Rise and shine. This is Early Bird Fishing. Prepare for world class fishing instruction, stories, and news, in less than 5 minutes.
Here’s what we got for you today:
Rigging live bait doesn’t have to be rocket science - find out below some of our favorite ways to fish live bait. 🎣
Tuna in Alaska? 🐟
Robert Redford, the legendary director of A River Runs Through It (1992), passed away at the age of 89.
Rig It Right: Live Bait Tricks That Catch More Fish
When it comes to fishing, live bait is hard to beat. The key isn’t just what you drop in the water—it’s how you rig it. Done well, your bait swims naturally and draws strikes. Done poorly, it looks off and gets ignored.
Nose Hooking
Best for fast-moving fish like tuna or mackerel. Hook through the nostrils so the bait tracks straight and can breathe easily. This is our favorite way to hook bait fish.
Back Hooking
A hook just under the skin near the dorsal fin keeps bait thrashing near the surface—ideal for stripers and bass. Stay shallow so you don’t injure the spine.
Belly Hooking
For bottom setups, hook just behind the ventral fins. The bait will angle downward like it’s trying to hide, which is exactly the behavior predators want.
Tail Hooking
Hook just ahead of the tail fin when you want your bait to swim forward with more energy and cover extra water.
Choosing a Rig
Keep your rig as light as possible. Use the smallest weight needed to get your bait where it needs to be, and no more—natural movement is what convinces fish to strike. The same goes for hooks: use the smallest size that still matches your target species. Oversized hooks only slow the bait down and look unnatural.
💡 Pro Tip
Circle hooks are ideal for live bait—they set cleanly in the corner of the mouth and help reduce gut-hooking.
Live bait works best when it looks like it’s free. Keep the rig simple, the weight minimal, and the bait lively. The more natural it swims, the more fish you’ll bring to hand.
🎣 IN THE FIELD
Every other year, Oregon’s high-mountain lakes get restocked the wild way — helicopters rain down thousands of tiny trout, dropping them from up to 100 feet into alpine waters. The young fish survive the plunge surprisingly well, growing into catch-worthy brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout within just a couple of seasons.
Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning director and actor, has died at 89. He was the director of A River Runs Through It (1992), a film that captured both the quiet poetry of fishing and the complex bonds between brothers. It’s worth the watch.
This is by the far the best live bait cooler that we’ve used:
AI CORNER
Every week we generate fishing related AI images. See the coolness/weirdness below:
💋 CHEF’S KISS - RECIPE OF THE WEEK
A salmon and rice bowl recipe that the whole family will like: