MattinOK Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I know I'll be opening a can of worms here (pun intended), but I'd like to know what all you anglers here think of live bait. I only use earth worms when gilly' fishing on an UL setup, and I believe minnows or worms takes the fun out of bass fishing. What are your opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User dodgeguy Posted November 14, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 14, 2009 i only fish for bass with artificial lures.any other way is just not bass fishing to me.if i'm trying for panfish to cook i would use worms.at that point i'm not fishing for sport but fishing for the pan.i also think you have a much gretaer chance of gut hooking bass with live bait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Wayne P. Posted November 14, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 14, 2009 Live bait is a good presentation for catching since the live bait is doing the fishing. There is nothing wrong with that method and produces best when the object is to harvest food. I prefer to do the fishing and catching, so I always use artificial baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassnleo Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Nope..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User grimlin Posted November 14, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 14, 2009 Cheating? No Takes the fun out of it? No Fishing is fishing,regardless what you are using. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User senile1 Posted November 14, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 14, 2009 If you think using live bait is "cheating" you might want to read some of the information on the following link for a different take. This is from the website of one of our members, Fish Chris. http://www.trophybassonly.com/id103.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I think it is a great way to catch fish. I don't feel that it is cheating because you still need to find the right area to fish. There is some skill involved so it isn't really a sure thing. Live bait fishing can be as exciting as flinging lures and at times more exciting. If you ever seen a bass grab a shiner in mid air that's a sight to see. There are times when that live bait will swim in areas that would be hard to reach with a lure. It does up your odds in some applications but I still don't feel like it is cheating. It is just another technique to learn and use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWMIBASSER Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Not cheating. I would even say that you are at a severe disadvantage on most days, when using live bait, due to the efficiency differences between live and artificial bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake. Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 I don't consider it "cheating", but I do think it makes bass fishing easier if you know where the bass are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User RoLo Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 2009 Show me an angler who believes that fishing live bait is easy and requires no skill, and I'll show you an angler who has limited experience with natural bait. Every winter in Florida, my wife and I fish native shiners in addition to artificial lures. Two years in a row, the spro aruku shad has outfished natural bait. However, the odds of boating a truly outstanding trophy are favored by natural bait...how bad is that? Roger 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiver Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 I don't think it is cheating...I just want to fish not go get bait first..I carry my stuff with me during the day and is if I see some where to fish I'll stop in...couldn't do that with live bait...dead bait really stinks up the truck.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NasTMcfingas Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Cheating never! I just choose to use lures now that I have a son who enjoys fishing. I used the live bait to get him interested and the lures to show him that there is a lot more to this than just a hook and a bobber. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shimmy Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Cheating 100%. This is why tournament anglers can't do it. CHEATING! Using live bait is not fishing, it's just sheer entertainment. Nevertheless, few things in life are as exciting as seein that bobber go under with a big minnow getting eatin. Cheating, but fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul. Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 consider the following list: chemically sharpened hooks, attractants, electronics, high modulus graphite rods, high speed multi-bearing reels, weedless trolling motor props, super fast outboard motors, high strength minimal diameter superlines, invisible flourocarbons, polarized sunglasses. do you consider any or all of these to be cheating? if not, then live bait is definitely not cheating. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WBFishing Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 If you are fishing a tournament, then it is cheating. Any other time, it's fun. I actually won the live bait vs artificial challenge on Friday. I was getting ready to launch my boat and had been talking to this guy at the while I was getting the trusty Triton ready to launch. I invited him to ride along and fish. He gets a 5 gallon bucket and a box of worms and climbs in. I actually beat him from the front deck on my artificials, but I did steal a couple worms to catch some bream on a drop shot. OR did he beat me, because he left that black dirt all over my back deck? :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnajr Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Just two different kinds of fishing, that's all..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b.Lee Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Fishing is fishing as long as there is line and hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4u2s0t Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 I don't consider it cheating at all. I mostly use them when going for bluegills, perch, trout, etc. Too many panfish to even attempt to catch a bass on my lakes with live. But if the bass bite is slow, i'll throw on a nightcrawler and get the lil guys every cast. I like catching fish, and while it's very easy (i don't believe with above about it being difficult. Anyone can throw on some live bait and get fish close to every cast, provided there's fish) it's still fun. Get a short ul pole, and a big perch is a blast! As far as it being cheating, above had a great post. How can anyone that goes out with a depthfinder or all the other tools we use on a regular basis say using live bait is cheating lol... come on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Tin Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 2009 I know I can go out and catch more fish on artificials than anything living so there is no fun it in to me. Even if tournaments allowed live bait up here, I am about 99% sure that most would still be won on artificials. Go try to pitch a shiner in a tree then go flip a jig and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Set Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 NO. However, 99% of my LMB fishing is with artificals. My fishing buddy and I fish a local pond and frequently use live bait i.e. nightcrawlers, perch, and catch 5-7 lb fish on a regular basis. However, my PB has come off a Lucky Craft G-Splash, Doesn't really matter because I put them ALL back to fight another day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User SirSnookalot Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 2009 Live bait cheating, Puleeeezeeee ! Not a thing wrong with live bait. I personally only use artificial in both fresh and saltwater, I don't even care to use any kind of plastic worm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microman Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 hellz no its a little diffrent but its not cheating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User retiredbosn Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 2009 I haven't used live baits for years, but it has nothing to do with cheating. I just got tired of worm poop, and smelly minnows, and the hassle of keeping live bait alive. You see some advertisements how certain products outfish live bait, duh, I believe any compentent fisherman can outfish live bait. There are times that live bait shines, and there is a member here fishchris who is the master when it comes to smallies and live bait. I would love to have half of his skill and knowledge! BTW where is Chris haven't seen him post in a while. With that said there are no guarantees while fishing, whether it is live bait or artificial bait, that is why it is called fishing and not catching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.rar Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 cheating? no. less rewarding? yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 2009 Nope, it's not cheating. When I lived on Cape Cod, we'd go to Salt Pond with a minnow seine and catch some nice fat chubs. They also make excellent bait for fluke. The thing about the chubs is they are tough and hardy. They don't require a lot of care. You can tote 'em in a bucket to the pond, then put them into a bait bucket that floats in the water. Never had one die. I'm not sure, because it's been a long time, but they may be one of the species of fish that can gulp air. Had a ball fishing them in Horseleach Pond in either Wellfleet or Truro. It did seem a bit like cheating, but we fished out of a 12 foot Sears jon boat which was propelled by oars. Tell me which has the advantage. A guy in a rowboat using live bait, or the guy who has a full fledged bass boat, with 250 horsepower hanging on the stern, a trolling motor on the bow, a dozen or more rods, rigged and ready, and electronics that can tell him all about the bottom below and to the sides of the boat. One guy goes to the pond with an investment of a few hundred dollars, while the other can have over fifty thousand dollars. I'll instigate a bit, because I cannot resist. The guy with the fifty thousand dollars won't use a landing net, because it ain't sporting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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