Bait has to be presented properly to be effective, this includes physical appearance as well as movement. Where livebait is used, liveliness is vital. Most fish aren’t interested in inactive or dead bait, so it’s important to keep your bait as fresh as possible. Change live bait whenever the current offering seems to be losing its vitality.
The water that the bait is kept in should ideally be oxygenated or changed periodically to keep it healthy for the fish. Some baits, for saltwater fishing, can only be kept in round livewells or else they will collect in the corners and die.
It can be hard sometimes to determine whether a fish has picked up your bait or if it is hung on brush, rocks or grass. Keep a light hold on the line to detect gentle strikes, and when in doubt pull very softly on the line. If it moves off vigorously, you’ve got a fish. Sometimes it is best to let the fish run with the bait for a few seconds so that it can get the bait into its mouth properly before you set the hook. But this is not always the case, especially if you plan to practice catch-and-release.
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