bed.

    Mud Shrimp
    Found on estuary flats along the Pacific and Gulf Coast. Mud shrimp have large pinchers that look like crayfish. They vary in color from pink to tan to blue and range in length from 4 to 7 inches.

    Ghost Shrimp
    Ghost shrimp are very pale in color and a fragile crustacean. They are found on mud flats of estuaries along the Gulf Coast. Ghost shrimp has one very large pincher compared to the other. Some anglers call them “one armed bandits” They vary in color from off white to pink. They vary in length from 4 to 7 inches in length.

    Scuds
    Scuds are similar to freshwater shrimp but they are smaller, and do not have a fan like tail as freshwater shrimp do. Scuds are fond in many freshwater areas from small cold water streams to shallow fertile natural lakes. You will not find many bait stores that sell scuds, but they are easy to catch.

    Crabs
    Small crabs of any kind are the most under - utilized saltwater live bait available to fisherman. Anglers who fish ocean rocky areas use crabs to fish for grouper and snapper, but not many fisherman who frequent the estuaries fish with crabs. Crabs can be found in nearly every marine habitat area, but are easiest to catch around rocky shorelines, seawalls and estuary mud flats.

    How to fish with crabs
    crabs are a excellent bait because they will stay on your hook and are easy to cast repeatedly. Fish small crabs as live bait, using the whole crab. break off the back leg and push your hook up through the hole in the body and out through the back joint area of the the crab. To fish with large crabs cut them in half and remove the back leg so you can push your hook through the body section. When fishing with crabs, try to match the size of your bait and hooks to the size of the species of fish you intent to target.

    How To fish For Panfish With Crustaceans
    To fish for panfish you can use scuds,grass shrimp and crayfish under 2 inches for live presentations, and crayfish tails and pieces of saltwater shrimp. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip or fixed bobber rig with a light wire crappie hook.
  • Use a slip split shot rig with a light wire crappie hook.
  • Use a 32 to 1/16oz jig tipped with scuds, grass shrimp, or pieces of shrimp.
  • How To fish For Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass With Crustaceans
    To fish for largemouth bass & smallmouth bass you can use crayfish from 2 to 4 inches long, and shrimp 3 to 5 inches long mostly for largemouth bass. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a weedless bass hook.
  • Use a slip split shot rig with a weedless bass hook.
  • How To fish For Catfish With Crustaceans
    To fish for catfish you can use crayfish from 3 to 4 inches long, and shrimp 3 to 5 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a plain catfish hook.
  • Use a three way swivel rig with a plain catfish hook.
  • Use a large slip bobber rig with a plain catfish hook.
  • How To fish For Sturgeon With Crustaceans
    To fish for Sturgeon you can use mud shrimp and ghost shrimp from 4 to 7 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker or fixed sinker rig with a large catfish hook.
  • How To fish For Trout With Crustaceans
    To fish for Trout you can use scuds, grass shrimp, crayfish no longer then 3 inches, and crayfish tails. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a split shot and a regular trout hook.
  • Use a slip or fixed bobber rig and a regular trout hook.
  • Use a casting bubble and a regular trout hook with scuds and grass shrimp.
  • How To fish For Salmon and Steelhead With Crustaceans
    To fish for Salmon and Steelhead you can use mud and ghost shrimp from 3 to 5 inches long. Crayfish up to 3 inches for steelhead only. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a split shot rig and a regular salmon hook.
  • Use a slip sinker rig and a regular salmon hook.
  • Use a surgical tubing rig and a regular salmon hook.
  • Use a fixed bobber rig to float shrimp and a regular salmon hook.
  • Use a floating spinner tipped with a piece of shrimp.
  • Salamanders
    If you check out your latest Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shop catalog you will see several plastics that look like lizards and some look like waterdogs. The reasons salamander imitations work is because of the common belief that salamanders are nest robbers so fish are quick to attack them when the salamanders get close to their nests. Salamanders used as a live bait for largemouth bass is much more popular in the south then the north. But they are popular among some northern fisherman who are targeting trophy walleyes and northern pike.

    Many fisherman refer to salamanders as lizards but actually they are amphibians, not reptiles. Salamanders have a larva form that is only aquatic but all salamanders but one, live both on the land and in the water. Both the larva form and the adults are used for live bait. There are three popular types of salamanders primarily used as live bait.

    Mole Salamanders
    These salamanders get there name from living in the underground tunnels of moles and other mammals. These salamanders will come out of these tunnels in early spring and migrate to small, fishless ponds and breed. The young mole salamanders reach adulthood by the fall and begin their adult life on land. The most common of the mole salamanders is the tiger salamander.

    Tiger Salamanders Larva Form, Waterdog
    The larva form of the tiger salamander is often called the waterdog and is used as a live bait. The waterdog is much better as a live bait then the adults. Waterdogs have external gills ,tiny legs and a long fin around the rear of the body. There normal size is 4 to 8 inches in length.

    Tiger Salamanders Adult Form
    The adult tiger salamander will range in size from 6 inches up to more then a foot. Most fisherman will use adults in size from 6 to 8 inches in length for live bait. Several sub-species of tigers have a distinct yellow and black body.

    Lungless Salamanders
    This type of salamander is one of the most common and easy to find. There are close to 100 species of lungless salamanders fond in North America. As you would suspect from the name, lungless salamanders do not have lungs. This type of salamander absorbs oxygen through their skin. Fisherman often refer to this type of salamander as a spring salamander because they are often fond close to springs, brooks and small streams. Other types of lungless salamanders you have probably seen when you walk through damp woodlands. They live under rocks and logs or by burrowing into the woods damp leafy floor. Lungless salamanders are good swimmers and the adults make a great live bait. we will list a few of the more popular lungless salamanders that are used as live bait. They are the spring salamander, the dusky salamander, and the redback salamander.

    Spring Salamanders
    The back of the spring salamanders are brownish with rows of dark spots that stop just above the legs. Adults range in size from 5 to 6 1/2″ inches. You can catch spring salamanders at night along stream banks on rainy nights.

    Dusky Salamanders
    The back of the dusky salamander is yellowish brown to a dark gray. They average in length to about 5 inches. You can find dusky salamanders along the banks of springs and streams. They like moist soil and sometimes will survive in dry but damp creek beds.

    Redback Salamanders
    The red back salamander has a red back just as the name suggests. The rest of the body is dark gray to black. This lungless salamander is normally 2 1/2 to 5 inches in length. They are found under rocks, logs and leaf litter in damp moist evergreen forests.

    Giant Salamanders
    This group of salamanders as the name suggests get quite large. Some have been recorded as large as two feet in length. The giant salamander that are used as live bait average about 12 inches in length. There is one type of giant salamander that never goes on land and spends it’s whole life in the water. The two giant salamanders that are used for bait occasionally are the siren salamander and the Mudpuppy salamander.

    Siren Salamanders
    The Siren salamander never gets out of the water their habitat is the coastal plains of the South Eastern and South Central United States. Sirens like to live in quiet weedy waters of small ditches, swamps and ponds. Sirens are black to olive green in color. The lesser siren averages in length for 6 to 15 inches. The greater siren is much larger and has been known to grow over 3 ft long.

    Mudpuppy Salamanders
    These common giant salamanders have a broad head, a thick body and a paddle like tail. The common mudpuppy is found in large sluggish rivers. It reaches lengths of close to 20 inches in length. The dwarf mudpuppy has a slate gray to purple black look with few small lighter spots and is between 4 1/2 to 7 1/2 inches long. Dwarf mudpuppies are fond in small sluggish streams, mainly in coastal areas.

    How To Rig Salamanders As Live Bait

  • Hook a salamander through the lips by coming up from the bottom lip. Then slide the on through the top lip. When you are finished the barb of the hook should be facing away from the salamanders eyes.
  • Spring lizards and other adult salamanders can be hooked just in front of the back leg in the loose skin between the leg and body. This is a great way to keep your live bait presentation alive for long periods of time.
  • When you are targeting large trophy northern pike using large salamanders you need to use a two hook combo. Your first hook goes through the lips, and then your trialing treble hook is placed behind one of the back legs.
  • When you are targeting trophy largemouth bass using a siren salamander hook the siren through it’s back about 1/3 up from the tip of it’s tail. DO NOT use a sinker let the siren slither through the weeds with a open bail or freeline.
  • How To fish Salamanders For Walleye, Pickerel
    To fish for walleye or pickerel use a 4 to 6 inch waterdog. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a short shank walleye hook.
  • Use a slip split shot rig with a short shank walleye hook.
  • How To fish Salamanders For Northern Pike
    To fish for northern pike use 5 to 8 inch waterdogs and or spring lizards. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a wire leader and a weedless hook large size.
  • Use a slip split shot rig with a wire leader and a weedless hook large size.
  • How To fish Salamanders For Largemouth and smallmouth bass
    To fish for smallmouth and largemouth bass use 4 to 8 inch waterdogs and or adult salamanders 5 to 8 inches long. For trophy bass use 12 inch plus salamanders. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a weedless hook.
  • Use a split shot rig with a weedless hook large size.
  • How To fish Salamanders For Catfish
    To fish for Catfish use 5 to 8 inch waterdogs and or adult salamanders 5 to 12 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a Plain large catfish hook.
  • Use a split shot rig with a weedless hook large size.
  • Use a large slip bobber rig with a Plain large catfish hook.
  • Using Frogs as Live Bait
    Old timers always talk about how great it is to fish with live frogs instead of artifial frog imitations. In the early fall months when the weather starts to turn cool and the frogs start their migration from shadow marshes to deeper lakes where they hibernate in the muddy bottoms for the winter. This is a great time to fish with frogs for bass, walleyes, pickerel and other large predator gamefish feeding on the migrating frogs to fatten up for the winter. There are a ton of imatation frogs on the market these days and they work, but even the pros will tell nothing beats using frogs as live bait in the fall months. Bait stores do not sell frogs so you will have to catch them yourself. A good way to catch them during the is with a fly rod and a red fly. Creep up on them along banks and dangle the fly in front of them until they hook themselves. You can catch then at night with a small net. Shine a bright light in their eyes to paralyze them long enough to scoop them up with a small net.

    Types Of Frogs Typically Used As Live Bait

    Leopard Frogs
    Leopard frogs are most popular species of frogs that are used as live bait. The body of leopard frog is green to light tan color with multiple spots all over the body. The leopard frog has distinct ridge lines that run the entire length of the frogs body along the edge of it’s back. Leopard frogs average in size to about 4 inches in length and they are fond all over North America except on the West Coast.

    Green Frogs
    Green frogs do not have spots like the leopard frog but they are similar in size. They range from 4 to 6 inches in length. Green frogs also have ridge lines the run the the entire length of their body on each side of their back.

    Bull Frogs
    The bull frog is similar in color to the green frog but much larger that the leopard or green frog. Their bodies are 4 to 6 inches in length but their back legs can stretch another 7 to 10 inches. The bullfrog is found throughout the United States with the exception of the Rockies and Northern Plains.

    How To Fish With Frogs As Your Live Bait

    Frogs thrashing through shallow weed beds will surely entice any gamefish to strike. Frogs work best in the fall when the temperature starts too cool and the migration of the frogs from from the marshlands to deeper water starts. During this time of year frogs are plentiful and large predator game fish are on the prowl feeding like crazy getting ready for the upcoming winter. You cannot repeatedly cast frogs or you will kill them. Gently toss them out with a under hand motion so they do not smack the water with any impact. You want your frog swimming and moving threw the weeds and Lilly pads. Make sure when you do get a strike to wait a few seconds before you set the hook.

    How To fish Frogs For Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, And Walleyes
    To fish for bass and walleye’s use leopard or green frogs no more then 3 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a wire leader and a bass or walleye hook.
  • Use a split shot rig with a wire leader and a bass or walleye hook.
  • Use a free lining or dabbing with a plain bass or walleye hook make sure you use no weights.
  • How To fish Frogs For Northern Pike And Pickerel
    To fish for Northern Pike And Pickerel use leopard or green frogs no more then 4 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a wire leader and a pike hook.
  • Use a split shot rig with a wire leader and a pike hook.
  • How To fish Frogs For Catfish
    To fish for Catfish use a large leopard frog as live bait or pieces of bull frog as cut bait. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a a plain catfish hook.
  • Use a 3 way-swivel rig with a plain catfish hook.
  • Use a Large slip bobber rig with a plain catfish hook.
  • Common Aquatic Insects Used For Live Bait

    All freshwater gamefish habitats include many types of aquatic insects which are a important food source and a underused live bait choice by most fisherman. Fly fisherman understand that gamefish feed on aquatic insects and they try to exploit it. Journeyman fly fisherman match the hatch of these insects at different times of the year when they select what flies to use. There is a great deal of difference between these insects but one thing that they all have in common is a very long immature form or larva form that for some aquatic insects lasts for 6 months or more. We will identify the most popular of the aquatic insects that can be used for live bait.

    Mayflies, Larva Shown In Picture
    Mayflies often are called wigglers in their nymph form and the wigglers make great live bait. They live in the water at this stage of their lives. They have a large head and on their abdomen they have three long tail filaments sticking out and a set of gills. On their main body closer to the head they have one set of what is called a wing pad. The adult mayfly called a spinner have upright wings that are clear in color. We use the mayfly as an example of the typical life cycle of aquatic insects. Although other aquatic life cycles are not identical, they are similar to the mayfly and you can get a general understanding of aquatic insects. The mayfly’s life cycle consists of four stages as identified below.

  • Stage 1 Adult mayflies male , and female mate in mid air while they are flying. The female will then deposit her eggs in the water, where the eggs will stick to plants, rocks,and various debris on the bottom.
  • Stage 2 The eggs hatch in about 6 months and the hatch lings are called nymphs. The nymphs then burrow deep into the mud or other debris on the bottom and feed on micro organisms for several more months. During this time they go through many body changes that are called molts.
  • Stage 3 Once the nymphs are finished molting and they reach their adult forms they swim to the surface and and shed the skin of there nymph form and they fly off to let their wings dry. The are called a dun or subimago at this stage.
  • Stage 4 Within a couple of the days the mature dun molts into mature adult. They then fly off and mate with other adults and lay their eggs. Within a couple a days after they lay the eggs they die.
  • Stoneflies, Larva Shown In Picture
    The nymphs of the stone fly have two sets of wing pads close to their head and long two sort tail filaments sticking out of their abdomen. The stonefly’s nymph stage has their gills on the underside of the thorax. The nymph stonefly are a dark brown color on their wing pads with a light brown underside. The nymph stage of the stonefly makes a excellent live bait choice. The adult stoneflies are more of dull grayish dark brown color and their wings lie flat and not upright.

    Caddisflies, Larva Shown In Picture
    The caddis fly larva form called caddis worms have a segmented cream or tan colored body. They have three pairs of legs near the front of their bodies. They live in what is called a case which is made of sand wood and sticks. They can lie dormant for months before they emerge in early fall when the temperature starts to fall. The larva stage is the best to use for live bait. The adult caddisfly are brown in color and their wings almost like a tent covering their bodies.

    Craneflies, Larva Shown In Picture
    The crane fly larva are called waterworms and may get up to about 2 1/2 inches in length and make a excellent live bait choice. The body is segmented and gray brown in color. Water worms have some hairy projections on their tails. The adults look like giant mosquitoes.

    Dragonflies, Larva Shown In Picture
    The dragon fly nymph looks a bit intimidating when you see it. They are very dark brown or pale green color. To Reorganize these rascals first look to see if they have a very large lower lip. This large lower lip is used to grasp prey. The adult dragon fly has a long skinny body with a pair of large multi-colored wings.

    Dobsonflies, Larva Shown In Picture
    The larva form of the dobson fly may be more familiar to you then the adult. The larva forms name is called hellgrammite. The larva are truly intimidating but make a superb live bait choice. The hellgrammite can measure up to 3 inches in length. The have large pinchers on their head and they will use them on you so be careful. The adult form the dobson fly can grow to 5 inches in length. The have extremely long jaws.

    How To Fish Aquatic Insects as Live Bait

    The larva stage is commonly fished for trout but they also are a good bait source to fish for smallmouth and largemouth bass, yellow perch, and walleyes. The key to fishing aquatic insects is use them during their hatch when they are plentiful and the fish are gorging themselves. Aquatic insects are very delicate so you will have to bait your often and do your casting very carefully. Please refer right below on the proper way to hook aquatic insects for live bait so they don’t just fly off the hook as soon as you cast.

    How To hook Aquatic Insects

  • Mayfly Nymph Slide the nymph onto a size 10 or 12 long-shank, light wire hook head first, also some fisherman thread the mayfly nymph tail first.
  • Stonefly Nymph hook the nymph under the collar using a size 8 or 10 light wire hook.
  • Caddis Larva hook up to three caddis fly larva through the head using a size 12 to 16 light wire hook.
  • Hellgrammite Nymph Hook a hellgrammite under the color with a size 4 to 8 light wire hook. Grab the hellgrammite behind the head to avoid their pinchers if they pinch you it can sting pretty bad. But the fish love to eat them so it well worth the trouble to use them as a live bait choice.
  • Caddis Larvahook up to three caddis fly larva through the head using a size 12 to 16 light wire hook.
  • Waterworm Push a size 8 to 10 light wire hook through the tough outer skin just a head of the tail about 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

  • Dragonfly Nymph hook the nymph under the collar using a size 8 or 10 light wire hook.
  • How To Fish Yellow Perch And Walleye Using Aquatic Insects As Your Live Bait

    To fish for yellow perch And walleye use a mayfly nymphs from 1 to 2 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a jigging spoon with a mono line dropper with a light-wire, extra-long shank number 8 - thru 2 hook.
  • Use a 1/8 to 1/4oz jigging spoon tipped with a mayfly nymph.
  • Use a small slip or fixed bobber, with a split shot and a light-wire, extra long shank number 8 - thru 2 hook.
  • How To Fish For Largemouth And Smallmouth Bass Using Aquatic Insects As Your Live Bait

    To fish for Largemouth And Smallmouth Bass use a hellgrammites nymphs from 2 to 3 inches long,dragonfly nymphs from 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a split shot rig rig and a plain 2 to 2/0 size hook for largemouth, and a 6 to 1 size hook for smallmouth.
  • Use a fixed or slip bobber rig with a split shot and a plain 2 to 2/0 size hook for largemouth, and a 6 to 1 size hook for smallmouth.
  • How To Fish for Trout Using Aquatic Insects As Your Live Bait

    To fish for Trout use a mayfly and stonefly nymphs from 1 to 2 inches long,hellgrammites nymphs from 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, waterworms, 2 or 3 caddis larvae. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a split shot rig rig and a plain 12 to 2 size hook.
  • Use a small float or casting bubble with a split shot and a plain 12 to 2 size hook.
  • Common Terrestrial Insects Used For Live Bait

    First, Terrestrial means the completion of a live cycle completely on land. Well known terrestrial insects are grasshoppers and crickets and they make very good live bait choices. Also immature larvae forms of other terrestrial insects are commonly used for live bait. These would include butterfly moth caterpillars, maggots or fly larvae, and grubs beetle larvae. Terrestrial insects are not part of the natural food chain of most gamefish and they rarely feed on them unless they accidentally fall or are forced onto the surface of the water. Terrestrial insects still rank high as one of the best live bait selections for gamefish. Normally this type of insect is used for panfish and small stream trout, but there are some terrestrial insects that are used for larger fish. For example catalpa worms are considered a very good live bait selection for catfish.

    Crickets
    There are 100’s of different types of crickets. The gray cricket are one of the most common and they are grown commercially to be sold at bait stores. You can also catch your own crickets in grassy and weedy fields using cricket traps.

    Grasshoppers
    There are 100’s of different grasshoppers just like crickets. Their colors are range from gray to brown to green. The ones used for fishing are normally 2 to 3 inches long.

    Terrestrial Larva live Bait

    Larva baits are part of what is called terrestrial insects which include a large number and variety of different insects. However we will only be covering the larva stage of some of the most popular fishing terrestrial larvae.

    Catalpa Worm

    The catalpa worm gets up to about 3 inches and length. To find catalpa worms you need to look for catalpa trees. Catalpa worms feed on the leaves of these tree and are easy to spot. They have a district black stripe down their backs and a black spine on their tails. Catalpa worms make great bait for catfish.

    Wax Worms
    Wax worms measure between 1/2 to 1inch in length and are a common bait used for all types of panfish. Most all bait stores have a good supply of them. The wax worm is the larva of the bee moth. Wax worms have a cream colored body divided into noticeable segments, and dark brown head.

    Goldenrod Grub
    The goldenrod grub is the maggots of the gall fly. they range about only 1/4 inch long. They live in the stems of goldenrod plants They are a off white to light yellow color.

    Meal Worms
    Meal worms are also known as golden grubs and are sold at most bait stores. Meal worms are about 1 inch and length and are the larva form of the darkling beetle. They have have yellowish looking body with noticeable segmentation and their head is dark brown.

    Mousee Worms
    Mousee worms are about 1/2″ in length and are commonly called rat tail maggots.To find mousee worms look in stagnant water areas. They are easy to identify because they a portion of there body that sticks out and looks like a rat or mouse tail when they are swimming. They are the larva of the bee fly and have a tannish body about 1/2 inch in length with a distinct tube like tail at leaste 1/2 inch in length. The mousee worm uses this tube to breath from.

    Spike Worms
    Spike worms are the larva of of the common house fly and blow fly. We all know them as maggots. They are sold in some bait stores as “spikes” and “silver wigglers”. They are light tan in color and normally are about 1/2 inch in length.

    Eurolarvae
    These are the maggot larvae form of the European blowfly. They have a very tough skin and are variety of colors. There common size is about 1/2 inch in length.

    How To Hook Terrestrial Insect Larvae

  • Grasshoppers & Crickets Slide a grasshopper or cricket onto a light wire, extra long shank hook either head first or tail first. Trout fisherman often hook the grasshopper under the color for a more natural live bait presentation.
  • Wax worms, Mealworms & Mousee Use a light wire hook or teardrop. Push the hook point through the head and out the side about 1/4 inch down. The bait should hang strait down when your hooking us complete.
  • Goldenrod Grub slide more then two grubs through the center of their bodies onto a light wire hook or tear drop.
  • Spike & Eurolarvae These baits need to be hooked through the head because they have a tough outer skin. Put two or three onto lite wire hook or a teardrop.
  • Catalpa Worm Push the hook point into the back about 1/3 of the body length from the tail end. Bring the hook out the back midway up the body. You can also thread the catalpa worm tail first so the body lays strait down the shank of the hook.
  • How To Fish Terrestrial Insects As A Live Bait
    For years and years fisherman have been catching fish using crickets and grasshoppers and waxworms and other small larvae as live bait for panfish. Recently though, trout fisherman have found that terrestrial larvae work just as well as the aquatic insect larvae. Also panfish anglers who normally fish only worms are finding that larvae work just as well or better in some fishing situations. One great thing about fishing with larvae is you do not have to re-bait as often because fish seem to like the bait better after the larva’s skin has been opened and the larva’s juices are flowing.

    How To Fish Terrestrial Insects And What Rigging To Use

    Panfish, (sunfish, crappies, rock bass, warmouth, and yellow perch)

    To fish for panfish such as sunfish, crappies, rock bass, warmouth, and yellow perch use crickets, grasshoppers, waxworms, mealworms, spike, Eurolarvae, mousee, and goldenrod grub. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a small float fixed or slip bobber, a split shot, and a light wire hook, extra long shank number 12 - thru 4 hook with crickets or grasshoppers.
  • Use a small float fixed or slip bobber, a split shot, and a light wire hook, extra long shank number 12 - thru 4 hook or tear drop with with waxworms, mealworms, spike, Eurolarvae, mousee, and goldenrod grub.
  • Use a 1/16 - to 1/4 oz jigging spoon tipped with waxworms, mealworms, spike, Eurolarvae, mousee, and goldenrod grub.
  • Use a jigging spoon with a mono dropper light wire hook, extra long shank number 12 - thru 4 hook.
  • To fish for Smallmouth And Largemouth Bass

    To fish for Smallmouth And Largemouth Bass use crickets and grasshoppers. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a split shot rig with a extra long shank number 2 - 2/0 hook for largemouth, and a 6 - thru 1 hook for smallmouth.
  • Use crickets or grasshoppers floated on the surface using extra long shank number 2 - 2/0 hook for largemouth, and a 6 - thru 1 hook for smallmouth. make sure you have no extra weight tied to the line.
  • To fish for Trout

    To fish for Trout use crickets,grasshoppers,waxworms, mealworms, spike, Eurolarvae, mousee, and goldenrod grub. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a split shot rig with a extra long shank number 12 - 2 hook with crickets and grasshoppers.
  • Use a split shot rig with a short shank number 12 - 2 hook with waxworms, mealworms, spike, Eurolarvae, mousee, and goldenrod grub.
  • Use a small float slipped or fixed with a extra long shank number 12 - 2 hook with crickets and grasshoppers or a short shank number 12 - 2 hook with waxworms, mealworms, spike, Eurolarvae, mousee, and goldenrod grub.
  • Use a insect floated on the water surface with a casting bubble and extra long shank number 12 - 2 hook.
  • To fish for Catfish

    To fish for Catfish use Catalpa Worm, Grasshoppers. Here’s a list of rigging’s you can use:

  • Use a slip sinker rig with a catfish hook.
  • Use a slip or fixed bobber rig and a catfish hook.
  • Use a catfish hook on a trout line.
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