Best Bait for Bottom Fishing in Florida
Bottom fishing is the process of fishing for bottom fish. In the UK, it is called ‘lingering’. Bottom rigs are commonly used for bottom fishing. These rigs use a weight that will keep the line on the bottom of the water while using a bait. The weight on these bottom rigs can also be helpful with casting the line to the appropriate distance.
Traditional bottom fishing is done using cut bait on a multiple hook “chicken rig”, or a single large cut or live bait on a Carolina rig or fish finder rig. Simply drift, anchor, or power drift over some structure. When doing so, try to fish as a straight up and down as much as possible. It is a good idea to keep a flat line or 2 from the back of the boat for surface bites that you may encounter. Always have a jig or a live bait rod ready in case a prying cobia swims up behind the boat. Jigging with metal vertical jigs, bucktails, or plastic baits can be very effective. It allows for less clutter and will allow you to cover more water.
What Bottom Techniques?
To get the best of your bottom rig, you need to find the right kind of bait. There are many baits and bait types available to you. It is a good idea to look for a bait that will fit the kinds of fish you want to hook.
Before we move on to the different kinds of fish used as bait, let us look at the two different bait types you can use. The first would be dead bait. Dead bait involves the use of cut-up fish. This bait attracts bottom feeders well. The second type of bait used is live bait. Live bait makes use of a whole fish. It’s intended to allow room for movement in the water like real prey fish would. It is an ideal bait for bottom fishes that love to go after live prey.
Species caught while Bottom Fishing
We talked about the best baits for bottom fishing in Florida, now let’s discuss the fish that are commonly used in bottom fishing include suckerfish, bream, catfish, and crappies. You can also use fish like cut up ladyfish if you are going to be angling for grouper using dead bait. Another great idea is to use croakers when fishing. Croaker, like ladyfish, would be great for groupers.
