Tips for Choosing Bait from Captain Joel

When you fish with us, you get a front row seat to Capt. Joel’s knowledge and expertise in action. But just in case you want to get a headstart to your day on the water, here are his recommendations for one of the most important parts of your trip: what you put on the end of your line!

When it comes to choosing the right bait, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer — the specific conditions, habitat, and target species all need to be taken into consideration, and you’ll likely want to have both natural and artificial bait handy.

Here are the 3 types of bait Capt. Joel will bring along to ensure you have a successful catch of  the day:

1. Live Bait: Capt. Joel prefers to use live bait for drifting.

Live bait provides a powerful attraction for many species of fish, so we keep a steady supply of live bait on the Rampage 33’s large in-deck fish box at all times. His favorite live bait for South Texas anglers are Mullet, Blue Runners, Ballyhoo, and Pinfish. 

2. Artificial Bait: When trolling from location-to-location, Captain Joel usually opts for top-of-the-line artificial bait. 

Artificial fish are readily available and easy to use, and many species of fish love it. For example, the highly prized Kingfish prefers a lure that vibrates and makes a rattling noise in the water. 

Artificial lures are more likely to stand up to multiple hits as you move through the water, which is another good reason to keep them handy. When we need to cover ground at higher speeds to get to the offshore rigs, Capt. Joel likes to fast troll squid-type lures with a heavy egg weight in the forehead, for the kingfish, dorado, bonito and various other species that feed on surface bait — that way we can make the trip quick, while continuing to fish.

3. Dead bait: Though some offshore anglers prefer artificial baits, Capt. Joel uses dead bait often. 

Years of fishing have taught him that dead bait can be used to target specific fish, keep multiple anglers from getting their lines tangled (which is often the case with live bait), and offer an “easy catch” for those predators that prefer not to work too hard. 

Once we arrive at the fishing grounds, we look at the conditions to decide what bait will work best. We may slow troll dead bait, use a combination of dead bait and traps, or tie up and let the current control the “fly”.

The key to choosing the right bait for your trip is knowing the water and the fish who call it home. 

Whether you’ve been dropping a line for most of your life or this is your first deep-sea-fishing adventure, rest assured that Captain Joel will come prepared for any and all surprises and have the most attractive bait within arm’s reach.

Book your charter now! 

​Worried about COVID-19? We have introduced new standards, including intensive cleaning before and after each charter. We want our anglers to feel safe on the water, and we’re happy to meet any needs you may have. Simply give us a call or email for more info on our CV19 response and/or fishing availability.