# Need help finding and catching live bait.



## msubdawg (Feb 29, 2008)

We went out of Mobile Bay Saturday and out of Orange Beach Sunday with pretty much the same result. A lot of small AJs, red snapper, blue fish, trigger fish, and one nice red fish, but nothing real big. We fished a lot of public numbers and rigs and had trouble finding and catchinglive bait. I'm used to fishing in the warmer months when live bait is easier to catch. Does anyone have any advice on how/where/what type of bait to catch this time of year?

Thanks


----------



## gmoney (Oct 3, 2007)

I dont anything about orange beach/mobile area, but i would assume that the backwaters are holding mullet. As long as you can throw a castnet you should be able to find some small bayou somewhere and catch all the mullet you would need. I actually prefer using mullet during the spring and summer as well since i can catch enough bait in 10-15mins of throwing the net to last all day, as opposed to stopping on several 'bait' spots on my way to the fishing hole. Of course its hard to go wrong with a squiral fish/sea bass/mingo snapper for bait if you can catch them on site . You could have also used the bluefish for bait depending on how big he was.


----------



## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *gmoney (3/6/2008)* I actually prefer using mullet



for bottom fishing? never heard of such but i would assume it works. now, as for big yellowfin, slow-trolling a live mullet behind the boat is like cocaine for yellers.

those shallow rigs out of fort morgan should have plenty of hardtails, tinker mackerel, or cigar minnows on them. try using the good ol' sabiki rig on em'. but bring a bunch in case a whole bunch of hardtails start tearing them up. or throw the castnet just outside of the bay....just scan the waters and you should see plenty of schools of cigar minnows fluttering about at the surface....look for "nervous water."


----------



## gmoney (Oct 3, 2007)

Yeah i used alot of mullet in bottom fishing, works out extremely well. Also use alot of mullet trolling for kings, works out just as well. I learned it from a charter captain i worked for. He was from south florida and told me down there they use live/chunked mullet for big groupers and yellowtail snappers, so i gave it try up here and it worked great. It does seem to work a little better in the fall though, probably becuase the mullet are in the surf and i would assume offshore spawning. Give it a try one day, I think you ll be happy with the results


----------



## GregBR549 (Dec 18, 2007)

Hey guys,

I usually put in at cotton bayou. Is there anywhere on the way out to the pass that would be good to throw a cast net for bait? I have heard of guys using dog food, would that work for mullet?

thanks 

gregbr549


----------



## GONU (Oct 3, 2007)

> *The Blue Hoo (3/6/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *gmoney (3/6/2008)* I actually prefer using mullet
> ...


----------



## msubdawg (Feb 29, 2008)

Thanks for all of the advice. I'll let you know how it works out.


----------



## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *GregBR549 (3/7/2008)*Hey guys,
> 
> I usually put in at cotton bayou. Is there anywhere on the way out to the pass that would be good to throw a cast net for bait?
> 
> gregbr549


Hell ya just to the north of the perdido pass bridge holds a shitton of bait in early morning, before the sun comes up, or rather, right when it is coming up. also, right around the bridge pilings, the west jetti, and some pier just to the west of the west jetti.


----------

