Ranging throughout the Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula to Tampa Bay, Gulf menhaden are commonly known in different regions as either pogies, moss-bunker, peanut-bunker, shad or just plain old menhaden. They roam both the inshore and offshore waters of the Gulf and should not be utilized for human consumption under any circumstances.

Commonly known to resident anglers as bigeye scad or goggle eyes, a frisky gog is without a doubt the number one most productive blue water live bait. For the offshore fisherman, looking down into your well and seeing 4 or 5 dozen gogs full of life is like looking into a pot of gold. Their brilliant sides glimmer as they so routinely swim in uniformed circles.

Clearly not in the fish family, this crawling critter does in fact deserve recognition as an excellent bait. Blue crabs require both inshore b r a c k i s h waters and high salinity ocean waters to complete their life cycles. They are commonly found from Massachusetts to Texas and a few have even been reported as far north as Nova Scotia and as far south as Uruguay.

Once thought of as a nuisance, fishermen throughout south Florida are quickly learning how valuable these hard swimmers can be. Blue runner, hard tail, yellow mackerel, jack, or just plain old runner, whatever you call this frisky little fish, its definitely in the winners circle as a top bait.

From dip net to bait freezer – the crustacean craze is coming to town!

During the winter months, an amazing event takes place in the bays, estuaries, rivers and inlets of Florida. This event is known as “The Shrimp Run” and it can be truly phenomenal. The flickering crustaceans can be scooped up night and day from docks, seawalls, bridges or boats, and during prime moon phases, they can easily be spotted drifting with tidal exchanges.

Florida’s favorite bait drives fish wild!

Along the beaches and lagoons of Florida, the fall mullet run is an angler’s dream. The shear number of mullet busting the surface and being chased by predators makes this sensational migration both exciting and dramatic.