The Best Bait and Lures to Use While Deep Sea Fishing
March 22, 2019
Whether you are heading out on your first chartered fishing trip or you have been out a number of times before, you know just how important it is to have all of the right gear. You need a quality pole, a great charter, and of course, you need to know what bait and lures to use for the different types of fish you are hoping to land. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular types of fish and the baits that we’ve found tend to work well for them.
Kingfish
When it comes to kingfish, you will find that natural baits tend to work better than artificial lures. The bait that tends to have quite a bit of luck is menhaden shad, which are also called pogies. Other baits that you might want to consider include ribbonfish and even squid. While you may have some luck with lures on occasion, live bait is the preferred option, so keep that in mind when you are heading out.
Cobia
Another popular fish, the cobia is an aggressive fish that tends to strike both live bait, as well as lures. One of the reasons this fish is popular is because it is tasty, and also puts up a good challenge to be caught. The fish can end up weighing more than a hundred pounds with the largest of the species. The natural diet of this fish can make great bait. Some of these include crabs, eels, shrimp, squid and other small fish. You can also use pin fish, mullet, menhaden and other bait that is typically found in the area where you will be fishing.
As mentioned, lures can work well for these fish, too. One of the top baits to consider using is a plastic swimming eel. These can be used in just about any situation where you are fishing for cobia. Some other types of lures that could be effective include bucktail jigs that have a lot of color to them, as well as artificial versions of the natural bait mentioned above.
Shark
Fishing for sharks can be a fantastic experience, and there are many types of sharks that are very tasty. Because there are so many different varieties of shark, it means that the exact best bait can differ between the species. Therefore, you will want to research the particular shark species you are after and speak with the fishing charter to get more insight.
However, there are some basic things you can keep in mind when it comes to the bait. Popular options include bluefish and mackerel, and you will find that live bait will work far better than lures in most cases. In some instances, using a chum slick will help to draw sharks to the area.
Mahi-Mahi
The dorado, or mahi-mahi, is a fish with a very distinctive look. The nickname of the fish comes from the Hawaiian language and means “very strong”, and anyone who has caught these fish can attest that the mahi-mahi has an apt nickname. A very popular lure for catching these fish is the Williamson ballyhoo combo, but you’ll find that many types of ballyhoo rigs, artificial and natural, can work well. In addition, when it comes to live bait, crabs and squid, along with small fish, can work quite well.
Sailfish
Sailfish are easily one of the most popular deep sea fishing targets because they have such an iconic look. They are truly stunning fish, and both natural bait and lures can work well to catch them. The fish tend to eat squid, octopus, mackerel, tuna, ballyhoo, flying fish, mullet, and other small fishes. As for lures, Wide Range and Super Chugger lures from Mold Craft, the Pakula Lumo Sprocket, and Copa Fishing Lures’ Tado are good options to consider.
Tarpon
Some great bait to consider when you are fishing for tarpon include shrimp, pinfish, mullet, and crabs. They do seem to prefer going after live bait, but you will find that you can also have some great success with with lures. However, you will want to use the right kind of lures for the job. You will want to choose lures that are able to mimic fish. Ideally, you will have lures that mimic the natural prey of the fish, such as sardines, menhaden, mullet, and shad.
Wahoo
Aside from having a great name, this can be a fun fish to catch. With the right baits in their target zone, you can have great success. They respond to many different types of lures, but they often have color preferences. Choose red and black lures or purple and black lure patterns. Ballyhoo tend to work quite well.
These are some of the best baits and lures to catch the most popular types of fish when you are fishing on the ocean. Fin and Fly has a good understanding of not only what you need to catch the fish, but also where to go to find the fish that you are after. In fact, the charters will likely know what the fish have been going after lately, as well, and they can provide you with some advice when it comes to the bait you should be using.
Make sure you get in touch soon, so you can book your fishing charter and head out on your next – or your first – deep sea fishing trip.
Sources:
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-best-kingfish-baits-2929567