What is the Best Bait to Use for Fishing in the Gulf Stream
In the warm waters of the Gulf Stream that run through the Gulf of Mexico and up the east coast, you will find seamounts close to the Continental Shelf. The water’s temperature in this vast underwater river generally runs about 75 degrees near the surface and approximately 45 degrees where the water gets deeper (approximately 2,000 feet down). There is where you’ll find The Best Bait to Use for Deep Sea Fishing in the Gulf Stream.
About Fishing in the Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is anywhere from 40 to 50 miles wide and doesn’t have any defined banks because it shifts with each season, and with each year that passes. The current that flows through this part of the coast is so swift that fishermen don’t use the smaller boats to get close, simply because you can easily get caught in the current and end up hundreds of miles away.
Deep sea seamounts, humps, and ledges are found at depths that range from 500 feet to more than 1,000 feet offshore. In that school, you will find bait fish that tend to hang out close to the surface because of the strong current of the Gulf Stream that pushes them to the surface. Anywhere you find schooling fish; you’ll also find the pelagic predators that target the bait schools.
The ledges and seamounts are packed with the deep water predator fish like Sailfish, Tuna, Billfish, Shark, and the bottom feeders known as Queen Snapper, Tilefish, Snowy Grouper, Yellow Eye Snapper, and Yellow Edge Grouper. As your line drops into the deep water, the water temperature will change drastically. When your line reaches 1,000 feet into the abyss, there’s no telling what you’ll catch!
The Best Bait to Use for Deep Sea Fishing in the Gulf Stream
- A medium action rod, 40-60 lb. test line, 5/0 to 7/0 hooks for Snapper and smaller fish, and 6 oz. sinker.
- Heavy action rod, 60-80 lb. test line, 7/0 to 9/0 hooks for Grouper, A.J.’s and larger fish, and 6-8 oz. sinker.
- Mackerel, Live Pilchard, and Ballyhoo work great as bait