When using lures, use ones that can be cast easily. Switch out often to get to different depths, and experiment with speed of retrieve. Use finer-diameter monofilament line because it gives better action to both natural baits and artificial lures.

If you hook a big one, keep it in front of you as you wind it in – running as you need to. As you bring it close, it will make a few runs out – just drop your tip and let it go. When it gets really close, use waves to bring it even closer – timing it.

Fresh Shrimp

When you have live shrimp that you are going to fish, it is important to make sure they are alive and kicking – they will catch more fish this way. Keep them uncrowded, well aerated, and cool.

Use an ice chest as a shrimp box. It has a strong lid that can double as a seat, a plug for easy draining, and is well insulated to help ward off bait-killing heat.

Instead of using ice to keep shrimp cool, freeze water in plastic bottles so that when ice melts it won’t dilute water and kill shrimp. When shrimp is failing to get strikes, use brightly colored shrimp by dying them with food coloring. This will stimulate strikes if regular colored shrimp aren’t working.

Shrimp Bait

Using sand shrimp as bait is an excellent choice because it is a popular meal for bottom feeders. Additionally, it gives of a big scent, which will attract them.

Unfortunately, they are fragile and almost impossible to keep on a hook.

Use a safety pin hook designed especially to hold soft baits like sand shrimp. The pin of hook should run full length of back of bait, leaving tail and pincers free to move. Some people use a few turns of lead wire, kind used for weighting flies, to help hold shrimp.

Storing jigs

Large saltwater jigs are not only heavy but also bulky. Finding a place to store them safely and conveniently can be a problem. Use a five-gallon plastic bucket with a lid. Just below bucket’s lip, drill or punch equidistant holes all way around. Place jigs inside, hanging them through holes from their big hooks. Pop top back on; label bucket, and presto! Your lures are stored in a safe, untangled and accessible container.

Copyright 2005 EveningSecretFishing.com Fishing

Long-Time Fisherman and friend of EveningSecretFishing ( http://www.eveningsecretfishing.com/specialsecret/Saltwater_Fishing_Tips.php)

Typically, when evening food chain has been started, larger fish will be deeper. If you aren’t getting hits, bring your bait up a little and catch smaller skinny ones for awhile. Remember to keep checking deep, big ones will eventually come. All that food is too hard to resist!

When fishing at night, use of berley is essential! Use a deep water berley system, such as The Secret Weapon, to get a heap of berley down to bottom before it gets dark. This is a very effective method that many fishermen either aren’t aware of or don’t use.

The Importance Of Plankton

Most daytime strategies involve frantic pursuit of prey that may not even be interested (hungry) when located. At night, key is to find plankton, relax and entice big game to come to you. The key is locating plankton, not necessarily your game fish.

You can use daylight hours to locate large quantities of plankton – this is where fish will feed at night. Most species of bait fish feed on plankton, so it is important to know where a lot of plankton is located.

As you are searching for an anchor spot, make sure to be on lookout for “stained water”. This is water that contains plankton and or nutrients that attract plankton. You want to target stained water that is 45 – 70 feet deep.

Copyright 2005 EveningSecretFishing.com Fishing

Long-Time Fisherman and friend of EveningSecretFishing ( http://www.eveningsecretfishing.com/specialsecret/Chumming_And_Plankton.php)