Golden Shiners

The golden shiner is the trophy hunter's live bait. Large, flashy and hardy, a lively wild shiner is, to a big largemouth bass, an irresistible meal - and in places like Florida, guides build entire trophy-bass programs around them. Their size weeds out small fish and calls up the giants; their flash and struggle on a hook trigger predators that ignore lures. Pike, stripers and big crappie eat them too, but it's the outsized largemouth that makes the golden shiner legendary.

What it catches

Trophy largemouth bass first and foremost, along with northern pike, striped bass, big crappie and other large predators. The larger the shiner, the more it selects for big fish, which is exactly why trophy hunters fish them. Smaller shiners take crappie and other panfish.

Getting & keeping it

Buy them at bait shops or trap/net wild ones where legal (wild shiners are often prized over farm-raised). Keep them in a well-aerated bait tank or bucket with cool, clean water and not too many to a container, since shiners burn oxygen fast. Keep the water cool and aerated, change it as needed, and don't overcrowd - a stressed, dying shiner catches far fewer fish than a frisky one.

How to rig it

Hook a lively shiner through the lips, the nostrils, or just under the dorsal fin (back-hooking lets it swim freely), on a stout hook matched to its size. Fish it free-lined, under a large float, or on a weighted rig near cover and structure. Use tackle strong enough for a giant, and give the bass time to take and turn the big bait before setting.

When it shines

Trophy bass seasons - pre-spawn and spawn especially - around heavy cover, and any time you're specifically hunting a giant rather than numbers. It shines in clear, big-fish waters, fished near vegetation, laydowns and drop-offs where a big bass lurks. Cool water and low-light periods concentrate the action.

Field tips

Keep the shiners frisky with cool, aerated water, since liveliness is everything. Hook them so they swim naturally and free. Fish near heavy cover where big bass hold, and watch the float or line for the take, then wait for the fish to turn the bait before setting hard. Use fresh, lively shiners and rotate out any that tire.

Common mistakes

Overcrowding the bait bucket so the shiners die, setting the hook too soon before a big bass has turned the large bait, tackle too light to handle a giant near cover, and fishing a tired, half-dead shiner instead of a lively one that swims and flashes.