CHAPTER 6

Fish Senses and Natural Baits

In This Chapter

What senses fish use for survival

What natural baits catch fish

How to acquire and use natural baits

Understanding a fish’s senses and using natural baits that appeal to those senses increase an angler’s odds for successful catches. Fish primarily use their senses to find available food and to elude predators. Since natural baits appeal to a fish’s feeding senses, baits such as worms, minnows, crayfish, insects, etc. are effective fish catchers. Also, knowing what alerts a fish’s senses to danger allows an angler to avoid those things.

Fish Senses

Vision and lateral line are the primary tools fish use for finding prey and eluding predation. Hearing, smell, taste, and feel play a part in a fish’s survival, but a lesser part.

Vision

Because their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head, fish can pretty much see in all directions except for minor blind spots directly behind, in front, and below. Vision plays a more significant role in clear water than in murky water. In very clear water, fish can see over 100 feet while in very murky water, fish may see only a matter of inches. On the average, fish probably rely on their vision out to the 20-foot or so range.

The size of a fish’s eyes also affects the importance of sight. For example, catfish and bullheads have very small eyes and are basically nearsighted, so they rely on other senses for survival. Species like northern pike and brown trout have good long-range vision that helps them when they swim out from hiding places to attack their prey. Large eyes translate to effective feeding in low light conditions, so large-eyed walleyes and muskellunge can see in the dark, conditions under which their prey does not see well.

Fish see colors, too, and colors play a more significant role in shallow water than in deep water, where colors are filtered out. In clear water, prey emit their natural colors, but fish see only a silhouette, rather than natural colors, in murky water.

Lateral Line

The lateral line is a sensory structure consisting of a longitudinal line running the length of a fish’s body. The lateral line consists of sensors that enable the fish to detect vibrations from anything moving in the water. Because fish are such vibration-sensitive creatures, the ability of the lateral line to detect vibration plays a key role both in finding prey and avoiding predators. Experts believe the lateral line also plays a role in detecting pressure changes, temperature changes, sound, and current flow.

While the lateral line does play a role in clear water, that role becomes even more important in dark water conditions where fish have to rely less on vision and more on sensing vibrations for survival. No matter what water conditions an angler fishes, he or she is advised to create as little vibration as possible when wading, controlling a boat, or doing anything else because such vibrations will likely put fish in a defensive rather than a feeding mode.

Hearing, Smell, Taste, and Feel

To a lesser degree than vision and lateral line, fish also rely on hearing, smell, taste, and feel for survival. Fish have an inner ear that allows them to pick up sound travelling through the water. Some people believe that talking will scare fish; that is unlikely, though, because the sounds of normal talking do not travel through the water. For the most part, sound is not a concern when using live baits.

The sense of smell varies in different species, but nostrils on either side of the head allow fish to take in water and identify odors of both prey and predator. For feeding purposes, trout and salmon rely on their sense of smell more than other species do. From an avoidance-of-predator perspective, fish go on alert when baits carry foreign odors from humans, when bears are feeding upstream, when baitfish and other fish become alarmed and emit chemicals, and when a larger predator such as a northern pike fins nearby. For many species, the sense of smell plays a more important role in predator avoidance than in feeding. A highly developed sense of smell is necessary for survival of the species among anadromous fish that live in salt water and must return hundreds or even thousands of miles to their native freshwater stream to spawn.

Fishing Vocab

Anadromous refers to fish that live their adult lives in salt water but return to fresh water to spawn. Anadromous also refers to salmon and trout that spend their adult lives in the Great Lakes and then return to tributary streams to spawn.

Taste and feel are of secondary importance in fish survival, but fish are capable of detecting taste and feel by sensors in the mouth. Bottom-feeding species such as carp, bullheads, and catfish rely on these senses more so than other fish. Certainly the use of natural baits has the edge over artificial lures when it comes to taste and feel.

Natural Baits

Natural baits, particularly live ones, offer excellent sensory appeal to fish because these baits are a routine part of a fish’s diet. These baits look, smell, feel, and taste natural, and they also emit natural, fish-attracting vibrations. Among the most commonly used natural baits in freshwater angling are worms, baitfish, crayfish, insects, amphibians, leeches, grubs, and salmon eggs.

Worms

Worms are the most widely used bait in North America, and the most common types are the night crawler and the common earthworm, often called a garden worm. Night crawlers average 6 inches in length while garden worms average 4 inches. I’m not certain why worms appeal to fish because I have rarely seen them in streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs, but their slow, undulating movements as well as their smell, texture, and taste can seem enticing to a fish’s senses. I do know why worms appeal to anglers, though.

For one thing, worms are readily available for a reasonable price at bait shops, convenience stores, and many other locations. Also, anglers can pick their own night crawlers from a damp lawn or dig their own garden worms from moist, damp soils. Find a neighborhood kid who gathers night crawlers, and you’ll have the best prices in town.

Worms are also easy to transport and keep alive; just place them in damp bedding in cool, dark storage. Night crawlers are usually sold in cardboard or Styrofoam containers that hold a dozen or two worms, and they will stay lively for a couple of weeks if stored in a refrigerator. On summer fishing trips, avoid leaving worm containers exposed to the heat of the sun. Instead, place them in the shade, or, better yet, place them in a cooler.

Perhaps the most attractive feature of worms is that they catch a variety of fish, most notably panfish, bullheads, catfish, bass, trout, walleyes, carp, and suckers. A small piece of worm placed on a tiny hook will also catch baitfish that can then be used for larger game fish.

Bad Cast

Worms can spoil quickly in warm temperatures. Spoiling also occurs if worms are kept for too long or if they are kept in inadequate bedding. The best way to ensure worms stay fresh is to keep them cool and to check them regularly during a fishing trip and during storage. Immediately discard any worms that show signs of deterioration.

Worms are generally placed in pieces or whole on a bare hook, although they are also used to tip jigs for a variety of species and on crawler harnesses for walleyes. Anglers place worms on hooks in a variety of ways. The most common way is to hook the worm twice in the head area and leave a portion of the tail section trailing freely off the hook. A night crawler hooked once through the collar appeals to larger fish, but smaller fish in the area will often nibble at the worm leaving only that single piece impaled on the hook. Singly hooked garden worms work well for stream trout. When fishing for catfish or carp, anglers commonly ball up the worm by hooking it several times along the worm’s entire length. Tipping jigs for panfish and walleyes involves threading a worm piece on the hook. Crawler harnesses have two or three hooks, and night crawlers are attached by extending the worm its full length and inserting each of the hooks along that length.

When using worms, use the smallest hook possible to do the job and avoid using too much worm for the size of the hook because that can impede good hook-setting. Don’t be shy about putting a fresh worm or worm piece on your hook to replace a soggy, used worm. Fresh bait translates to more bites. Finally, try to extend the worm’s tail from the hook as that action means more fish at line’s end, too.

Real Fishing

I often drift crawler harnesses for walleyes during the summer months. When using crawlers, I take a handful from the container and drop the worms in a pail with an inch or two of water. This action keeps worm bedding from getting all over the boat, and the worms swell up, which gives them greater visual attraction.

Baitfish

Baitfish are often called minnows, and though there are hundreds of species in the minnow family, many baitfish used by anglers are actually members of other fish families. Among the dozens and dozens of most popular baitfish are shiners, chubs, smelts, dace, suckers, sculpins, alewives, shad, fatheads, and small panfish. Baitfish are excellent fish catchers because they make up a major part of a game fish’s diet, and baitfish have high sensory appeal from the perspective of a fish’s vision and ability to sense vibrations.

Baitfish can be more difficult to acquire and keep alive than worms, but minnows are readily available at bait shops. Other options for obtaining baitfish include using a drop net, minnow trap, seine, or hook and line. Because some fish and game departments have regulations regarding bait collection, use, and transportation, you should always check those regulations prior to any collecting. To stay alive, baitfish require fresh oxygenated water and that presents a challenge to users. Livewells, battery-operated aerators, and constant water changing are okay for short-term storage, but longer storage requires a large tank with fresh oxygenated water or a baitfish container actually submerged in a stream or lake. Avoid overcrowding baitfish in a minnow bucket or other storage container to prevent undue stress. When minnows start coming to the surface, it is a sure sign they are stressed and need fresh water.

Bad Cast

Never introduce nonnative minnows or fish to a body of water. Leave such decisions to professional fisheries’ biologists. Many native fisheries have been ruined by the introduction of nonnative species by well-intentioned anglers.

Baitfish range in size from 1-inch fatheads to 12-inch or longer suckers, and these minnows catch everything from 5-inch crappies to 5-foot muskellunge. Keys are to match minnow size to the size of the targeted species and hook size to size of the minnow. Anglers employ two basic methods for hooking live baitfish, placing the hook through both lips from the bottom up or placing the hook through the back just below the dorsal fin. Generally, the lip hook is used for moving-water situations, and the dorsal hook for quiet-water conditions, so when fishing in current, when drifting, and when using a slow cast-and-retrieve technique, a lip-hooked minnow is the way to go. Minnows hooked below the dorsal fin are forced sideways in moving water, and this action stresses the minnow and gives it an unnatural appearance as the minnow is presented on its side rather than upright.

When using oversize baitfish for larger species, anglers often use minnow harnesses or quick-strike rigs, which have hooks placed along the bait’s length that allow the angler to set the hook sooner than a single hook allows. A quicker hook-setting prevents fish from swallowing large baits and thus allows for more effective catch and release.

When fishing with live minnows, try to make a soft presentation because hard-hitting casts will stress the bait. Minnows can also be damaged in the hooking process, so hook them gently. When tipping jigs with minnows, either live or dead ones will work because the angler imparts motion to the minnow as he or she works the jig. Also, dead baits are effective for slow-moving, bottom-feeding species like catfish.

Crayfish

Crayfish, sometimes called crawfish or crawdads, are popular baits for bass, walleyes, yellow perch, and trout. Most anglers purchase crayfish at bait shops, but they can be collected by looking under rocks in shallow water and along shorelines. Seining in ponds also produces crayfish as does setting a wire-mesh trap baited with a chunk of meat. Crayfish are hardier than minnows, but they still require cool oxygenated water.

Crayfish molt, or shed, their shell, and fish prefer soft-shelled crayfish, although hard-shelled ones will catch fish. Some anglers remove the claws from crayfish so they will not grab onto the line or other object, but such removal is generally not necessary. Hooking a crayfish in the tail from the bottom up allows the critter to move freely and is the traditional hooking method.

Terrestrial Baits

Among the most popular terrestrial baits are grasshoppers and crickets, both of which naturally fall into the water and appeal to panfish, trout, and bass. Most bait shops don’t carry these insects, but you can collect them by hand or net. Look for grasshoppers in grassy fields, and look for crickets under rocks and logs in shady areas. The two baits hold up well in a ventilated container, and the accepted hooking method is just behind the head under the collar. Because grasshoppers and crickets are fragile, use a fine-wire hook and cast them softly.

Amphibians

Frogs and salamanders aren’t widely used as live bait options even though they appeal to a variety of game fish, particularly bass and pike. Amphibians can be collected both by hand or net. Look for frogs in shallow, weedy waters, for terrestrial salamanders in damp, wooded areas under rotting logs, and for aquatic salamanders under rocks in shallow water. If legal, frogs are easily caught at night with the aid of a flashlight. Hook frogs through the lips from the bottom up or use a frog harness, and if you plan on releasing your catch, attempt to set the hook before the fish swallows the frog. Generally fished on the surface, you can also use weights to fish below the surface. Salamanders, sometimes called water dogs or mud puppies, are also hooked through the lips, but they are typically fished near the bottom.

Leeches

Leeches, also called blood suckers, tend to turn people off, but they turn fish on. Leeches are particularly popular among walleye anglers and are available at bait shops in areas near walleye waters. Leeches naturally inhabit still waters such as lakes and reservoirs, but they work well in rivers, too. Hook leeches through the mouth or sucker from the bottom up, and fish them as you would a worm. Be sure to check them periodically because they have a tendency to ball up on the hook.

Grubs

Grubs, mealworms, and other larval stages of various insects are extremely effective for panfish. Commonly sold in small plastic containers at bait shops, these inexpensive baits hold up for weeks in the refrigerator, and they can be used year round. Grubs can be fished on a small hook singly or in groups of three or so, although anglers more commonly use grubs to tip small jigs and spoons particularly during the ice fishing season.

Salmon Eggs

The salmon egg is an effective natural bait since many trout and salmon feed on each other’s eggs or reflexively devour them. Anglers can purchase eggs from bait shops or use eggs from a freshly caught and kept fish. Fresh salmon eggs can be hooked singly or tied up in an egg-colored mesh and then attached to a hook by a loop on the rear of the hook shank. Salmon eggs are a go-to bait for rainbow trout, river-run steelhead, and chinook salmon.

Preserved Baits

Some natural baits are available in preserved form, and the most common are minnows and salmon eggs. Minnows may be preserved by freezing, drying, or placing in a liquid, whereas salmon eggs, singly or in bunches, are preserved in a form that makes them firm for staying on hooks. Some preserved eggs are brightly colored for increased visual appeal, and many preserved baits are scented to appeal to a fish’s sense of smell.