Live bait is the top fish-catching item and what U. S. fishermen spend the most money on. Over 75 percent of our fishing is done with live bait, live bait tackle and terminal tackle. The lure industry is much smaller than anyone would let on.

Most fishing is done from shore as well. I, like many folks, fish from shore and use live bait for success. Live bait coaxes fish to eat when they exhibit neutral behavior. We only get so much time on the water—so the majority of fishermen opt for catching fish with live bait vs. trying to catch them with artificial lures.

Bait care must be your focus for ultimate success. Great bait catches faster, as well as catching the bigger fish. Small fish are less likely to pause to consider the difference.

We all know that feeling of trying to leave to go fishing and discovering that your bait is not so good. This feeling is the flag telling you fishing is probably not going to be good. Bait care is one of my top secrets to fishing success.

Part of your fishing attack needs to be a great bait plan. Often, we will spend shipping charges, driving time, gas and even toll money on picking up live bait. Picking up the bait is an essential part of catching fish. When traveling, your local bait dealer can pack and prepare a week’s worth of fishing bait for your trip. Special bedding for worms, and chemicals in the minnow bags filled with oxygen, will help get your bait to your destination.

A big cooler for bait care can transport the bait and then provides space to keep the bait during your trip. You can find big coolers at garage sales and customize them to fit your needs. Drill holes for air lines and add foam insulation in the cooler to help maintain temperature in heat. Most Igloo coolers have a hollow cavity that can be filled with insulating Great Stuff foam. This will turn your Igloo into a cooler that really retains the cold and keeps your minnows or worms healthy.

I use my big cooler to hold the minnows in transit along with an aquarium air pump and air stone. I plug this unit in and park it either just inside the door where I am staying, or in the shade outside. Many urban fishers keep it inside the room, so their minnows and equipment are still there when they get back from fishing.

With this system, I include a foam filter that suction cups to the inside of the cooler You can find such foam filters at a tropical fish store or cichlid dealer. This helps take the ammonia out of the water and filters your water. I usually take 8 to 12 dozen crappie minnows or 5 dozen shiners with me. You can transport more crappie minnows than shiners because shiners are more fragile.

With the plugged-in air and sponge filter, changing about 20 percent of the water each day will keep your minnows flashing. Lively minnows last longer on the hook, and the flash attracts more takes and catches more fish.

Local tackle dealers sell licensed bait obtained from sources that quarantine the bait. You can transport this bait anywhere. Once it’s in the lake, pond or minnow bucket, you should no longer hop to another lake with that bait. Do not transfer bait water from lake to lake as this could transmit disease and is illegal. You could really damage a fishery by transmitting water-borne parasites or disease. Never transfer fish outside of their home water to another body of water.

If you have some money for minnow care, Frabill makes an incredible minnow bait system with a built-in air pump. The Frabill Magnum comes in three sizes and includes a built-in quiet air system that you can plug into your car or truck and park next to your friend for the ride. They also make a wall adaptor for keeping this in your room. Frabill makes portable rechargeable air systems you can attach to a 5-gallon bucket to take in the boat or add to your own custom bait solution.

On the tough side, two of my favorite baits are spikes (blue bottle maggots) and leeches. Both baits are tough to tear off a hook, entice fish better than worms and catch multiple fish. Both baits do well when refrigerated and can be kept for weeks (even months). Change the water on the leeches about 20 percent daily and try to keep it the same temperature: cold. Chlorinated tap water is not the best, but changing some of the water with cold water is better than leaving the leeches in nasty, dirty water. Keep leeches on ice and in the shade in the boat or on shore for extended life. I carry a bait cooler with frozen ice packs (or frozen sports bottles)..

Spikes are my top travel partners on trips. These imported maggots are the kings of all baits. I have caught all species on maggots including smallmouths, walleyes, crappies, perch and even a muskie! The spike or blue bottle maggot can usually be purchased from your local bait store; if they don’t stock this, have them order from VadosBait.com to supply their area with this bait.

This bait, hooked on a quality steel hook like my favorite Owner Mosquito size 14, is a fish-catching secret weapon. This light and ultra-strong hook has helped me hook and land 17-pound fish. The lighter hook doesn’t damage the slow-sinking grub, and fish can’t resist the drop or the grub movement. I hook two of these on a hook and can catch four or five fish on the same grubs.

These even travel with me on airplanes in my carry-on. (They might freeze in checked bags.) On shore or in a boat, grubs not being immediately fished should be near the bottom of your cooler, in the shade. Frozen-solid, soda bottles offer all-day bait care. Finding shade and closing your cooler are key.

Up your bait care game with great bait containers and pay close attention to keeping your live bait in top condition to catch trophy fish.

Looking for more ways to increase your catch rate? You’ll find plenty of suggestions in every issue of MidWest Outdoors. Subscribe on our website.