Here are some of the nicer fish I’ve been getting since transitioning to artificial. You were right it is far more rewarding catching a trophy on a lure!
 

Being able to put my presentation in places I simply couldn’t previously has made a significant difference in the quantity I catch, but I always assumed the quality would go down. Turns out I was wrong, some of my best fish have come on lures! 
 

Most of these top out around 17.5-18.5”, so not on the level of you lake smallie guys but still pigs in the streams I fish. Tight lines!

 

that was a funny pose there, Great catches.

2 hours ago, ATA said:

that was a funny pose there, Great catches.

Thanks lol, they always come out better when the sun is facing me and harder to turn around in a sit-in rec boat ?

We tried to tell ya!!!

 

nice ones 

Best part is you don't have to stop and buy bait every trip anymore, I still enjoy sitting with a worm or a minner under a bobber every now and then, but 99% of my fishing is lure based simply out of efficiency concerns, welcome to the world of artificial bait, now you get to spend the rest of your life wondering if these plastic contraptions hooked you or the fish more fully lol

Congrats on the longest post title!

2 hours ago, Sphynx said:

Best part is you don't have to stop and buy bait every trip anymore, I still enjoy sitting with a worm or a minner under a bobber every now and then, but 99% of my fishing is lure based simply out of efficiency concerns, welcome to the world of artificial bait, now you get to spend the rest of your life wondering if these plastic contraptions hooked you or the fish more fully lol

I actually caught/trapped my own bait and honestly I enjoyed that almost as much as the fishing itself, but it was still an enormous pain in the ass keeping minnows alive, changing the water, hauling around a bait cooler and dealing with the mess.  Above all, as it turns out it’s less productive in most situations! 
 

Like you said though, there is a time and place for live and I haven’t abandoned it entirely. Nothing like seeing your bobber disappear!

As you advance with lures and the confidence builds with certain lures and colors you will really get into it! Nice fish and you are now covering more water for bites. I catch both LM and SM but really enjoy the brown bass, they are my favorite and this far north I have a better shot at a real heavyweight. They hit a lot of plastics well and I happen to like plastics the most. 

That’s why it’s not wise to make assumptions……

Those big joshys tho?

5 hours ago, Dumbbassanglr said:

Those big joshys tho?

?

Oh boy, the bait monkey is about to have his way with you big time. Good luck. 

What should I use to bait a trap for cranks? ?

 

Kidding! Congrats on the nice catches.