Angling Publications - Index

Angling Publications - Magazine - Index

24
Anchovy
What Is A Baitfish?
“Baitfish” is a generic term which means different things to
different people. For the purposes of our discussion, it means a
small fish that big fish eat. Where I live in Virginia, anglers use small
patterns to catch shad which can run up to two pounds. These very
same shad, which are targeted by fly anglers on the East Coast,
are used by conventional anglers on the West Coast to catch sturgeon.
Baitfish, therefore, can be both predator and prey. The size
of the predator species you’re targeting is the determining factor.
Baitfish often migrate just like birds. When you see flocks of
geese flying overhead, or honking in the distance heading south
for the winter, you can bet migratory baitfish are doing the same
thing. As a general rule, larger species will follow the baitfish and
feed on them as they migrate. The two major migratory time ranges
are roughly from late March to early May, and from mid October
to mid December. As cold blooded creatures, fish are highly
temperature dependent, so keeping an eye on the thermometer
as well as the calendar is a good idea.
Occasionally you’ll hear anglers say that the fish are late or early
this year. What they mean by this is the baitfish have not yet felt
the urge to migrate. Colder weather generally encourages migratory
fish to move on to traditional spawning grounds. Unlike you and
me, fish don’t go by clocks or calendars. This is why some anglers
are more inclined to keep their own personal fishing logs year after
year, so they can more accurately determine when they should
head to the shore with rod in hand. When all is said and done, the
best place for this information is the local independent fly shop.
These folks are the experts, so take advantage of their knowledge.
Herring
Menhaden
What’s In A Name?
Mullet are known far and wide as an excellent baitfish and
are readily found scattered throughout the world’s oceans. Mullet,
which are favored by bait fisherman because of their rugged
flesh, are sometimes called goatfish, striped mullet or grey mullet
depending on where you are. If you’ve spent any time wading from
shore in places like North Carolina’s Outer Banks, no doubt you’ve
seen them jumping . . . sometimes all day long. No one knows for
sure why they do this, but some have theorized they may jump to
clean silt from their gills. Mullet’s colors vary significantly from
white and grey, to silver and olive At times I’ve seen mullet with a
very noticeable shade of blue. Mullet are quite edible (if you can
stand the smell!) and can grow to nearly 50 inches long and reach
an incredible 20 pounds. Now that’s a baitfish!
Candlefish, also known as smelt, are one of the most important
baitfish on the West Coast. I distinctly remember my introduction
to this important species when I pursued sea-run brown trout for
the first time in Puget Sound. Prior to the arrival of Lewis and
Clarke, candlefish were called “savior fish” by native Americans
because of their early migrations in March, and were eaten whole
and traded like money. Almost 20% of a candlefish’s body mass is
fat, and when dried they can be turned on their ends and lit like
candles. Candlefish run from 6 to 10 inches in length and are white
or silvery in color. Their range extends from the Klamath River in
northern California to the Bearing Sea, making them staples for
predator fish on the West Coast.
Menhaden, also known as bunker (peanut bunker when they
are immature) or pogy, are perhaps the most important baitfish
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