The Lure of Live Baits

Few things in life are free, however, natural or live baits are a pleasant exception to this rule. By late summer and early autumn most natural baits are approaching their greatest numbers and, consequently, readily available. Best of all, the hunt can be an adventure for any age.

As a child, even at a time when most artificial lures were of the under two-dollar variety, my inexperienced casting often led to the loss of a favorite "lucky" lure. But using live bait brought new freedom. For the small risk of a hook and sinker I could throw caution to the wind and plop my worm or minnow into the very heart of the barely seen tangles of a submerged willow, or, even more daringly, among closely crowded logs rising and falling with each new wave in a driftwood-crowded slough.

Even if the worms were store bought, more than once my good fortune at a hungry school of bluegill or only a very crafty and elusive "mystery" fish exceeded my inadequate supply. Adding a stray grasshopper or two from along the weed-choked margins of the lake shore or cutting a squirming larva from a stalk of horse weed growing near a stream bank could extend the contest between boy and fish at least a little longer.

Undoubtedly the greatest satisfaction in harvesting one's own live bait is in the catching itself. But there's also a special feeling of independence in knowing where and how to catch your quarry in places others see only as weedy fields or quiet earth. Success isn't always easy or assured.

If victory is to be more than random chance, the bait hunter must know something of the life history of his prey. Facts about food preference, hiding places, life stages and methods used to escape capture were once common knowledge only a generation ago. As our state becomes increasingly urbanized and time for exploring the natural world's smaller treasures more fleeting, such awareness is lost.

Here then are some common wild baits and tips on how and when to collect them. (Gear and limits on taking live bait for personal use are regulated by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. For complete information, consult a current Kentucky sport fishing guide. )

Minnows, Crayfish (or Crawdads)
Shad and Hellgrammites Various styles of traps and nets are available but the seine, by far, is the most efficient for collecting live bait. Seines -- long nets tied at either end to poles come in a variety of sizes. The smallest seines, measuring only three and a half or four feet wide, are easier for one or two people to handle and more practical in narrow streams crowed with tree roots and debris. For minnows and crayfish, spread the net out with the weighted lower edge hugging the stream bottom and walk slowly upstream. Choose areas where the water depth is two feet or less and the current relatively slow. (Greater depth or fast current will impede movement and make the net harder to manage.) Use one of the poles to poke and prod at likely hiding places -- undercut banks, sunken leaves and small, flat rocks. Remember that crayfish escape backward by rapid strokes of their muscular tail. If water conditions are less than ideal, try placing the net in a narrow channel and have a companion upstream walk noisily toward the net.

All fish under six inches, except the sport fish variety are considered minnows. But most minnows (surprise) aren't baby fish. They are, in fact, species that never grow more than a few inches long. Keep only the heartiest specimens and quickly return all others including darters (they have two separate dorsal fins) to the water. In general, specimens which are very small, look delicate or are colorful will not live long and should be released.

Shad, an open water species and forage fish in large impoundments, are increasingly popular for catching everything from smallmouth to stripes bass. Shad often school in large numbers in autumn. Try small (eight feet in diameter) cast nets in shallow water coves.

Hellgrammites, larvae of the dobsonfly are captured in riffles by positioning a seine below rocky outcrops. When rocks are lifted from mud, hiding larvae are swept downstream by the current. Handle hellgrammites carefully because they, like crayfish can pinch hard.

Grubs, Red Worms and Night Crawlers
Grub is a general term for the fat, white larvae of certain insects like May beetles and the green June beetle ("June bug"). Grubs are often turned up, as are red worms, during spring plowing, especially in areas formerly covered in sod. Grubs are one of the few baits most available in spring. Grubs that haven't completed their life cycles burrow to depths of 16 to 20 inches in the fall.

Red worms, on the other hand, can be dug with a spade or garden fork wherever the ground is sufficiently moist and rich in humus. The best times to dig are from early spring to mid-summer. After this period, heat begins driving the worms deeper.

Night crawlers are one of the best baits and one of the most available. They can be found on vacant city lots, along tree-lined suburban boulevards and in backyards where soil is reasonably fertile. Just as the name suggests, night crawlers come to the surface only late at night, usually after 11 o'clock. Hunting is best after rain. The worms may also be found almost any time during mild weather, but don't look for them during extended droughts or high temperatures. Approach night crawlers carefully and quietly because they're very sensitive to vibration and light. Only the faintest edge of a flashlight beam should be used to illuminate the area of search. They are more easily captured in bare spots around shade trees than in thick lawns.

Occasionally, a night crawler may be found completely out of its burrow. More often, only half the body is visible as the worm extends itself in blind exploration. Holding one hand close to the ground, the hunter moves with a quick, darting motion to snatch the worm from its burrow before it has time to retract into the hole.

Grasshoppers and Katydids
Grasshoppers and katydids are at their peak in late summer. (It generally takes a grasshopper two to three months from hatching to reach full maturity.) When disturbed, both hoppers and katydids usually hop or fly only a short distance before relying on their camouflage coloration to hide from view. They frequently remain motionless trying to avoid discovery. Approach quietly from behind and they can be caught by hand. Large dip or butterfly nets allow for more consistent capture.

Crickets
Crickets are best caught by hand on cool autumn mornings when chilly air slows the jumpers' reflexes. Even after one or two light frosts, at least some crickets are still around, usually well into late October. These burrow dwellers come out at night and often take refuge under boards or inverted flower pots (which you can leave out for that purpose). Crickets seem particularly attracted to old potato patches where they feed on remnant tubers. Crickets are also found around house and outbuilding foundations and in dark, cluttered corners of garages.

Bagworms and Other
Assorted Wigglers Bagworms are common pests on pines in urban landscapes and on red cedars in the wild. Bagworms build puffy, bag-like cocoons decorated with dried needles of the host plant. By late August males emerge as moths to mate. The females temporarily remain behind to lay eggs.

Collect your bagworm bait by cutting open the cocoon at the end nearest its attachment to a tree. Shriveled or easily compressed bags indicate empty cocoons.

Many other types of insect larvae, including a wide array of caterpillars, are dynamite bait for panfish. Soft-bodied caterpillars, however, don't stay hooked very long. Hooks must be small -- size 4 or even 6. The angler's reflexes must be quick to handle the furious action that using a small hook is likely to produce.

Among the more interesting bait species are those infesting plant galls and swollen tissue masses on goldenrod and a number of other stout-stemmed plants. Slicing open a stem may reveal a single, feeding larva within. If an exit hole is visible, the insect has matured and escaped.

And what about those slimy, disgusting garden slugs? Sorry, but fish seem to have the same opinion.

For further reading on insect life cycles see Stokes Nature Guides: A Guide To Observing Insect Lives by Donald W. Stokes. The book was published in 1983 by Little, Brown and Co., Boston. For insect identification and general information, consult any one of several excellent field guide series such as Audubon, Golden or Peterson.

Freelance writer and Kentucky native Scott D. Campbell is an avid fisherman and naturalist living in Lexington. With two books on wildlife topics to his credit, Campbell is currently involved in research on a natural history text.