Freddie Love at Coffee Bluff Fishing Camp in Chatham County gave a similar report, indicating that catches of whiting were more plentiful than spotted sea trout and red drum. Many of the recent catches of red drum have come on mud minnows. At this time of year when the large spotted sea trout move into their spawning areas, the mud minnows are an excellent bait. Most of the marinas and fishing camps offering live Florida shrimp say that keeping them alive is a major problem and one of the main reasons the high prices now in place. Although several bait dealers are maintaining stocks of live shrimp, mud minnows and fiddler crabs, not all are handling live bait.
Live mullet are now available at some locations.
Matt Starling at Bona Bella has them, but only on an advanced order basis. Fisherman are urged to check in advance of a fishing trip to make sure the bait supplier they use has what they want. The ban is still on for the taking or possessing local shrimp.