kms399 Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 not cheating but really boring. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Hammer 4 Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 2009 Cheating..no. Ever fish live dads in a rocky resivor..? Not a easy task keepin them critters outta the cracks in big ole rocks.. As for nightcrawlers, I'd have to say boring, basiclly a bait & wait..Shinners/shad..ya gotta have some skills to fish them effectivly. Have to say, I haven't used "live" bait in over 20 yrs, imho artificals are more of a challenge where I fish 96% od the time. I know Chris has had some success using live bait, and he's caught some really nice fish, but you have to take into account where, and how he fishes, again, takes some skill.. Fish however you want, so long as it's Legal.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Dan: Posted November 15, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 15, 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. I agree. Live bait fishing is not as much of a challenge. You might as well fish for catfish if you are going to fish for bass with live bait. It takes the whole puzzle solving aspect out of the activity which makes it just like cat fishing. If you're fishing for food, then that's a different story, but it's certainly not as "sporting" as fishing with artificials. There is a reason why live bait isn't allowed in tournaments... Personally, I am not as proud of bass I catch with live-bait as I am of bass I catch with artificials. Nor am I as impressed by live-bait catches of others. It just takes something away from the catch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreaminBass Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 I definitely echo the sentiments of others here and no way think fishing bait is cheating. Given the amazing equipment (boats, UW cameras, depth sounders w/GPS, baits with impregnated bio-scents, etc.), how can the use of live bait really be any different. Like Tom, I lived on Cape Cod (many moons ago) and though I fish lures 97% of the time, chubs were a really cool bait on occasion. I even take pride in the 21.5" smallie (released alive) I caught using one on Mashpee-Wakeby! Tight lines and full live-wells, Jim H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishingBuds Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Agree, Not cheating but boring 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Lund Explorer Posted November 16, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 16, 2009 There are only two times when using live bait could be considered cheating. Either when your state's fishing regulation prohibit it, or when you are entered into a tournament that does not allow it. Rhino says he'll do a little instigating? I'll push it a little further. Instead of anyone worrying about be labeled a cheater, a worse title would be "Elitist". When any angler looks down from their supposedly exalted throne upon another person, who is legally enjoying the sport, the word fits. When they think that their style of fishing, the price/speed of their boat, the price or type of their fishing rods, their selection of tackle or bait, or even whether they ever (gasp!) keep a few bass for the grill...... The word is Elitist. As fisherman, we are better off accepting all of the various ways people enjoy our sport. For if we try to mold everyone to be exactly like us, we will only kill off this mutual obsession. You need only to look at Michigan's trout regulations to see what happens when a bunch of special interest groups all try to get "their way". Now let's all talk about pushing for no wake times on all lakes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjerk24 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Tournaments ...YES (Unless it's a Live Bait Tourney, which would be very interesting...don't ya think?). Fun Fishing with kids and family, and just looking to catch numbers...NO. I have had some great nights in Canada fishing with Crayfish....drop them and have taps almost instantly....A PURE BLAST!!!!! What great memories of that Summer trip....my wife had a blast to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbtcardfan Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 No. How many anglers started fishing as kids with live bait? Besides, I and my son have been skunked plenty of times using live bait.....not even that's a guarantee you'll land one. Having said that, I do prefer the feel of hooking one with an artificial lure as opposed to a large shiner, nightcrawler or chicken parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User fishfordollars Posted November 16, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 16, 2009 Cheating? Heck no. My largest bass ever(12.4) was caught on a 11" shiner down in Florida years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Paul Roberts Posted November 16, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 16, 2009 No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted November 16, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 16, 2009 The use of legal live bait for bass fishing isn't cheating. The question is; does live bait give a skilled bass angler an unfair advantage? The answer is yes & no. Bass are very easy to catch using specific live bait during some seasonal periods and little to no advantage during other times. I stopped using live crawdads, mud suckers, large shiners and water dogs (tiger salamanders) during the pre-spawn and spawning periods about 35 years ago. The reason was using live bait, in the small high pressured bass lakes, were over harvested as a direct result of live bait fishing during the pre-spawn and spawning time period. It's hard to over harvest larger bodies of water and once the bass get spread out into their summer locations, over harvesting is less of an issue. Live bait fishing becomes a personal choice, it's not an issue of right, wrong or cheating, unless you are tournament fishing. WRB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brushhoggin Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broncoboxer Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 For the record, I don't consider using live bait as cheating (unless you're competing in an artificials only tournament...). Heck, if it helps me catch fish then it increases, not decreases, my fun. And I while I love fishing, I love catching even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brush Hog20 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Cheating?? Of course not as long as the individual is within the local regs. Sporting? not so much... But then I tend to think the purest form of the sport is when I try to perfectly drift a size 20 BWO over trout in a gin clear spring creek. I often wonder how sporting I am when use artificials with a baitcaster in my hand and on the deck of my triton while glancing at my lowrance.. ;D Plus...not pointing fingers at anyone here but my experience with the bait guys is not very good. they like to leave there bait containers on the bank or in the drink which I detest. Not to mention they tend to gut hook their catch which is not a big deal if they keep, but a lot of the times they keep fishing once past their limit and releasing fish that have to chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bankbeater Posted November 17, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 17, 2009 It depends on what I am fishing for. I prefer to catch bass on artificial bait, but for panfish and cat I use live bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassDeaton01 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I dont consider it cheating but boring....yes I consider this method very boring. I think it actually turned me off from fishing in my early teen years because I remember spending hours on my grandpaws pontoon staring at my bobber or line when we were catfishing and just wondering when we were going to leave because I was bored. It's not cheating though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted November 17, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 17, 2009 There are different levels of skills when discussing bass fishing; beginners, weekend/ recreational, club level tournament, money level tournament, full time professional tournament, guides and trophy bass anglers. Live bait is used by bass anglers at various levels, except during a tournament that have rules against it use. If we just look at live night crawlers for example. A fly lined live night crawler presented properly is an effective technique for bass of all sizes. Live bait fishing is boring? What is boring about catching bass faster then any other presentation and bigger bass on average? Yes soaking a live bait under a bobber where no bass are located is boring. Presenting a live bait to an active bass can't be called boring. I'm not an advocate for live bait fishing for fresh water bass, although I fish live bait for ocean fish. The one thing that can be missing from today's bass anglers is a good knowledge about the prey bass eat. There isn't a better way to learn about live bait then to go out and catch that bait and learn how to fish it effectively. Once you know about live bait, then make up your mind about live bait fishing. WRB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlitetackle Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 as its been some time since ive been on the site, and as such i have responded to this very late.......... i did not read all of the responses...yet. but, my immediate response to your inquiry (IMO) is no..... i do not feel that it is cheating, live bait requires skill as well....... just in a whole different aspect as compared to artificials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbass Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 cheating? no,unless you are in tournaments(i think they should let people use live bait in tournaments).just a big pain in the butt for me to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 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. X2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Didnt the fellow in japan that caught that huge fish not long ago catch it on live bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User roadwarrior Posted November 18, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 18, 2009 Quote Didnt the fellow in japan that caught that huge fish not long ago catch it on live bait. Trolling a bluegill: 8-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted November 18, 2009 Super User Share Posted November 18, 2009 You're cheating yourself by NOT using live bait. A 7.5 heavy rod, #20 mono, 3/0 circle hook and a 9 inch wild shiner equals lots of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc450r Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Live bait= Cheating???? If that's true then we should all throw our electronics away.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Angler Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I definitely wouldn't call it cheating. I jus prefer usin artificial cause it's more fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.