Live bait heatmap

The offshore trolling staple. Rigged ballyhoo skip across the surface and are irresistible to mahi, sailfish, and kings.

Quarter-sized to silver-dollar crabs are tarpon and permit candy, especially during the hill-tide flushes around full and new moons.

Cigar minnows (Decapterus punctatus) are a hard-bodied, oily baitfish highly prized for offshore fishing. Their firm flesh stays on the hook at high speed and the strong scent trail draws pelagics from distance. Found year-round in South Florida but most abundant spring through fall when offshore bait schools are active.

Finger mullet drive the autumn run, drawing snook, tarpon, and redfish into the surf and inlets in massive numbers.

The universal bait. If it swims in South Florida, it will eat a live shrimp. Indispensable for inshore and reef fishing.

The gold-standard live bait of South Florida. Pilchards (whitebait) chum easily and trigger frenzied strikes from nearly every gamefish.

A hardier, larger relative of the pilchard, threadfins are premium offshore baits for kingfish and grouper.