By July, tidal creeks hold good numbers of bait-size brown shrimp and a few bait-size white shrimp produced from the early spring spawn. Fortunately, redfish don't discriminate between the two species. When live shrimp are "in season," you can fill your well in two ways -- catch your own or visit a state-licensed live-bait dealer.

In periods of abundance, live bait shrimp sell for $12 to $15 a quart. The price might seem high, but remember: You're paying for convenience, and the privilege of not having to waste fishing time to locate shrimp. The number of baits per quart varies depending on shrimp size, but if you're getting good bait-size shrimp (about 4 inches long), you typically have three or four dozen.

You can opt to catch your own bait shrimp, but this, too, will cost you some time and money. A 3/8-inch-mesh monofilament cast net priced at less than $75 and 30 minutes in the right spot will usually provide all the live shrimp needed for a daylong trip. Plus, the cast net is a useful tool for catching baitfish such as finger mullet and menhaden. No self-respecting inshore angler should leave the dock without a cast net on board. Check the current edition of the Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations booklet for information on the regulations for bait-shrimp harvesting.

Besides shrimp, "mud minnows" -- the generic name for several species of hardy baitfish found in abundance throughout Georgia's estuaries -- make a prime summer redfish bait. Averaging about 3 inches long, they're caught with a cast net or a wire trap baited with fish heads, cat food or some other attractant.

Minnow traps are inexpensive -- about $10 -- and require little skill to use effectively. Simply find a small saltwater creek, bait your trap and drop it in the water using an attached hand line. The most productive time for catching mud minnows is around low tide, when they concentrate in creek channels or tide pools.

At the few marinas that sell "pollywogs" (as mud minnows are called by the folks around Savannah), these baitfish go for $3.25 per dozen -- so spending a few bucks for a trap is a good investment.

The several species of small crabs found in the coastal marshes can be deadly bait for redfish, but catching them does require a bit of ingenuity. Fiddler crabs are found on the high marsh in colonies of hundreds, if not thousands. You can chase them around, trying to catch one at a time, or you can lay a trap for them: Dig a hole and drop in a small bucket or can; the fiddlers can be herded toward the hole, and several will fall into the bucket. The efficiency of this operation can be improved by using a wooden device in the shape of a "V" with the hole situated at the base of the "V." This device will funnel the panicked crabs into your waiting container. Just be sure to cover the hole once you've caught your supply.