Creature Baits
Creature baits are soft baits shaped like insects, spiders, lizards and other small prey, used for surface, stream and bottom fishing for bass, trout and panfish in fresh water, plus a sea urchin bait for salt water. We stock cicada, cricket and fly insects and a small spider for surface and stream fishing, a floating centipede for slow top water work, a salamander lizard to crawl along the bottom, and a sea urchin for salt water. Sizes run from 3.5cm to 7.5cm, in packs of 10 or 20, from $5.99.
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What Are Creature Baits?
A creature bait copies a living thing that is not a small fish, such as a bug, lizard, crab or urchin. Legs, wings and other parts move as the bait sinks, drifts or sits still. That slow, lifelike movement can draw bites when fast lures fail.
Types of Creature Baits
- Insects and spiders: cicada, cricket, fly and spider baits copy bugs that fall onto the water.
- Floating centipede: rides on or near the top for slow surface work.
- Salamander lizard: crawls and hops along the bottom where lizards and newts live.
- Sea urchin: a bottom bait for salt water fish that feed among rocks.
Choosing the Right Creature Bait
Match the bait to the food you see. If bugs drop from trees onto a stream, an insect is a natural pick. In weeds and on the bottom, a lizard shape gives a bigger meal. Small baits suit clear water and shy fish, while larger ones stand out in murky water.
How to Rig Creature Baits
For bottom work in weeds and rocks, a Texas rig with a bullet weight and a hook point tucked into the bait cuts snags. Small insects fish well on a light hook with no weight, or under a float in a stream. A floating bait on a light leader behind a small weight hovers just above the bottom.
How to Fish Creature Baits
Work them slowly. Cast, let the bait settle, then lift the rod tip and pause, because most bites come while the bait sits still. In current, let the bait drift with the flow and keep the line tight enough to feel a take.
Creature Baits FAQ
Can I fish creature baits from the shore?
Yes. Cast along the edge of weeds, rocks or overhanging trees and work the bait back slowly. Insect baits are easy to drop under trees on a stream bank, and bottom baits cover rocky ground near the bank.
Do I need to add scent to creature baits?
Not always. Movement and shape draw most bites, but scent can help a fish hold on a little longer when you fish very slowly. Try a bait with and without it, and keep what works on your water.
How slowly should I fish them?
Slower than feels right. Let the bait rest on the bottom for a few seconds between lifts, and drag it only short distances. If you keep snagging or getting no bites, slow down further before you change the bait.
Which fish take creature baits?
Bass are the classic target, and trout and panfish take small insects on streams and lakes. In salt water, fish that hunt among rocks will take bottom baits. Check local rules for the species you target.