Do Needlefish Make Good Bait?

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Needlefish are long skinny fish with pointy heads and even pointier teeth, that like to float at the surface.

Most people who spend enough time by the water will recognize them skimming along the surface and have probably wondered what would eat them…and more importantly, what can you catch with them?

So, do needlefish make good bait, and if so, how do you rig them?

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Can You Use Needlefish As Bait?

Needlefish can be used as live bait or dead (cut) bait. Inshore fish such as Tarpon, Snook and Jack Crevalle all feed on needlefish, and they can be used offshore in trolling skirts, or cut into chunks and fished over reeds for snapper and grouper.

Needlefish have a strong oily smell and are quite durable compared to other species of white baitfish.

This makes them an ideal bait choice, both live or dead. They’re just not very common because you have to catch them individually on hook and line, or if your lucky catch a bunch in the cast net.

Additionally, cut needlefish chunks are used to bait stone crab pots, or, used as cut bait for big freshwater catfish.

Do Needlefish Make Good Bait

How to Use Needlefish As Bait

Rigging a live needlefish really depends on what you want to catch on it.

Some predators, such as snook, jacks, and grouper inhale their prey whole without chewing. For these fish, the best way to rig a needlefish is with a single circle hook through the back. 

Putting the hook in the back puts it in a central location that makes a good hookup ratio and allows the fish to swim freely. I would use a 3/0 to 5/0 size circle hook and either no weight or a sliding egg sinker to get the needlefish to the bottom.

If you are fishing for toothy predators that can chop the needlefish in half or trolling, where short strikes are common, using a wire harness is a great way to rig needlefish.

To do this, insert the rear hook at the base of the tail and hook the front hook just behind the skull. 

The wire harness will prevent fish from getting away with just half of your bait or cutting through your line.

This is a great method for catching barracuda, bluefish, and wahoo, and for trolling.

What Eats Cut Needlefish

Using needlefish as cut bait is extremely easy and can bring in some sizable fish as well. Many kinds of snapper can be targeted with chunked needlefish, just drop a piece by a piling or reef and let it sink to the bottom. 

If you use cut needlefish inshore or in the surf you could land a bluefish or red drum, and throwing on a larger piece can land you sharks and stingrays.

How to Rig Cut Needlefish

Needlefish are super easy to use as cut bait. They are perfectly shaped to cut into cylindrical chunks, just make 1-inch wide cuts across the entire body. 

If the chunks are too big for your target species, you can also fillet them and use a strip or small piece of the fillet. 

I prefer to put these on circle hooks no matter what, but they work on a variety of different rigs. An up-down rig with floats is an excellent option for bluefish or red drum in the surf, or to weed out the smaller specimens, put it on a larger hook with a fish finder rig. 

For snapper, knocker rigs and chicken rigs are my go-to, especially for deeper water.

To catch big sharks and rays, use a large chunk and a 5/0 circle hook on a fish finder rig with a wire leader. 

Group of needlefish underwater

Qualities of Needlefish as Bait

Live needlefish tend to swim at the surface, so fishing them weightless is great for surface-dwelling predators. They are pretty lively and will swim around quickly when hooked live, which is great for drawing in the fish’s attention. 

As cut bait, they are fairly oily which is good for establishing a scent trail, but can deter some species that are used to more mildly flavored foods.

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How to Catch Needlefish

Before you use a needlefish as bait, you need to catch one.

Needlefish will eat a variety of bait and lures. Small pieces of freelined shrimp, baitfish, and squid are excellent bait. Little spoons, jerkbaits, and jigs can also catch them. 

If you want to get really specialized, rope lures are an excellent option for capturing these notoriously hard-to-hook fish. The rope simply entangles their teeth to bring them in. 

The best way to catch needlefish quickly and efficiently, however, is to cast net them. Cast netting needlefish is as easy as throwing the net, and you can even get multiple in one throw. 

What Eats Live Needlefish

Many different predators are known to eat needlefish in their natural habitat, and they will even entice a bite from predators that aren’t usually found near them.

When fishing inshore or in the surf, a live needlefish could land you a monster bluefish, jack crevalle, snook, or tarpon. They are the natural forage of all of these predators and will get eaten if presented in the right way. 

Take a needlefish to a reef and you have an excellent chance of landing a stud grouper or barracuda.

Even though they aren’t as common there, needlefish can also make great bait offshore.

Trolling them behind a boat is an excellent way to catch big pelagic species such as tuna, billfish, amberjack, and Mahi. They work very similarly to ballyhoo when used this way.

Final Thoughts

Needlefish do make good bait and almost any angler can find a use for them on the end of their line.

Remember to match your rigs and method to the species you are targeting, and your needlefish will get eaten in no time. 

Growing up in Florida, I’ve been surrounded by saltwater my entire life…and I love sharing my passion with others.

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