For those that do a lot of fishing, bait can be pretty expensive after awhile. When you add in the costs for your other equipment, such as fishing lures, tackle, rods and reels, the costs can easily mount up. However, there are some cheap, and even free, alternatives to expensive bait that anyone can use. In many cases, this type of bait will be even more effective than the more expensive bait you get in a shop. Let's look at some low to no cost bait alternatives.

Night Crawlers -

Perhaps the easiest bait to get, and the most effective. By far, fish will typically prefer worms, and night crawlers are the best. Better yet, they are free and you don't have to put much effort into getting them. The best time to find them, is of course, at night, and if you live in an area with rich soil, it won't be difficult at all. It is easiest to find them after a good rain, but you can make your own conditions ideal by giving the soil a good soak.

You'll need a flashlight, but you don't want to use a bright one for this. You can take a pair of dark pantyhose and cover the lens of your flashlight to dim it. If you shine a bright light on a night crawler, they will go back underground. Fill up a coffee can with a little soil, and then use your dim light to hunt for the night crawlers outside. You should be able to find more than enough to use.

Salmon Eggs -

This is a very effective bait, and easy enough to find if you live in an area where there are fresh salmon. The eggs will need to be a little dried out, and you can do this on your own. Don't expose them to sunlight, but give them a few days to dry out. You can wrap them up in a small bag to use as bait, and they are very effective, especially with certain varieties of fish.

Dog Treats -

This is an old fisherman favorite and you'd be surprised at how well it works. Find slightly chewy dog treats and simply put them on the end of your hook. You can usually get these at a dollar store, and one bag should have enough for a whole day out on the lake. The best type to use are Beggin Strips or a similar brand. You're getting the benefit of that bacon smell, and they are still pliable enough to work with. You can experiment with several different types of dog treats to find the one that works best with fish in your area.

These are just a few suggestions for cheap bait. Often, when fisherman get inventive with their bait choices, they have the most luck. For example, many people will use sweet corn, or even baked beans. The key is experimenting with many different kinds of cheap bait to see what works for you.

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Originally posted 2009-01-29 05:33:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Bait, Fishing, Salmon, Tips and Tricks

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best time, dim light, dollar store, few days, fish, fisherman, fishing bait, flashlight, free alternatives, good rain, hook, night crawler, night crawlers, pantyhose, rich soil, rods and reels, Salmon, salmon eggs, sunlight, worms