Baitfish Profiles: Fill Your Livewell with Croaker

WHEREVER YOU’RE FISHING, HAVING THE RIGHT BAIT at the ready is a necessary component to success. Whether you’re an artificial enthusiast trying to match the hatch or you prefer natural bait, presenting natural forage to your targeted predators is the end goal. With so many different baits available in Florida, determining the right one can be difficult. But when you’re considering the common inshore options like pilchard, mullet, pinfish and more, don’t overlook the Atlantic croaker.

Upon first glance to the untrained eye, the Atlantic croaker (Micropogonius undulatus) doesn’t seem like a traditional baitfish. The spot croaker or“spot”(Leiostomus xanthurus) is a bit more distinguishable thanks to the black spot above the pectoral fin and below the dorsal fin and its slightly forked tail. Different in size and appearance to typical scale baits like pilchard, threadfin herring and sardine, the croaker look more like juvenile redfish or black drum than they do a baitfish. In fact, these fish are indeed members of the drum family.

Before setting out to use live croaker for bait, anglers need to understand the statewide regulations placed on these fish. Fortunately, in both Atlantic and Gulf state waters spot and Atlantic croaker don’t have a minimum size limit, allowing anglers to use small ones as bait. However, it should be noted that on the Gulf side, anglers can keep up to 100 pounds per person but in Atlantic state waters, the limit as of December 1, 2021, is 50 per person. Even with this new regulation, though, anglers can still keep plenty of these fish for bait.

Though small croaker feature several excellent baitfish attributes, the one feature that makes them irresistible to a variety of predators is their tendency to emit loud vocalizations under distress. Though they are some of the smallest members of Florida’s drum population, these fish are the loudest in the Sciaenidae, with the Atlantic croaker taking the title of the loudest of the group and according to some, the loudest fish on the planet. By oscillating its swim bladder, a croaker produces a loud noise underwater that is primarily used in breeding situations, but also when the fish is threatened or distressed.

Therefore, when pinned to a large circle hook and tossed in the area of predators like snook and tarpon, the croaking noise made by these fish rings the proverbial dinner bell. Fishing these baits is relatively simple. Large circle hooks are the norm, with smaller croaker warranting a 5/0 to 7/0 hook and larger ones a 7/0 to 9/0. Depending on the venue, croaker can be fished a few different ways. They occur naturally on the bottom so that’s where keen predatory game fish will be looking for their loud meal. In shallower water, anglers can get away with a free-lined croaker and can even hook the fish in the throat or the tail to try to get it to swim down. However, in most scenarios with deeper water and swift currents, weight will be needed to get the bait to the bottom. A knocker rig with an egg sinker is a simple and effective way to fish croaker on the bottom, though personal preference is key here and if you have a method you prefer, trust it.

Before you can reap the benefits of fishing live croaker, you have to catch them first. When using hook and line, fishing a two-hook chicken rig off the beach is a great way to get the job done quickly. Many baits work well in this scenario, though small crabs, squid strips, small shrimp chunks and Fishbites are popular. Your chicken rig should consist of light monofilament, usually 8 to 12 lb.test, small 2/0 to 4/0J-hooks and a sinker at the bottom.

You can also catch croaker with a cast net walking the beach. While you likely won’t see the fish and you’ll have to blind throw, beaches with relatively deep troughs should be stacked with croaker. From Tampa Bay to the north on the Gulf side and Port Canaveral to the north on the Atlantic side, they’re not hard to find. When you catch your croaker, you’ll need to have a large bucket or tub filled with salt water and a battery-powered aerator or two to oxygenate the water and keep them healthy for transport. Given the croaker’s abundance on area beaches and effectiveness near inlets and piers, they are very popular among land-based anglers.

If you can’t seem to get your hands on live croaker or simply prefer fishing lures, that’s okay. There are several fakes out there that mimic the appearance and behavior of these baits but, in our collective opinion, none do it better than LIVETARGET’s Swimbait Series in the Atlantic Croaker pattern. At 5 inches and 1¾ ounces, this lure yields long casts and a medium-slow sink rate. Furthermore, it features lifelike color patterns and detail as well as a swimming motion that is irresistible to nearby predators. Snook, tarpon, big bull redfish and more are common takers of this offering.

Whether you catch them live or choose to imitate them, Atlantic and spot croaker need to be a part of your arsenal in Florida. While they’re not available throughout the entire state, any anglers fishing in Central or North Florida can get their hands on them pretty easily. Once you find the bait, find the fish and wait for that bite!

Source: https://floridasportfishing.com/baitfish-profiles-fill-your-livewell-with-croaker/