Catching bait
Capt. Jim Conant
February 25, 2019
Matlacha - Saltwater Fishing Report
25 February 2019
Bait is Back!
Since my last report I have been pulling two per day trips and have been exhausted catching sheepshead and trout. But the bait has started its way back in and this is great news! With white bait the size of the fish go up dramatically. Now instead of rat reds and 22 in snook I've been getting 29-33 in reds and 40+in snook although some of my clients can't get them to the boat.
How to catch bait: learn to throw a cast net, there are plenty of YouTube videos on how to do it. Don't be throwing a little 4 footer either or you're going to throw it a thousand times to get enough bait. Have a net that sinks fast and is around a 3/8ths mesh. When catching bait in deeper water over 5 feet you need a heavier weighted net to get it to the bottom so the bait doesn't have a chance to swim out the way. I'm not going to say what cast net is the best since I'm not sponsored by any net builders. I do throw a 10 footer. An 8 footer will suffice for the weekend fisherman.
Chumming to get them to come to you. You can buy the chum at local bait shops in 1 gallon zip lock bags like Barnhills fishery in Matlacha. From there you will need an old coffee container to start mixing it up. There is some chum you can throw straight from the bag as it is already moist and will sink. Poor a little in a container add water and continually mix until it's moist and consistency of oatmeal. Then sparingly throw it down current from your position and create a slick. As the bait comes near throw lighter and lighter to get them close enough to throw your net.
Rules of the road for chumming: Courtesy! Don't get into somebody else's chum slick and start your own that's a great way to really piss somebody off. Second don't get close enough to someone that when you make your own chum slick it draws their bait away from their chum line. Third when coming up to where bait is at and there is boats already around idle in or troll in but don't get to close, 75 -100 yards should be a safe distance to keep the peace while catching bait. If the bait is concentrated into a small area don't encroach on the other boat. Just hang out until they are done and then move in. There are places you will see boats lined up and spread across a large area catching bait. You can go in and get your bait but stay on the outskirts and be courteous of others. When I see this I try to get off on my own to catch my bait. I don't like all the trash talk from other fisherman when they are having a hard time catching and are frustrated because they are competing with 50 other chum slicks. But sometimes you have no choice since that's where the bait is. So just be courteous. Some people are nice out there and when they are done getting bait or there is more than enough to go around they may waive you in to get in on the action. If this happens (rarely) troll behind them and not in their slick being quiet as possible they in turn will slide out quietly and you take over the slick.
Hope this makes you a better fisherman and shed some light on how to go about catching bait.
Check out and like my Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jimbocharters/ and Instagram #jimboscharters page for recent pictures and trips. If you're ready to go fishing give me a call to plan your trip so we can try and catch the tides right. If you're a Disabled/ Retired Veteran or first responder I have discounts for you. I'm also on Facebook at Jimbo's Charters where I post pictures if my clients let me and my website www.Jimboscharters.com and my You tube channel I am slowly building https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhDg-V7oR-ex6W-5ztwLAQ
Also, if you see me out there say Hi. I am a friendly guy that likes to help. Just don't ask for a pin point location, but I will tell you what I am catching fish on.
Captain Jim
239-671-4692
Matlacha Fishing Forecast:
Great days ahead!
More Fishing Reports:
