About Bait Fishing
Bait fishing offers excellent opportunities, but also a few challenges. Which bait to use will be an important choice that should be influenced by several surrounding factors. There are many types of bait that have proven suitable for cod fishing. When selecting bait you have to, among other things, take into account what's available at the present time of year. You must also decide whether to buy bait or find it yourselves. Some types of bait will be easily found, while other types will often require you to put down a lot of work. The simplest way is of course to buy bait from a tackle shop. The quality will, however, often be questionable when buying live bait. The vast majority will be able to provide their own bait, something that is recommended. For many anglers, this is also an important part of the experience.
Choosing bait
Cod fishing is not an exact science, there is no right or wrong and everyone does things a little differently. Most anglers have their favorite bait and argue that this is best suited for cod fishing. When selecting bait, you should listen to the many well-meaning advices with a bit skepticism. Instead of using other people's favorites, you should determine your own. Try to determine the fish's natural food supplier in the area where you are going fishing. If you engage in cod fishing in an area where cod are chasing herring or small coalfish, this will obviously be the bait you should use. More on Sea fishing baits.
Fishing Spots
Locating suitable areas will always be important. In the article cod fishing spots, you will find information about this challenge. Bait fishing you can engage in from an anchored boat, as well as from a boat that is drifting. The most common alternative will in most areas be bait fishing from an anchored boat, but also when drifting bait has proven very successful.
Equipment
There are many methods and opinions available when you are rigging your equipment. However, strictly speaking you don`t need to spend much time doing this. A simple solution works very well for most fishermen. Let the fanatics spend their time setting up their gear, while the rest of us enjoy the actual fishing. Attach a sinker at the end of your tippet. The weight must be adjusted in relation to depth and current conditions. Then attach one or two leaders above the sinker using a 3-way swivel. At the end of the leader you attach a hook that is adapted to the size of fish you are chasing. The distance between the sinker and leader, as well as the length of the tippet should be determined by bottom conditions. Rough bottom conditions meaning that longer distance is needed.
When all your equipment is good to go and the boat is anchored at a suitable position, it's time to start fishing. Cod fishing is known as a typical bottom fishing, so the sinker should lowered down to the seabed. Patience is important during this type of cod fishing, and you will often have to wait a while before the fish bites. Especially if you use bait that submits a lot of scent, you should show great patience. As the scent spreads in the water it will attract cod towards your bait. Take note that cod can smell bait at a distance of several hundred meters.
Bait Fishing
Cod Fishing from a boat that is drifting means that slightly different requirements are set on bait fishing. You should still be adapting your sinker to the conditions and you should still fish along the bottom. The actual fishing you should however, vary more. Change between fishing with no movement and using long, smooth jigging motions. During this type for the cod fishing, it is advisable to use bait that sits firmly attached to the hook. A strong scent is not as important when cod fishing from a drifting boat. This is partly because the boat will be moving away from the “scent track”.
Bait fishing is both exciting, as well as effecitve, meaning it will often provide you with some great catches. Do you lack the patience for such fishing, or maybe you are unsure of the methods? Then a good alternative is to attach bait on a traditional jig. This has often proved to be a successful method and also it is an easy way of bait fishing for cod. You simply attach chunks of bait on the hook below the jig body. Preferably you should use bait that sits firmly on the hook. Shrimp and mackerel are ideally suited. The last possibility is to replace the suspension, if any, that are used. Replace the artificial bait you are using with hooks intended for bait.
More tips can be found in the articles cod fishing from boats and jigging.
Also feel free to read about Fishing for Trout.
