I’ve heard "thread herring" is the best bait to use here in South Florida. Any suggestions?
I would listen to Dick & Ingun!
Although squid is an excellent bait for certain species of fish, it DOES NOT attract many "gamefish".
In SF if you only use deadbait/squid the average species of fish you will catch are: Whiting, Croaker, Drum, Sheephead, Sailors Choice, small Mangrove Snapper, Sailcats, Saltwater Cats, Toadfish, & various smaller "Pinfish".
Live Shrimp & Pogey/Menhaden or Finger Mullet is #1 for Spec Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Snook & most "gamefish".
Don’t be confused with the tag "gamefish". Trout, Reds, Flounder, Snook, Snapper, Etc TASTE great! And most people hope to catch anything that has a "gamefish" tag.
You should also try fishing some artificial lures. You can cover more water and find "active, feeding, fish" quicker using lures than floating live or dead bait! The Berkley Comp makes great products for saltwater fishing.
Here’s an example of how to rig-up your rods:
1 fishing rod would be outfitted with a floating popping cork "rig", which includes: 1/0 circle-hook,18-24" leader of Berkley "Vanish" in 12-14 LB test & a popping cork.
(Circle hooks are super-easy to use if your a "novice" fisherman because you don’t have to learn the "striking position". You just reel quickly and the circle-hook (90% of the time) will automatically "stick" the fish in the side of the mouth!)
Rod 2 would be outfitted thus:
Med-Med Heavey spinning-rod spooled with 12 LB "Vanish". A 1/4-1/2 OZ Chartruese/green Jig tied on with some form of Berkely Grub-body/Mullet Body/Pogey Body attached. (Or Berkley’s Swimming Shrimp lure!)
"Cast-out" your live Shrimp or Pogey/Finger Mullet rigged rod, and while your waiting for a "bite", be casting your "lure-rigged" rod.
If you only use squid or dead bait your odds on catching anything big/huge, (and TASTY!), is diminished by 70%! I don’t know 1 pro guide or Charter Capt that uses dead bait all the time!
Hope this helps ya? Good Luck!
PS: Thread Herring is called "Menhaden", "Bunker" , or "Pogey" in fishing circles. And "YES" it is a great bait! You need a circular live-well to keep them alive for any extended period of time.
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