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Several myths exist with regard to the use of live bait instead of artificial ones. Like all myths, a lot of them are baseless. Many anglers still use live baits. However, most anglers admit to the fact that live bait is not only messy, but also stinks. You can happily use live bait during your next fishing expedition if you don't mind the fact that it stinks or creates a mess.

You should remember some basic principles if you want to use live bait. These principles are quite messy and disgusting, but you will have to follow them.

1. Wet Your Hands

Never touch live bait with dry hands. The slimy coat of live bait not only protects the bait but also invites predators. If you touch live bait with dry hands, you will inadvertently remove this protective slimy layer.

2. Use Recently Dead Bait

In case you lack a sufficient quantity of live bait, you could collect some bait that has recently died in the water source where you store your live bait. When you have exhausted your supply of live bait, you can use the recently dead bait to lure fish. You only have to cast in the line and move it slightly to make it look as if your bait is still alive.

3. Don't Use a Heavy Weight

Since fish are smart enough to notice a heavy weight that pulls down a bait, you will have to take care about the weight you put on a fishing line. See that your sinker is light enough to make it look as if it is freely floating on the water.

4. Take Care of Live Bait

You will have to adjust your fishing techniques to suit the season. The toughest challenge of the summer is to keep the bait alive. Live bait is difficult to obtain in the hot days of the summer. In the South, especially, the summer can be very harsh.

You will have to regularly change the water in which you keep your bait so that it gets a fresh supply of oxygen. Simply changing the water, however, is not sufficient to keep the bait alive.

You will also have to maintain the temparature of the water. The water, especially at the top can be too hot, and hot water is very dangerous for live bait. Your bait will live happily if you add some ice to the water in which you keep it.

Remember also to put some water softener salt to the water in which you keep your live bait. The water softener salt serves to harden your baits' scales while at the same time preserving its slimy coat that is chiefly responsible for attracting predators.

5. Anticipate Shortage of Bait

Summer usually creates a shortage of bait such as live croaker or shrimp. You can save a lot of your time if you ensure well in advance if live bait is available at you local fishing store.

Shrimp is commonly available during the summer, but it is not really a very effective bait. All anglers use them and so it fails to excite the fish because they see it all around them. Try using a bait that is not commonly used to enhance your chances of catching fish.

6. Never Hook Bait in the Eye

The most important point you should bear in mind when you use live bait for fishing is never to hook them in the eye. The bait should see the fish that is approaching it and get more excited. These excited movements on the part of the bait will attract the fish to it.

7. Learn to Catch Live Bait

Learn how to cast your net properly when you are making an attempt to catch bait. Sometimes, people cast the net too soft or too hard. This often leads to failure and frustration with the net that refused to open.

Live bait is extremely useful if you want to have a day-long fishing trip at sea. Naturally, fish will be more attracted to real food, not fake food. But using live bait is not convenient for the average angler. It means a lot of work. So ensure that you have mentally prepared yourself to handle all the extra fuss and bother before deciding to use live bait for fishing.

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