How To Read A Fish Finder To Find The Best Live Bait [VIDEO]
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Live Bait Fishing Tips
Can you read a fish finder like a fishing guide?
In particular, do you know the difference between a threadfin and pilchard (aka “whitebait”) simply by looking at a fish finder?
This simple fish finder trick can be the difference between you having a live well stocked full of whitebait and a bunch of dead threadfins…
It can also save you a ton of time and frustration when looking for live bait.
We’ve heard from countless inshore fishermen who tell us their biggest struggle is consistently finding good live bait.
So we decided to head out on the water with Capt. Mike Goodwine of Blackneck Adventures to show us exactly how he reads his depth finder to locate the best live bait.
Enjoy.
Whitebait vs Threadfin On A Fish Finder
If you’ve ever thrown a cast net on whitebait but only keep pulling up a netful of threadfins, then you aren’t alone.
The great news is that it’s a pretty easy fix.
Here are some of Capt. Mike’s best tips when it comes to finding bait using a fish finder.
Live bait tips using a fish finder:
- Whitebait is usually always towards the bottom and they stay packed in really close so whitebait will look dark red on the depth finder
- Since whitebait is usually on the bottom, make sure your net hits the bottom before pulling it up
- One of the most common mistakes is pulling it up too early and only catching the threadfins
- The threadfins are usually closer to the surface and aren’t as dense as whitebait so they will usually show up in the middle of the screen as a lighter purple/dark blue color
- Make sure to idle around the area where you find bait, mark any spots on your depth finder, and then come back around and make your casts on the best spots.
- Always take the water movement into consideration and be extremely careful when casting your net around structure (every guide has lost a net or two or a dozen from underwater structure).
- Mike always prefers using whitebait because they last longer, don’t leave a boatload of scales in your livewell, and are amazing bait for redfish, snook, trout, and cobia
- Use a 10 or 12-foot cast net with a really long handline (the rope that attaches the cast net handline to the actual net) to make sure your net can reach the bottom even in 20+ feet.
Enjoy the video below.
How To Find Bait On A Fish Finder Like A Pro [VIDEO]
Here’s Capt. Mike showing how he reads his fish finder.
How To Throw A Big Cast Net The Easy Way
Want to learn the tricks to throwing a big cast net more consistently (with our without using your mouth)?
Then click here to see the most in-depth cast net tutorial on the internet.
You’ll learn how to throw a big net and how to fix some of the most common mistakes.
Conclusion
Finding bait can make or break your day out on the water.
The fishermen who can find bait quickly are the ones who get to fish the longest (instead of spending half your morning searching for bait).
And once you learn how to read a fish finder (and what to look for), your live bait game can go to a whole new level.
As Mike explains in the video, keep an eye out for the different colors and depths.
If you want whitebait, know that it will usually always be near the bottom and look like a dark red blob on your depth finder.
Any other fish finder tips that you use?
Let us know in the comments.
Make sure to go follow Capt. Mike Goodwine at Blackneck Adventures on Instagram and Facebook (and make sure to book him for your next inshore experience here on his main website)
Fish On!
Related Post: How To Catch Pinfish Without A Cast Net Or Pinfish Trap
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Great content in all of the course so far so thanks for all you guys, it’s not in vain
I thought you guys didn’t use live bait I know I don’t to much work to get them and to keep them alive????
Capt Mike, I am assuming that the bottom is the yellow band, right?
Any tips on choosing a buoy or marker to check? Or do you just idle by all of them until you find bait balls on the fish finder?
Good morning,great video. But can you go more in depth on how to set up your fish finder. Meaning proper gain,contrast and so on. Thanks for the help.
Good to know how to distinguish between different types of bait showing up on the chart, and how important it is to let the net sink all the way to the bottom. Thanks! One thing I learned at a striper seminar, years ago, was to adjust the power level of the fish finder. Ken Sturdivant, a veteran guide up here on North Georgia lakes, pointed out that these units are preset to read hundreds of feet deep, and, unless you turn the power way down- to 20% or so if you are searching over water less than 100 feet deep- the unit will consolidate too much information and you’ll miss a lot of fish. His demonstrations shocked everybody. Try it. You might like it!
What you say certainly makes sense, but how do you adjust the “power level” on your sonar? I can adjust contrast and brightness on my Garmin, but not “Power”?
Good question, Chuck. There are so many different units and operating systems available, I can’t say. On your unit, adjusting the contrast may be the way to get the most information. When all else fails, read the owners manual. Keep it tight.