Everything You Need to Know About Bait Fish

When I get a phone call from anglers in regard to how to get their own bait, I know they are new to the area or have not fished in the local waterways very long.
Bait fish is a common term given to a multitude of small schooling fish around docks in the Bay and in most all the waterways. Bait fish provide important food for other fish.

If you know how to throw a bait net, you can get your own bait fish. I am told that once you sight a school, throw the net in a complete circle around the school and slowly bring it up to the boat. Many people are not familiar with a cast net. If buying a net at a bait shop, they will show you how to operate it. Some spend time casting in their backyards or from their docks trying for a perfect circle.

Bait fish are not only used for bait but are harvested commercially to make products such as pet food, oil and fertilizer. Regardless of the purpose of harvesting bait fish they support the state’s lucrative and popular fishing industry, both recreational and commercial.
Many are familiar with the greenback but did you know there are 50 species of bait fish worldwide. Florida has about two dozen varieties.

The 4-inch anchovy is one bait fish as is the ladyfish. I found that the ladyfish is a relative of the mighty tarpon, which was news to me.

The six most important commercial species of bait fish in Florida are the Spanish sardines, Atlantic thread herring, Gulf menhaden, round scad, bigeye scad and bally hoo falong a relative of balao.

Thread herring is the most common in Florida. Their common name is derived from the long ray that trails from the back of their dorsal fin like a piece of thread. They are a pretty fish with a silvery and greenish blue back. They have a black spot like a redfish but the black spot is above their gill covers and another dark spot is behind, which sometimes followed by an entire row of dark spots. They may grow as large as 8 inches. Some refer to them as “horse minnow,” “hairy back,” “grassy back,” and finally the one I talk about in this area, the greenback.

Spanish sardines are a type of herring. They have a long torpedo shaped silvery body with a dark blue back, a rounded belly, a deeply forked tail fin and a single dorsal fin. Spanish sardines grow as large as 9 inches long. This is a popular bait fish in Florida.

Bait fish migrate seasonally. They move north and south into and often away from shore. They do this in response to temperature changes or to spawn. They use seagrass beds or mangroves for cover and attach to structures such as piers.

Bait fish rarely live longer than four years.

All spawning seasons will vary with the species. Each female can produce as many as 80,000 eggs and often spawn several times a season.

Most all bait fish join schools and spend most of their entire lives in this formation. Although they are tighter schools in the daytime, at night they often disperse looking for food. This is a fish that feels there is safety in numbers.

Fish do eat bait fish as a study of the stomach of a Spanish mackerel reveals that Florida commercial fisheries did a whopping 37 million pounds in one year.
Restrictions have been enacted regulating net sizes and the number and types of bait fish that can be caught. Certain nets have been banned.

Many have stayed at home this week because of the rain, but those who have weathered the elements have caught fish.

Fish do bite in the rain. I have seen a variety coming in on angler’s boats.

Redfish have been a popular catch this week. Some are making catches in the Little Manatee River, others insist that you can only catch them at Simmons Park.
The rain seems to bring the catfish out. One angler told me he fed catfish all day.

Sheepshead are popular with pier fishermen.

Flounder are moving from the bottom and looking for food, with a few lucky anglers boating them.

Once again I remind anglers, be ever mindful that accidents will happen, but try to be careful out there. Drive the boat as if you were in a car in a traffic jam.













This young man, Joshua Grizzle, caught a 26-inch redfish May 30. He was using greenbacks. He stopped by Ruskin Bait and Tackle for a picture of his catch.

© Copyright 2007 by The Observer News Publications and M&M Printing Company, Inc.

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