Published On: December 15th, 2018Last Updated: January 9th, 20231.9 min read

Why we use live bait in the Florida Keys

From October through May, the Main Attraction Fishing Charter Team meets daily at the dock at 5:30 am to go on “bait runs. Hours before their day officially begins, our crew is out on the water looking and throwing their cast nets to catch fresh live bait. With four charter boats in service, it is a full-time job to keep each vessel stocked with the proper bait supply. Many charter vessels throughout the keys use your “fishing” time to catch bait; however, we do not. The only reason we would stop to catch bait would be if the bait supply is getting low, or if there is a good opportunity to catch a different type of bait because the fishing plan has changed.

But why is live bait so important? What is wrong with using dead/cut bait?

It is not that there is anything wrong with dead bait it is just that it is important to know when to use it. We often use dead bait, such as ballyhoo, as we troll by a set of birds or debris, hoping to find a big Mahi, but live bait is needed when you want a fish to get excited and eat. We typically cast live bait when a fish is seen on top of the surface because even if the fish isn’t hungry, a live bait can trigger an instinctive strike and its game on! We also use live bait to chum large schools of Tuna to rise up from the deeper water to the surface to catch them.

Have you ever seen a sailfish light up and dance when a ballyhoo or cigar minnow is thrown right in front of its bill? It’s an amazing sight to see and every fisherman’s dream. Your bait is gold and makes or breaks the catch. Live and Fresh bait is often the key to a successful fishing adventure. Book your next Florida Keys fishing adventure with the Main Attraction and experience what its like to fish with high-quality live bait!

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