# How to catch Bait



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

driving down from ohio with my kayak to fish Pcola Bay

Not sure how to catch live bait so I can use carolina rig from my kayak in the bay.

up here i just throw my cast net around the dam for shad lol totally different ballgame


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Don't really need bait this time of year.*

Rig up a 3 hook dropper rig with 2/0 hooks and bait with Mann's Stingray grubs. I prefer a pencil sinker on the bottom so it won't snag. Drift about anywhere in 10-20' and just bounce it up and down. (Weight depends on the depth and wind speed.) Have a marker buoy handy so you can mark significant fish.

You never know what you might catch but watch out for boats. Stay away from high traffic areas.


----------



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

sounds good I will try that from the kayak

Im staying along bayou texar would I be able to throw my cast net in spots somewhere along the bayou for bait or leave out a minnow trap overnight along the bank?


----------



## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Depends on the time of year but I recall in the Spring years ago an inshore guide we booked went to the mouth of Texar to catch live menhaden in a cast net before we went out on the bay. For some reason I thought I remembered you saying you'd be staying in Navarre for your trip, but maybe my memory is failing (it does that). 

During summer, if you come out of Texar and go west of the bridge, the concrete 'Barge dock' you see out there is a decent spot for live pinfish, as well. May even catch a few gray (aka mangrove) snapper or sheepshead if you're lucky.


----------



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

I was supposed to stay in Navarre and Airbnb owner ‘cancelled’ so now bayou texar is where I’ll be.

The mouth of Texar will deff be a spot to try then.

Is it worth throwing the net along the shoreline/docks inside of the texar or leaving a bait trap out overnight? I’ll be in a kayak so going out into the bay and finding bait wouldn’t be able to throw the net then.


----------



## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

pinfish or crab traps will usually yield some decent bait. You can blindly throw the net, just be aware there are oyster beds, stumps, logs and other stuff down there that loves to eat cast nets lol. You can also use a small hook/weight/bobber off the docks usually to catch pinfish.


When throwing the net I usually try to make sure I'm visually seeing bait, but have caught some throwing blind as well.


If you're having trouble try throwing some rice or shrimp balls out around the dock and letting them marinate for a few hours, then throwing on top of them.


If you don't have live bait you can still do pretty good around here with artificials. I see people all the time fishing kayaks casting docks around the bayous. 



Also, fishing dock lights at night is pretty cool.


----------



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

good heads up on the trees eating nets. i just throw into the dam at the river and get endless shad. very easy but been reading many hours on this forum and just doesnt seem to be as easy so any advice is good advice right now.

The dock lights sounds pretty cool. where could I find those at? I keep checking google earth for things I see people talking about but doesnt seem to help too much.


----------



## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

ohiofisher said:


> good heads up on the trees eating nets. i just throw into the dam at the river and get endless shad. very easy but been reading many hours on this forum and just doesnt seem to be as easy so any advice is good advice right now.
> 
> The dock lights sounds pretty cool. where could I find those at? I keep checking google earth for things I see people talking about but doesnt seem to help too much.



Bait is usually feast or famine lol. Look for mullet, they are always around, that time of year the bait may be small up in the bayou.


Dock lights just ride around in the yak at night, you will see them. Some are underwater, some are above water, we have had success at both. If the dock you are staying at has a light be sure to keep it on all night when you are there, it doesn't take long for a light source to start attracting fish. If you have any floating lights from your freshwater fishing those can be productive as well. Nothing better/easier than a small pinfish on a bobber on the outskirts of a lighted dock.


----------



## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

do you know how to use a sabiki rig? check youtube for "how to" videos.

jack


----------



## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)




----------



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

Fishing the docks seems easy and very fun. I dont need to catch the biggest or best fish im really just trying to catch some fish in general outside of ohio haha. Sabiki rigs ive seen many videos I am just a little confused on where you would find those bait schools. Do you kayak and sight them or do you go near a bridge piling? or once again feast or famine. all the help is great i looked into prices for buying bait and it seems a little ridiculous what is charged


----------



## rustybucket (Aug 18, 2011)

Being from Ohio, I think it's necessary to warn you about the saltwater catfish you may catch in the bay. They have some nasty 'stuff' in their spines that if they break your skin (needle sharp) will make you say bad words that the whole bayou can hear. Literally have seen them make a grown man cry.


So, use EXTREME caution if you handle them. Personally I just cut them off and let them have my hook. No hook is worth getting stuck by one of those bastards.


Not only do they look nasty, but they will burn like the gates of hell.


----------



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

yeppp never heard of them. I defintely would have handled them just like i do my crayfish up here. 
is its possible to fish the pass right by ft pickens from the kayak. just drop live bait on carolina rig with an oz weight or is that area pretty much boaters only


----------



## lettheairout (Mar 11, 2008)

ohiofisher said:


> yeppp never heard of them. I defintely would have handled them just like i do my crayfish up here.
> is its possible to fish the pass right by ft pickens from the kayak. just drop live bait on carolina rig with an oz weight or is that area pretty much boaters only


Be very careful around the pass. You get a tide change and bad wind it gets very angry. You can find the redfish schools in the bay. Look for boats and birds. 

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


----------



## AhGotcha (Jun 28, 2012)

If all fails with the cast net. Go get some Berkley Gulp shrimp and the smallest shank hook you can find. Then go to the Bayou Texar boat ramp near where you're at. Cut a piece of Gulp off onto the shank hook and put it 7-8 ft out, nothing hits it in a minute throw somewhere else and try right under the docks near pillings. Pin fish should be around there. If you have a a bait trap that can trap 4-6" bait, throw a couple pieces of fried chicken in it and leave overnight and let the bait pile in.


----------



## ohiofisher (Jan 15, 2017)

AhGotcha

that is extremely helpful thank you. I have a bait trap up here but only about 2 inch opening. thinking on just cutting the hole open so they can get in


----------



## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

Step 1...obtain sticks of TNT
Step 2...carefully cut fuse to 3/4 of an inch
Step 3...approach ball of bait
Step 4...light fuse
Step 5...throw TNT into middle of bait
REPEAT AS NEEDED
*note- after step 5 you should duck and cover your ears. Bait will shower your boat. Bait that misses boat may be picked up with scoop net


----------



## Yellow River Cat (May 3, 2008)

kingfish501 said:


> Step 1...obtain sticks of TNT
> Step 2...carefully cut fuse to 3/4 of an inch
> Step 3...approach ball of bait
> Step 4...light fuse
> ...



My Grandpa was known to use that method for fishing, then my uncle introduced him to calling the fish on the phone 
Game Wardens caught my uncle and taught him an expensive lesson that convinced him to not use the phone for fishing
They took his boat, boat motor, truck, boat trailer and then took my uncle to jail. Had to sell all the timber off 40 acres and then sell 28 acres of the 40 to pay the fines. He only had a little over a ton fish in the boat when he got caught on the St. John’s River back in the 50’s



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

