What does Bait Cast Fishing Mean?

My Bait Cast Fishing Image

What do you picture in your mind with the words, bait cast fishing? Many people tend to visualize fishing with a baitcast reel, or using lures to catch black bass fish. Obviously, the words have different meanings for different people. I can only relay my definition based on my style of bait cast fishing.

Abu Garcia 7000C Baitcast Reel

Bait cast fishing has nothing to do with a baitcast reel on this or any of my other sites, articles or blogs, although I happen to enjoy using such a reel. It does not relate to baiting or luring fish with something which resembles what it eats; I use edible bait. It also does not involve using live bait, as casting live bait cast to a distance will quickly result in lifeless bait.

Bait Basket

Frozen shrimp bait of two sizes is used in my bait cast style. The larger shrimp is used individually as it is speared through with a fish hook from the tail section, and exits an area just before and below the head. Fish will usually not eat the tail section, so I often remove it. If I leave the tail, it is done only to hide the knot from the line on the hook from the fish. Fish often feed from the back of the head, and behind the eyes, which is exactly where I set the hook. I prefer single hook fishing, and this hook is inserted within the basket which is already loaded with the smaller shrimp at about 70 percent capacity. Both types of shrimp are released when the bait basket reaches the predetermined depth.

The smaller shrimp serves to perform two main roles: attract and gather fish, and also draw the bait takers or thieves away from the larger shrimp on the hook. The larger fish are also attracted, but do not mingle with the small ones and keep their distance except to get some of the bait shrimp while sweeping past and moving away. Exercising such caution naturally allowed them to grow and mature. Many species suck in the bait, which allows the hook to catch on the corner of the mouth. Even a large fish will have an easier time to suck in the shrimp on a smaller, rather than a very large hook. Small fish will not be able to take in the bait this way.

My target fish is red snapper. The first indication of its presence to me is when the bait on the hook is half eaten and the hook does not return empty. When my red snapper gets hooked, it happens in the corner of the mouth in most cases.I wait for my big target fish to snatch the large shrimp at some point before another fish does.

Bait Cast Fishing From Land To Sea!

This is a simple style of fishing and I call it bait cast fishing because I cast from a land surface to the sea. I cast to long distances, often exceeding a hundred meters; much farther with a brisk tailwind. Even with such a simple style, mistakes can be easily made. Common mistakes include attempting long casts with an unbalanced setup, bait baskets opening before entering the water or not opening at all, fishing lines tangling onto each other, the float or the basket, and inaccurate depth setting for bait release.

Advice and tips from an expert are helpful to correct technical errors. Most anglers make corrections naturally, through experience. As for depth, it may not be a good idea to ask someone at the fishing site. That person is competing with you for the fish, and may pass on bad information. Do some research and get to know your target fish. Getting tips at the bait and fishing supply dealer may help, as they want to keep you as a customer.

This Red Snapper was much too large for the cutting board

Although my target fish is red snapper,  I knew that they are found in the lower part of the ocean, within 15 feet from the bottom before finalizing them as my target. I constantly verify this when I catch them.

Being realistic is also important because catching and landing the target fish is the ultimate joy. I never target a fish that I cannot catch, such as tuna. They do come by, but they are about 500 yards away. I could never reach them by bait casting. But the indescribable thrill of having my float suddenly and swiftly vanish underwater is not something experienced from a boat.

During the warm months, I can easily switch my fishing depth and use the same bait to land bonito and other fish. They fill the area in summer and make themselves the target.

So, my definition of bait cast fishing is to land the target fish with the bait I cast with my bait basket and single hook from land to the sea.