The Go-To Bait for Summer BAFFIN

Bay

Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

IT’S THE BEGINNING OF SUMmer and our shing season is in full swing as we begin to see croaker arrive. is is our go to bait on guided trips and the trout and red sh love them.

When I am shing with croaker, I free line them with a #7 hook assuming the bait is large enough, but every now and then I have to move to a #6. When the bait is weak or beat up, I will use a split shot weight or a ra le/shaker weight to help it sink and keep the croaker o the top of the water. In the o chance we cannot nd croaker, we use live shrimp under a popping cork. When we are shing live bait this time of year, I am looking for structure grass lines and drop o s. e sh tend to try and ambush their food and structures almost always hold bait sh that are trying to hide. Although not every day is the same, there are de nitely di erent techniques that need to be used with croaker shing. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as throwing it out and waiting for a bite.

When shing around our unique rock systems, I am using thirty pound braided line. You can feel when a sh or your bait is a empting to hide in the rocks and you have to keep your bait over the top or o the edge, as to not get caught on the rocks. Inevitably you will get hung up on a rock a time or two. When this happens, I always allow at least two or three minutes to pass with a lot slack in the line. More times than not, the sh will swim o and you will be free.

On grass lines, I try and sh right on the edge or nd a big enough pot hole that can be shed without ge ing caught up in the grass. e bait will do the same thing as on the rocks and try to burry itself in the grass to hide.

On our drop o s, I tend to sh the deep side and drag back towards the shallow side, assuming the wind will allow this. I’ve found over time that this isn’t always an option and you just have to work with what Mother Nature is giving you.