Probably
the most universal of all natural baits is the worm. The more easily
obtained common garden worm is a good standby for the big, pencil thick
variety found in shady gullies between hills along sub-tropical rain
forests. They can also be found in marshy, fertile river flats. The
more active the worm, the better it presents to the fish. Worms are
also bred as commercial ventures for anglers and these days, also for
composting and environmental destruction of waste matter. One of the
best methods to harvest worms is to lay a hessian bag in a shady spot,
keep it permanently damp and place vegetable peelings underneath it.
Another recommended bait is the grub. Many anglers swear that the odour
which emanates from the maggots of the big moths when pierced by a hook
can be detected from a great distance by fish. Grubs have a reputation
as top bait for the inland angler. Grubs can usually be located by
removing the top few inches of soil from around the base of a tree.
They can also be located in the timbers of trees where that live out
their larval stage of their development. They kill the tree as they eat
their way into its heart and small holes are a giveaway as to their
presence.
In some areas frogs are suitable bait. Not a popular or well-known
bait, but nevertheless the small brown frog usually found under loose
bark is the pick of the frogs as bait. The tadpole is effective bait
for trout when thrown in the shallow streams among weed beds.
Another bait anglers can use when others are in short supply is the
freshwater mussel. These hard-shelled molluscs can usually be found at
the river edge or on the beds of the rivers and their soft, fleshy
centre is bait some fish find irresistible.
The flat bottom of a farm dam is a good place to find crayfish baits.
Their presence is usually indicated by small burrowing holes at the
edge of the water line. They can also be found under rocks in small
streams and creeks. They are generally active at night and have even
been seen scampering across dew-covered ground. In winter they tend to
burrow deep into the mud of the bottom.
The freshwater shrimp, probably the most successful of all the
freshwater baits, are seasonal in their availability. Most fish will
rarely turn away from a nicely presented freshwater shrimp and at the
height of summer they are present in vast numbers. Traps are the best
method of capturing the shrimp. Usually a bucket shaped metal container
with holes and baited with a dead fish is an efficient method of
capture. Perhaps their sense of smell leads them into the bucket to
feed off the fish and when retrieved from the water, the bucket drains
of water, leaving the entrapped shrimp behind. Areas to search for the
shrimp are at the water's edge next to weed, rocks and algae-covered
timber. They have a similar appearance to the prawn and are excellent
bait for any species of fish.
Live fish are excellent bait and it is a widespread practice to use
them. In dark, murky waters the big-mouthed fish are attracted to these
baits by their movement more so than their appearance or
characteristics.
Before using baits such as those mentioned, local regulations must be
checked as it is prohibited in some trout waters to use such baits
which may compromise the habitat. Indeed the European Carp, which is in
plague proportions in Australian rivers and destroys the habitat of the
natural fish, are a classic example of what can happen when live bait
are released and allowed to thrive. Baits used for trout are almost
always live and usually consists of the small water-based animals from
the same area as the fish. Trout do appreciate variety however and can
also be taken using grasshoppers, beetles, moths, ants, worms and
insects.
