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What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 9:36 am
by hhager23
I'm going down to the middle Keys in late May. Can anyone tell me if what kind of live bait I might be able to catch? At home (in VA) I'd either net some bait, use some crab or dig for sand fleas but I don't know what my options are in the keys. Should I consider cast net, digging, sabiki, or minnow trap? Any suggestions for good locations in or around the seven mile bridge area would be greatly appreciated as well.
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 3:41 pm
by fishnfool73
You can sabiki grunts or pinfish if you tip them with squid or shrimp. Chum and you may get ballyhoo to show. Soaking a crab trap overnight in slow current areas you may get blue crabs or maybe just get your trap stolen. No sand fleas down there.
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:13 pm
by SaltyDog
Crickets
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:14 am
by hhager23
I use crickets in fresh water. Will anything bite them in saltwater?
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:04 am
by Green Tide
Salty dog
You have a bite
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:19 am
by HJared
crickets in saltwater are an old florida secret. Grouper inhale them whole like potato chips at times.
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:45 am
by kblue
SaltyDog wrote:Crickets
You are revealing everything...stop it
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 1:44 pm
by buddyg125
What kind of cricket? Big or small
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:17 pm
by xtremeh18
I wonder if worms would be better?
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:19 pm
by PhishingPhanatic
Some things just aren't sacred, are they guys?
Only a couple bait shops in the Keys carry crickets, and you have to ask for them. I know Yellow Bait House usually has them, and sometimes they even have hand-picks for a buck more per dozen.
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:21 pm
by phillybass71
Everytime I use them I always get hit by big bull sharks damn thing love them.
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2016 5:51 pm
by SaltyDog
My preferred rig for these Paulie is a knocker 5 oz to be exact 7/0 offset circle so many grouper......
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2016 12:49 pm
by fishnfool73
and people whine about this site being a joke
Re: What live bait is available in the Middle Keys?
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:58 pm
by swordfish
fishnfool73 wrote:and people whine about this site being a joke
hhager23 wrote:I'm going down to the middle Keys in late May. Can anyone tell me if what kind of live bait I might be able to catch? At home (in VA) I'd either net some bait, use some crab or dig for sand fleas but I don't know what my options are in the keys. Should I consider cast net, digging, sabiki, or minnow trap? Any suggestions for good locations in or around the seven mile bridge area would be greatly appreciated as well.
Lookup Tommy's How To in the Keys Bridges and you'll have a good idea bud.
People laugh about the crickets... However I can tell you that when frogs are running after summer rain storms, a rubber weedless one will outfish everything when it comes to Snook and Tarpon in some areas. The fish KNOW they are moving and to them food is food. Just something to think about!
-Swordfish