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While out on the trail one way to reduce your pack weight is to rely on some natural means in obtaining food.One of the most fun and efficient ways of ensuring a fresh meal is to fish for it. Most fishing poles and gear are lightweight enough to pack, but what about bait? It is nearly impossible if you are on the trail for a few days to pack and keep fresh bait, fresh. So what do you do?
You plan and fish with natural baits from the areas you're in. The benefits of fishing with natural baits outweighs the hassles people associate with finding the baits. In the first place the fish in the area are used to these baits and they are usually in abundance and also a steady diet for the fish you are about to catch. By using baits of this sort you are also assured that your fish will be jumping on your line to get to the fresh baits.
In collecting your natural baits first survey your area for any potential places that your natural baits will be hiding such as rotten logs or fallen trees which host a wide variety of beetle larvae and white grubs.
To aquire these baits it is necessary to pull at any part of the rotted area of the log or tree to get at the goods.You can use a sharp knife to dig apart the rotted material to get at the baits or an aluminum tent peg that you of course will have handy.Once you get into the log or tree the beetle grubs are usually found in the softest part of the log.These areas you are looking for will be soft and sawdust filled and most of the time very moist.
Be sure while digging into these logs and trees to use caution.Your baits are sure to be there and plentiful but along with your baits you may find yellowjacket nests and even a rattlesnake den. Be sure to test the area for these and other unwanted pests by first poking at the log or downed tree with a long stick sometimes lifting the bark of the tree with the stick will also help you determine any unwanted infestation.
You may also explore the possibility of obtaining baits from fields and meadows.These areas will contain grasshoppers,crickets, and worms.You can collect these in any plastic bag that you have that seals to insure your baits do not escape their capture.If your brave enough to persue bees as bait they will also work well and insure a catch on your line.
Just about anything that moves or flies compromises ninety percent of a trouts diet.By keeping that in mind that opens up many natural baits that would be appealing to your high altitude trout.If you want to trap the more exotic baits you can also use small crawdad tails,small minnows, or aquatic snails.Even small frogs and polywogs do the trick although they are much harder to obtain and trap for baits.
While collecting your baits it is best to work in teams with your backpacking partner. One person can dedicate themself to collecting grubs and worms, the other may look for grasshoppers and bees for baits. By working together you assure that between the two you will aquire enough baits for a hearty round of fishing.
Your hooks will vary from size eight to size ten for these bait. You should also use a short shanked hook.You can also fish weightless or use a small BB shot to add just enough stability against the currents.This light method will also give your bait time to wiggle around just enough to attract the hungry fish.
With a little imagination and ingenuity you may be able to find a host of other natural baits that will work well for your particular situation. Patience and perserverance will assure you an ample and fresh dinner every time on the trail.
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