Top Live Baits for USA East Coast Saltwater Fishing

Several species of saltwater fish found along the American East Coast make excellent live baits for saltwater fishing. Live baits are used extensively when fishing the surf, coastal areas, piers, bays and for offshore fishing.

Atlantic Silverside

Atlantic silversides live over sandy seashores and mouths of inlets. They are an important forage fish for predators such as striped bass, bluefish, weakfish and Spanish mackerel. Silversides are caught with seines, traps or small mesh cast nets. Their small size makes them difficult to fish as live baits but the results can be well worth the effort.

American Eels

The American eel occurs along the coast of North America from Greenland southward, living in a variety of environments. Although many anglers detest the slime and snake-like appearance of eels, they make excellent live baits for striped bass, bluefish and cobia.

Spot

Spot are named and identified by the distinctive dark spot above the pectoral fin. The species is also known as lafayette, goody, or Norfolk spot. Spot are common from Cape Cod to Florida and through the Gulf of Mexico. Spot rarely exceed 10 inches in length, making them highly sought after as live baits. These fish are abundant in near-shore oceanic areas, coastal bays, and estuaries.

Pinfish

Pinfish, also known as sailor's choice, or pin perch is one of the most common inshore fish. It ranges from Massachusetts through the Gulf of Mexico. Pinfish known to coastal anglers as a "bait stealer," but are sought after as a bait for other larger fish. Pinfish are abundant from Tidewater Virginia southward. Pinfish are typically 4-8 inches in length and are usually considered as baitfish.

Pigfish

Pigfish are colorful members of the grunt family. They are marked with a bluish upper and a silver lower body. Each scale has a blue center and bronze edge, which forms a series of yellow-brown stripes on the sides and sometimes exhibits orange bands on the snout and head. The full range of pigfish extends from Massachusetts through the Gulf of Mexico, although they are rare north of Virginia. Pigfish make excellent live baits for striped bass, cobia, sharks and other species.

Striped Mullet

Striped mullet are common in warm to temperate coastal waters. Immature mullet are 3 to 8 inches long, making an excellent choice for live bait. The fish have a rounded, silvery body, dark bluish green back and dark stripes on the sides, and a small mouth. They spend a great deal of time close to shore around the mouths of streams and rivers or in brackish bays, inlets and lagoons with sand or mud bottoms. Striped mullet can often be seen in coastal waters, jumping to evade predators.

Atlantic Menhaden

The Atlantic menhaden is a toothless herring with a blue, blue-green or blue-brown body. The sides, fins and belly are silvery, often with a yellowish sheen. Menhaden are a favorite prey of many predatory fish and other species, including bluefish, weakfish, striped bass and others. Menhaden can be caught using cast nets or seines.

Atlantic Mackerel

The Atlantic mackerel is native to both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. On the US coast, it ranges along the continental shelf from Labrador south to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Mackerel are caught in the ocean using leaders equipped with multiple jigs. The make excellent cut or whole baits for sharks, tuna, striped bass, bluefish and other Atlantic species.

Atlantic Herring

The Atlantic herring is one of the most abundant species of fish on the planet. They are small, pelagic fish known for their schooling tendencies. Herring are iridescent, greenish or grayish blue dorsally with a silvery abdomen and sides. They can be caught using jigs or cast nets and make excellent baits for predatory fish found in the Atlantic.