With June upon us and the water temperatures now into the 70s and staying there, live bait is pouring back into the inshore waters inhabited by our favorite summertime inshore species.
May, June, July and August are the months that live bait use is the most prevalent in the low country.
Nearly every 6-pack “guide” this time of year has their clients tossing a popping cork with a live shrimp or mullet underneath it. Because it gets the job done!
I will admit that as a kayak angler I am an artificial bait angler most of the time. However, there are certainly times when using live bait is the best/only option for the day.
Once you have made the decision to throw live bait the first question that comes to mind is “where am I going to get my bait?”.
There are numerous places around the low country that carry a variety of live bait
There are numerous places around the low country that carry a variety of live bait throughout the summer months to include these places.
Both Haddrell’s Point Tackle locations, Southside Bait and Tackle, Sewee Outpost, Duncan’s in Goose Creek and Crosby’s Seafood to name just a few.
Of course if you go this route, you will need a way to transport them from the shop to wherever you plan to put in and of course there is the cost to purchase the bait.
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Another option is to buy a small cast net; a 4-6 ft will get the job done from the ramp or your kayak.
Netting your own bait will save you a lot of money after some startup costs. However your net will pay for itself in one summer easily and will help when stopping for bait is not an option.
A minnow trap is another way to catch your own fresh bait, you can set one out as you arrive at your launch site and retrieve it just before you launch.
If you are close enough to salt water you can set one out overnight and retrieve it in the morning.
It’s ideal to set it as near low tide as possible and some recommended bait for the trap includes canned tuna/cat food, dry dog food\treats, leftover dinner scraps, chicken livers, and bacon.
With your bait in hand, you now need to know how to fish it
With your bait in hand, you now need to know how to fish it. Hands down the two most popular rigs to fish live bait are the popping cork and the Carolina rig.
Both of these rigs are easy to build (or you can buy them already put together) and easy to fish.
The popping cork is a great shallow water rig (3-6ft) and the Carolina rig for anywhere, including deeper water and fishing stronger current areas.
You can fish shrimp, mullet and mud minnows from either one effectively.
June the 8th will be the Lowcountry Kayak Angler’s Annual Battle at Paradise charity tournament.
It is one of only two tournaments that we allow all baits including live and cut bait and is open to kayak/canoe/SUP anglers.
If you are thinking fishing in the LKA Inshore Trail Series (which only artificial baits allowed).
You can use attractants Like Pro Cure and enhanced scent artificial baits like Berkley gulp shrimp.
Live bait is a great tool to add to your toolbox when inshore fishing especially this time of year.
Good luck and I hope to see you at our future events, for more information visit the LKA Facebook Page (search Lowcountry Kayak Anglers).
Those interested in the Battle at Paradise, the captain’s meeting will be the evening of June 7th at True Blues House of Wings in Mt. Pleasant (Hwy 17N at Anna Knapp Blvd.).
You can also email me at LowcountrykayakanglersAOY@gmail.com for details.
Prizes include a Jackson Kayak, custom trophies for biggest trout and red, and many other prizes donated by local and national supporters of Heroes on the Water and LKA.
Tight Lines!
Mike Kohler
LKA Tournament Director
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