Beneficial article on an oftenly overlooked method... 2025

yankthatsucker reply :

it pays to get back to the basics

read this:

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id132.htm

simplejoe reply :

Good article, I haven't used night crawlers in years I sometimes get them for my son. I like using lures to attract bass. Although I just might give them a try.

thank for sharing

joe

BassinWill301 reply :

I would rather use lures for bass.

basser89 reply :

In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using live bait (of any kind). I've used night crawlers when fishing with my daughter and have caught bluegill with them. Years ago, I used to use them for catfish and also used minnows for trout.

But for me now, I enjoy the challenge of getting Ms Bass to hit an artifical lures.

T-Bone reply :

I prefer the challenge of catching fish on artificial lures, but reading that article really brought back memories of when I was little and all I could afford to do was go dig up night crawlers to go fishing with. Good times. ;D

Thanks for the good read.

tyrius. reply :

That's Fish Chris' (a member here) site. He catches MONSTER fish. You can't argue with his success.

And for those naysayers, catching massive bass like he does isn't really any easier on live bait than it is on an artificial lure. Just ask him about it (if he quits the dissappearing act he's pulled lately).

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Finding them is the hard part, catching them is the easy part

Raul reply :

Don 't know 'bout you guys but I pass on worms for bass fishing, it 's not because I look down on people who use bait for bass fishing, I recognize that it 's just another fishing technique however where I 'm at fishing with worms for bass is out of the question, if I were to go fishing for bass with worms the only thing I would catch all day long would be ......... bluegills !

Now tell me let 's go bluegill fishing and I 'll dig up the worms gladly.

stepchild reply :

It's the same thing here. Way too many perch, sunfish, rock bass and other small fish to target bass with worms.

It's actually one of the reasons why I HAVE to use artificials since it weeds out the smaller fish and gets the bigger fish to respond.

WRB reply :

Quote
That's Fish Chris' (a member here) site. He catches MONSTER fish. You can't argue with his success.
And for those naysayers, catching massive bass like he does isn't really any easier on live bait than it is on an artificial lure. Just ask him about it (if he quits the dissappearing act he's pulled lately).

Wishful thinking that artificial lures are anywhere near effective as the live bait big bass are targeting. I stopped using live bait, 30 years ago, directly as a result of the numbers of big bass being caught.

For the record; it doesn't bother me if live bait is being used, just not during the pre spawn and spawning periods.

Bill Murphy was a live bait fisherman and lure fisherman, who taught me how to fish live crawdads for example. Big night crawlers are very effective big bass bait, when fly lined with no weight. Live waterdogs, big golden shiners, live bluegill, live shad and crawdads are very common live baits that I don't fish with anymore, it's a personal choice. Make no mistake; using lures only is a big handicap for the trophy bass fisherman.

WRB

Wayne P. reply :

I don't fish with live bait anymore and haven't for at least 30 years. Why, you ask? Cause you got to keep it alive--too much trouble.

yankthatsucker reply :

Quote
I don't fish with live bait anymore and haven't for at least 30 years. Why, you ask? Cause you got to keep it alive--too much trouble.

stick them in a cooler with your beers...

SuskyDude reply :

Fishing with live bait is like bowling with the gutter-bumpers.

For me, getting back to basics is picking up a jig, not a bait bucket.

Bassin_Fin@tic reply :

It's okay if you want to catch multi species depending how you rig it or what hooks used.Bowfin,cats,bream,bass,carp,tilapia,are all game.

I enjoy the hunt and the trickery involved in getting a fish to hit an "artificial". (for lack of a better term)

Crestliner2008 reply :

40 years ago, live bait was just about all I ever used. These days, however, I'm more of a purist; similar to the fly fisherman stalking after an elusive, large brown trout on crystal clear streams. I'd much prefer to catch a 4 lb. smallmouth bass by tricking it into taking my artificial lure, which I try to skillfully present to the largest of the species, in deep, clear reservoirs and lakes.

That being said, I've got nothing against the use of live bait if that's how you enjoy this fine sport of fishing. I would, however, recommend that you do a Google search on Bill Binkleman. Bill was the founder of Fishing Facts magazine; he started it as a mid-western new letter back in the '60's. Fishing with the Lindners and many other greats of the era, Bill took live bait fishing for walleye and largemouth bass to an extraordinary skill level. He wrote several small paperback books on the subject (which I have all of) and believe it or not, he was the first one to use the method that we now call "down shotting". He is, beyond any doubt, the "father" of live bait presentation.

One final point, I would never use live bait for without inline circle hooks, for the purpose of catch and release. JMO.

"Lunker Hunter" reply :

Great article, I love to fish with artificial baits when it comes to bass. But at least three or four times a year I fish for bluegills and use them on a ultralight set up with a slip bobber. The lake I fish has a great number of half to one pound gills. We actually have a problem with the size of the gills in the lake because they are also predators competing with the bass.

The_Natural reply :

My little 5yr old nephew loves to use worms. I hate hooking the darn things, but they are definitely successful. I hook it and cast it out for him...he sits there for a minute....the bobber goes down....and then he reels it in. He loves it! It reminds me of bowling with those bumpers stuck in the gutters.

freakyfish reply :

Like he said in the article you have to know where the big one is to get it to work right.The night crawler don't make a good search bait.I know that to be a fact.If you don't know where the big one is it is only going to be a hit and miss and your going to be getting more junk fish than you like.So its up to you what you like to do.So say I want to fish fore bass I use bass lures if I want to catch crappie I use worms or crickets if I want to fish for cat fish I use bloody fish slabs.It all depends on what fish your want to target. And If you want to fish somthing live for bass try live golden shiners under a bobber you will get a big one.

The_Natural reply :

Last time I fished with worms, it seemed like they drowned really fast. I'd rather nose-hook a minnow.

J Francho reply :

Quote
he was the first one to use the method that we now call "down shotting".

A "tight line" or "bottom" rig has been around as long as dirt. I don't think he can be credited with putting a sinker below a hook. He may have written about it first, but he certainly did not invent it, or was the first to use it.

At any rate, I don't use live bait anymore, but even so, it isn't as simple as tossing the bait out there and catching fish. You still have to find the fish, and as always, there are some that consistently find bigger fish.

yankthatsucker reply :

yanked this guy today on a crawler. thought it might go well with the article.

roadwarrior reply :

This thread has run fairly smoothly so far, but posting

a picture of a dead bass inside your house is a little

over-the-top. We're not opposed to selective harvest,

but we are still committed to catch & release.

:-X

yankthatsucker reply :

Quote
This thread has run fairly smoothly so far, but posting
a picture of a dead bass inside your house is a little

over-the-top. We're not opposed to selective harvest,

but we are still committed to catch & release.

:-X

its not dead i live on a lake and thats my back patio he swam away just fine

lakes to the right (notice the bbq grill right behind me)

roadwarrior reply :

Excellent!

BTW, I fish live bait, too.

8-)

tyrius. reply :

Quote
It reminds me of bowling with those bumpers stuck in the gutters.

If you count fishing as catching anything with gills then I agree, but if you really only count trophy bass fishing then it is FAR from that easy.

Matt Fly reply :

Different strokes for different folks, as long as you fish legally, I'm all for everyone getting fresh air. Those mom and pop shops need someone to buy some worms too!

Here shortly, my grandson will learn the fine art of using wigglers and a bobber.

I do believe it was worms and cane pole that got me where i'm at today.

tyrius. reply :

Quote
Here shortly, my grandson will learn the fine art of using wigglers and a bobber.

My son LOVES it. He's got one of those little Cars poles that collapse down and fit into a backpack. He'd take that thing to church if we let him!!!

thetr20one reply :

Quote
In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using live bait (of any kind). I've used night crawlers when fishing with my daughter and have caught bluegill with them. Years ago, I used to use them for catfish and also used minnows for trout.
But for me now, I enjoy the challenge of getting Ms Bass to hit an artifical lures.

I totally agree Bass fishing to me is artificial lures ONLY. When wifey or my daughter want to catch panfish we will use maggots, waxworms, redworms. And for Carp which the wife likes to catch just a plain ole generic can of corn.

Flywatersmallie reply :

90% of my fishing is for smallies, I dont generally target anything but bass anymore, largemouth are just not as accesable for me right now. That said, I dont use live bait. Reason being is that I would catch nothing but sheepshead (freshwater drum) on my smallmouth flow. They are numerous and are not at all opposed to grab my offering as it is, it gets expensive burning through a dozen crawlers or shiners in a half hours time. I prefer to fish plastics, all year. My catch doesnt go down a ton, that I can see and my bass catch is way up. Plus I can catch sometimes a dozen or more fish on a single grub or tube. The baits I use catch pike, muskies, walleye, sauger, crappies, perch, catfish and countless other species in addition to the bass I am targeting. Oh, and I hate getting the crusty worm fingernails ;D. To each their own, I just dont do it

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