Kinds of baits and where to find them

Not all people like the same foods. Fish are no different. Choosing the right kind of live bait can depend on the kind of fish you're trying to catch. Here are some commonly used live baits, some listed with tips on where to find them outside of a bait shop: 


Crayfish - Under rocks or other shelter in lots of cold-water ponds, lakes, streams and rivers.

Crickets - Outside under rocks or maybe even in your house!

Frogs - In swamps, ponds and other areas with still, shallow water.

Grasshoppers - In fields of tall grass.

Grubs (insect larvae) - Sometimes they live in your lawn.

Hellgrammites (dobsonfly larvae)

Leeches

Mealworms (insect larvae)

Minnows (including different species like chubs, dace and shiners) - They can be tough 
to catch, but you'll probably find them in the same bodies of water you fish.

Night crawlers and earthworms - Down in the dirt, probably in your yard or garden.

Salamanders - In swamps, ponds and other areas with still, shallow water. Sometimes you can find them on marshy land underneath logs.

Salmon eggs

Wax worms (moth larvae)

Calculate a fish's weight without a scale

Step 1 - Girth measurement

Wrap the measuring tape around the widest part of the fish.
Take the measurement and square it.

Step 2 – Length

Take the tip of the tape to the top of the nose of the fish and extend it to the longest tip of the tail when pinched.

Multiply this length by the result of the girth x girth measurement.

Step 3 – Final calculation

Take your last result and divide it by 800. This will give you the weight of the fish.