Recognising Different Fishing Baits

In this article, I will explore some of the different fishing baits that can be used when lake fishing.

Fish still eat when you are not there trying to catch them. Fish will try to find shelter and protection, reproduce when the time is right, and eat. Fish do a combination of these activities all year round. So when you show up at their home with a fishing rod in your hand, you are simply stepping into a world in progress.

When you offer fish a hook baited with something they are used to eating, presented in a way that looks natural, you have an excellent chance of catching fish.

Equally, fish have no problem accepting less natural baits introduced by anglers. Indeed, on waters where fishing is regular, the fish quickly accept offerings such as maggots or pellets as “natural.”.

Over decades of trial and error, anglers have discovered that fish will eat all sorts of baits; bread, sweetcorn, and cheese are three examples that could hardly be called natural, but they still catch plenty of fish.

Stranger baits include sweets to chunks of liver; part of the fun is working out which baits work and which ones do not for each place you fish.

Bait is easy to obtain and use, and it often works more effectively than anything else. Some species of fish (like catfish) can be caught reliably only with bait. Almost every fish in the world can be caught with some sort of bait.

Bait, by popular definition, is anything natural (think worms) or processed food (say cheese) used to catch fish. Over the years, the term lure has come to mean any artificial offering made of plastic, wood, or metal to mimic a moving living thing. Lures typically imitate fish.

Baits can be divided into different categories and styles.

Natural baits.

Anything that a fish finds and eats in its habitat is considered natural bait.

Minnows, crabs, insects, slugs, sand-eels, worms, prawns—you name it.

Fish eat what is available, and using the same natural bait is an effective technique. Some baits are classified as natural offerings and may not often be found in nature. Maggots, for example, are so universally accepted by fish that they also fall into this category.

Live-baits

The term live bait most often refers to fishing with natural bait, usually a fish while it is still alive. For example, hooking a minnow through the lips and allowing it to swim freely. These are very effective for predatory species such as pike, perch, and bass. Many anglers are going off this method and are using lures to effect the same results.

Dead-baits.

As the name suggests, dead fish are used to offer your quarry an easy meal. This could be freshly killed roaches or half-mackerel. Species such as catfish, eels, and pike respond well to the potent smell of a smaller fish. Sea scavengers such as dogfish and rays will also accept a free fish supper in the summer.

Processed and man-made baits.

Manufacturers produce a variety of baits designed to attract fish. Made with real or processed foods, baits are sold alongside fishing tackle in packs. Pellets and boilies are typical examples, as they are full of protein and attract fish with different flavours.

Additional Resources

The UK Government website guides fishing bait rules and regulations for fishing in UK lakes.