| y"> | | | | use. The animal rights activists and |
| In the article, "How to Get the World's Best | | | | conservationists won't bother you either. (Gosh, I |
| Fishing Baits for Free", I mentioned that there | | | | wonder why?) |
| were essentially three ways to catch fish:o Use | | | | Aquatic species |
| live, natural baitso Use imitation or artificial baits | | | | A number of aquatic species can be easily |
| and lureso Use hardware such as traps, nets, etc. | | | | harvested from streams and river flats or |
| One of the most efficient and productive of | | | | shallows. Newts, salamanders, worms, small frogs, |
| these three methods is to use live, natural baits. | | | | hellgrammites and additional amphibious species |
| Live, natural baits are proven to be highly | | | | can be trapped or netted in ponds, streams, |
| effective when acquired locally. Their price is right | | | | shallows of lakes and rivers. Take care to store |
| since they're available for free. You "spend" only | | | | them in a cool, shady place in a well ventilated but |
| the time to gather them. When using live, natural | | | | closed container until you're ready to use them. |
| baits be sure to check local and regional | | | | Goldfish |
| regulations. | | | | A controversial live bait is the use of goldfish. Be |
| Bait fish | | | | sure to check local / regional regulations on their |
| These can be caught with a cast net and kept in | | | | use. Where legal, anglers swear by these. They |
| a live well or an aerated container. Although you | | | | are especially effective for a number of large |
| can catch numerous species right from the beach, | | | | catfish species. Catfish seem to hate goldfish. The |
| casting in the shallows of rivers and lakes works | | | | goldfish is always mangled almost beyond |
| well too. If you locate a school of fish in open | | | | recognition whenever a big cat gets a hold of it. |
| water, a cast net can garner you enough of a | | | | They hold up relatively well in fresh water but |
| supply to last the day in only a few minutes. | | | | don't last long in brackish or salt water. They're |
| Maggots | | | | still an effective bait either way. You can also buy |
| Maggots are a "best" live bait and many anglers | | | | them in bulk fairly cheaply where they are legal. |
| swear by them. Raising your own to use as live | | | | So put more depth and variety into your live bait |
| bait is no where near as gruesome as it sounds. | | | | presentations with these additional, free live, |
| Contrary to some popular opinion, they won't hurt | | | | natural baits. Don't forget to include the kids in |
| you and are not "dirty". You can raise a batch of | | | | collecting your specimens. It'll add to their |
| your own by burying a scrap of meat in a small | | | | accomplishment of catching a fish if they can say, |
| container of moist sand. In two or three days | | | | "I caught the worms myself! |
| you'll have a lively batch of "squirmers" ready to | | | | |