by Capt. Joel Brandenburg
In most months of the year we fish with live bait fish or live crabs and are so particular about keeping our live bait looking lively on the hook,, that we even tell our anglers to rest their live bait in the water prior to the cast. We enforce the fact that most game fish like dead and gimpy baits, they just don’t like dead and gimpy baits with hooks in them. We let our anglers know that live bait can be kept out of the water almost as long as our heads can be kept under the water. To sum it up, we take great measures to make sure that when our anglers present a bait to the game fish it looks as lively and natural as possible.
In July, however, the whole game changes. You can throw all that live bait stuff out of the window. We mostly use fresh dead and cut bait. As the water temperatures rise, the
gamefish tend to become more lethargic. They are not as hungry as usual because they don’t exert as much energy. They lay around and try to stay in the shade under docks, mangroves and weed beds. They lose their desire to chase bait in the heat. They are much more likely to smell a dead bait, find it and suck it down than they are to chase a live bait down and eat it. Below are a few types for fishing with dead bait which we call DEAD STICKING.
DEAD STICKING TIP #1- Take a green back, thread fin, pinfish, finger mullet, small ladyfish, sand perch, tiger minnow, etc. and cut the bait fishes belly off from the annis to the pectoral fin. You cut the belly off for two reasons, one because you want to remove the air bladder so the dead bait will stick to the bottom and two so you can make the morsel more bite sized. You’ll also want to cut the tail off the bait fish to keep it from spinning in the current. When using a blue crab, just quarter it.
DEAD STICKING TIP #2- When
dead sticking your choice of tackle is very important. you should use a #1.0 or #2.0 hook. Try to hide the hook. Push the hook into the meat and up through the skin. When the barb
of the hook is through the skin it will hold and hide your bait better. Use light mono leader and use the smallest split shot you can use to hold your bait to the bottom. If you overdue it, with a big egg sinker, you risk spooking the game fish that are in the area on the splash of the cast.
DEAD STICKING TIP #3- Use fresh dead bait, not sun burned bait, not frozen bait, not even bait that was cut and bled out an hour ago laying on your live well lid. Use real fresh bait. It’s hard to fool mother nature. Game fish like it fresh! Cut n cast! Snook, reds, and trout will eat your dead bait.
For a charter with Captain Joel Brandenburg of Ana Banana Fishing Company visit www.anabananafishing.com or call 813- 267-4401. *For Summer kids fishing camp visit. www.anabananakidsfishingcamp.com
For info on Hooks King of the Bay Black Tip Shark Tournament visit www. hookskingofthebay.com or find him in person at Hooks Bar and Grill at Little Harbor Resort.