Some of the best surf fishing baits can actually be obtained for free. And, in fact, some of them are very easy to come by during the proper season. With a little practice, and some sweat equity, you can keep more of your hard earned cash in your pocket. Also, the less time you spend in the bait store, the less money you’ll spend on other things you don’t really need. Pick a couple baits from the list below and give them a try.
Why You Might Want Free Surf Fishing Baits
- Because they are FREE, of course!
- Catching your own bait presents a challenge you may not have tried before
- Gathering bait is an aspect of fishing that the kiddos can enjoy - lots of action
- It is fun to start at the bottom of the food chain and try to work your way up
- You might be fishing a remote area where it's not convenient to run back to the bait shop
1. Sand Fleas (Mole Crabs) - My Favorite Surf Fishing Bait
Certainly coming in as one of my favorites are sand fleas. They are usually plentiful and easy to catch at the time of year when the fishing is good. They are a staple for many species of surf-dwelling fish, including pompano, whiting and redfish.
If there are tons of sand fleas around, you can literally use your hands, or a cheap metal colander to scoop them from the surf. The advantages to something like a metal colander are that it’s cheap, and you can shove it in a backpack for those long treks to the beach. But, in the end, I recommend investing in a sand flea rake from a local establishment, or from Amazon. A quality sand flea rake makes the job much easier and your back will thank you.
You will find sand fleas in the “swash zone”, which is where the waves lap up onto the beach. Once you locate a colony of sand fleas, stick your rake, or colander into the saturated sand. Do so, just as the wave is receding back into the ocean. Then, pull through the sand, while allowing the retreating wave to help wash the fleas into your device. What you will end up with is a scoop of sand in which you may or may not initially see crabs. Use the waters surface to filter the sand out of your rake or colander, revealing any sand fleas you may have captured. It takes a little practice to get used to the process, but once you do, it is very effective.
2. Fiddler Crabs
Everyone knows fiddler crabs are a great bait for sheepshead, but other surf species, such as redfish, back drum, and pompano will readily take them as well. Best of all, you don’t have to pay for them!
Locate an inshore beach with small holes in the ground – that’s where they hide! They won’t be very deep, so they are easy to scoop out. If you see them scampering along the ground, use your hands or a net to snag them. Place them in a container with just a small amount of water (don’t cover them) and they will be fine until you are ready to fish.
It’s best if you release any females so that they can live on to hatch out the next generation of fiddlers. The males are the ones with a single large claw, which you should remove before hooking them. If all you can find are small fiddler crabs, it’s OK to put more than one on the hook in order to beef up your offering.
Below is a good video on how to catch fiddler crabs with the least amount of work.
3. Live Bait Fish
Most species of game fish have a hard time turning down a frisky live bait, and there are many options that work great for surf fishing. Some examples are pinfish, threadfins, menhaden, glass minnows, mud minnows. finger mullet, sardines (pilchards) and cigar minnows. Live pinfish, mullet, croakers, and cigar minnows are great baits for larger species such as bull reds, blacktip sharks, cobia and tarpon.
Look for the presence of bait near docks, bridges, piers and along shorelines. You can cast net, trap or sabiki live baits ahead of time, or even catch them at the waters edge using a cast net. I don’t see people using cast nets that often on the beach. But, make no mistake, cast nets can be very effective for throwing over schools of bait fish in the surf. If you make an initial investment in a cast net, and take the time to learn how to use it, it can pay for itself many times over in bait cost savings.
Other effective tactics for collecting bait ahead of time are pinfish traps and using lights at night to draw bait fish in so as to sabiki or cast net them.
Once you catch some bait fish, you will want to immediately store them in a bucket, preferably with an aerator. Be careful not to overcrowd the container, as they will begin to die off prematurely. A small battery-powered aerator will allow you to store more baits in your container and keep them alive longer.
4. Hermit Crabs
One bait I don’t see talked about much is hermit crabs, but they are a great bait, not only for sheepshead but also for redfish, flounder and croaker.
They are extremely easy to catch once you locate them. Look for them along shorelines inside inlets and bays. Use a rock or hammer to crack open their borrowed shells and thread them onto a hook.
You will typically have better results when using smaller crabs rather than the great big ones.
5. Ghost Shrimp
Ghost shrimp are a GREAT surf fishing bait, but you will need a ghost shrimp pump, also known as a slurp gun, to collect them. So, you will either have to make a one time purchase from a local bait shop, or you can invest about $20 and build one yourself. Below, you will find a good YouTube video showing you how to build your own slurp gun.
After you have your pump, you will need to locate a colony of ghost shrimp. To do this, you can search the beach during low tide and calm surf conditions, or you can find a protected inshore beach. When ghost shrimp are present, there will be small volcano-looking humps and/or holes in the sand or mud about the size of your finger. The holes will be found along the waters edge and in the shallow water next to the beach.
First find a hole, then place your pump over it. Use the pumps sucking action to pull the shrimp out of their burrows. It might take several pumps to get one out. Not all burrows will yield a shrimp, so if you don’t find one in several pumps, move on to the next hole.
When you catch ghost shrimp, store them in a plastic container and keep them moist until you are ready to use them. Be sure not to cover them with water – just enough saltwater to keep them damp.
If these guys are local to your area, you will definitely want to give them a try. They work great for sheepshead, pompano and many other surf species. Pretty much anything that will eat a regular shrimp should eat a ghost shrimp.
Ghost shrimp are not often spotted by beachgoers, which might be a good thing because they can by scary if they catch you off guard!#hiltonhead #Hiltonheadisland #ghostshrimp #islandlifehh #wildlife #beachlife pic.twitter.com/cWNHxZ5oSF
— Island Life HH (@islandlifehh) February 9, 2019
6. Barnacles
Note: You have to be careful with this one. It may not be legal in your area (Florida for example) to transport them to a different place from where you scraped them off. Check your regulations!
At low tide, check old docks, bridge pilings, sea walls and jetty rocks for clusters of barnacles. Bring something like an oyster knife or garden trowel to scrape them off into a bucket.
When you get ready to use them, run your hook point through the back side of the barnacle that was attached to the surface from which you broke it off of. Then, gently work the hook point through and out the softer part.
Barnacles make excellent bait for sheepshead, but you can catch other species as well, such as pompano and whiting.
7. Cut Bait
Finally, you can use some form of cut bait to catch many desirable surf species. Simply use one of the aforementioned free baits to catch a fish that you can cut up for bait. Basically, you are working your way up the food chain. You should be able to catch something small from the surf that will serve you well in catching a larger, more desired species. Some examples of fish that make great cut bait are ladyfish(skipjack), small jacks, pinfish, bluefish, blue runners (hardtail), whiting and croaker.
Be sure that you follow any laws in your area for limits and size restrictions for whatever fish you catch for bait.
Conclusion
I personally get a greater sense of satisfaction when I catch fish on bait that I obtained myself. Give it a try, you might find that you do as well.
Good luck out there!
Augustus.
P.S. I have more info about various surf fishing baits (for pompano) in my Best Baits For Pompano article. Check it out if your desired target is pompano or whiting.
