Do you consider "live" bait cheating? 2025

MattinOK reply :

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?

dodgeguy reply :

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.

Wayne P. reply :

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.

bassnleo reply :

Nope.....

grimlin reply :

Cheating? No

Takes the fun out of it? No

Fishing is fishing,regardless what you are using.

senile1 reply :

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

Chris reply :

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.

SWMIBASSER reply :

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.

Jake. reply :

I don't consider it "cheating", but I do think it makes bass fishing easier if you know where the bass are.

RoLo reply :

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

GRiver reply :

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....

NasTMcfingas reply :

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.

shimmy reply :

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.

paul. reply :

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.

WBFishing reply :

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? :-?

Bassnajr reply :

Just two different kinds of fishing, that's all.....

b.Lee reply :

Fishing is fishing as long as there is line and hook.

D4u2s0t reply :

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.

Tin reply :

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.

Hook Set reply :

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.

SirSnookalot reply :

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.

microman reply :

hellz no

its a little diffrent but its not cheating

retiredbosn reply :

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.

I.rar reply :

cheating? no.

less rewarding? yes.

Fishing Rhino reply :

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.

kms399 reply :

not cheating but really boring.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
not cheating but really boring.

Really?

<-------------------------- ;D ;D ;D

http://forums.basspro.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=026926

Hammer 4 reply :

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..

Dan: reply :

Quote
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.

DreaminBass reply :

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.

FishingBuds reply :

Agree, Not cheating but boring

Lund Explorer reply :

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!

paul. reply :

Quote

Quote
not cheating but really boring.

Really?

<-------------------------- ;D ;D ;D

http://forums.basspro.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=026926

yep, definitely the most boring thing in the world. worse than watching paint dry. ain't that right kent? :

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1235607263

hjerk24 reply :

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!

jbtcardfan reply :

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.

fishfordollars reply :

Cheating? Heck no.

My largest bass ever(12.4) was caught on a 11" shiner down in Florida years ago.

Paul Roberts reply :

No.

WRB reply :

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

brushhoggin reply :

do you consider any or all of these to be cheating?

if not, then live bait is definitely not cheating.

broncoboxer reply :

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.

Brush Hog20 reply :

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.

Bankbeater reply :

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.

BassDeaton01 reply :

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.

WRB reply :

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

mrlitetackle reply :

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.

brianbass reply :

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.

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

Quote
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.

Clyde reply :

Didnt the fellow in japan that caught that huge fish not long ago catch it on live bait.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
Didnt the fellow in japan that caught that huge fish not long ago catch it on live bait.

Trolling a bluegill:

http://blogs.twincities.com/outdoors/2009/09/will-world-record-bass-mean-mi.html

8-)

Bassn Blvd reply :

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.

jc450r reply :

Live bait= Cheating????

If that's true then we should all throw our electronics away....

Rebel Angler reply :

I definitely wouldn't call it cheating. I jus prefer usin artificial cause it's more fun.

farmpond1 reply :

I tend to look at things from a "Is it helping the sport or hurting it?" perspective. I've seen an awful lot of fish get hooked deep in their throats with live bait so I don't like to use it unless I plan to keep some fish. I realize there are circle hooks which, if used properly, minimize this risk but there are, evidently, a lot of "regular" hooks being sold so obviously not everyone is using them. So, while it's not "cheating", IMHO it can harm the fishery and one reason why I don't use live bait. Also, it's just not as much fun for me.

D4u2s0t reply :

the fish that get hooked deep are usually from the inexperienced anglers who don't know how to recognize a bite like someone who fishes more often would. It would be the same thing with plastics. When I'm fishing with my girlfriend, (which is rare lol) she doesn't know she has a fish, ever, till she starts reeling in and it's heavy. Results in a gut hook, because the hook was never set like it should have been.

I only use live bait for panfish, and with those lil suckers there's no mistaking a hit especially if you're using an ul rig.

tnbassfisher reply :

I don't prefer to use live bait. But I don't feel that it is cheating. I still have not caught a bigger bass on artificial bait than I did on live bait.

Troutfisher reply :

Quote

Quote
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

x3. Very well said.

Dwight Hottle reply :

Is live bait cheating? Only if i got it and you don't.

RobE reply :

Quote
I definitely wouldn't call it cheating. I jus prefer usin artificial cause it's more fun.

I think you meant that buying artificial bait is more fun?? The last time I bought minnows, it took all of two minutes and I didn't get to look at them first. :'(

tyrius. reply :

Quote
I tend to look at things from a "Is it helping the sport or hurting it?" perspective. I've seen an awful lot of fish get hooked deep in their throats with live bait so I don't like to use it unless I plan to keep some fish. I realize there are circle hooks which, if used properly, minimize this risk but there are, evidently, a lot of "regular" hooks being sold so obviously not everyone is using them. So, while it's not "cheating", IMHO it can harm the fishery and one reason why I don't use live bait. Also, it's just not as much fun for me.

A decent (or better) angler will gut hook more fish with a senko than they will with live bait.

JWallin reply :

Nope. WHat is the difference using live bait when KVD even admited he uses a underwater device that emulates largemouths attacking baitfish. Using all of those devices including fish finders, underwater cameras, lure attractants is no different than using live bait. I guess all of the pros are guilty of cheating then aren't they as well a most bass fisherman. As far as being more dangerous than artificial a lot of fisheries have reported problems with intestinal viruses and disease and deaths in fish that have engulfed plastics. Bassin did a couple articals on this.

Sherlock 60 reply :

Cheating? No. Just one of the ways to catch fish.

I only use artificials for bass, but I use redworms and bee moths (wax worms to many of you non-Hoosiers) when I am panfishing with ultralight gear.

5bass reply :

Quote
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.

I 'get' what you're saying here but the fish are not eating anything on this list. The fish do not have to decide whether or not to bite a high speed outboard motor. The stuff on that list may help you locate fish and do it faster but once you settle in to try to catch 'em, live bait is a huge advantage. It's what they eat, day in, day out.

The debate isn't about equipment or gear. It's about live bait and how people view live bait catches.

In a controlled setting, a live minnow, shad, shiner, etc....will outfish any artificial bait by a long shot, thats no secret.

I guess the real question behind all this is whether the catch of 10 lb bass is diminished if it were caught using live bait, not an artificial bait.

All this being said, my PB largemouth was caught on a live bluegill. I fished for that bass 2 straight days with artificials. On the 3rd day I came back and hooked up a bluegill. Pretty much as soon as the bluegill hit the water, that bass was stripping line off my reel. Coincidence? I think not.

After 2 days of throwing artificial baits I quickly found out (in about 20 seconds) what the live bait advantage was.

Do I feel like I cheated? Yes, but I still recognize that fish as my personal best. Should I feel guilty about that? Maybe.

paul. reply :

i'll readlily admit that in some situations, live bait is by far your best option. i'll also say that in other situations, if you're trying to fish live bait, you ain't even in the game. the trick is knowing when to use what. i've known plenty of situations where guys using live bait got outfished by guys using artificials. i've also seen the opposite. fishing as a sport has progressed so far that pretty much everything is "cheating" in the sense that we have a bigger advantage over these fish these days than we ever have in the history of the sport. and yet sometimes the fish still win. ;D

if folks want to fish artificial baits out of some twisted and misguided sense of "fairness", so be it. i know better. maybe if these folks really wanted to be fair, they should struggle with a bucket of live minnows when their buddy standing right beside them is slaying them on artificials. but i guarantee that's a sight you will never see. you will never hear a guy say to his buddy who's setting the hook on every other cast, "hey, you are catching way too many fish on those senkos. that's cheating! so i'm gonna use live minnows just to be fair to the fish."

truth be told, the majority of the time i use artificials myself. but whatever i'm fishing, i don't entertain any delusions that i am on a level playing field wth the fish. perhaps i've missed something, but when i put a bait in the water, be it live or artificial, my goal is to catch a fish - preferably a big one. that's it and that's all. and i'll do what it takes within the limits of the law to produce if i'm serious about it. i do not fish to be fair. i do not fish to give the fish a break or cut them some slack. i do not fish to even the odds. i fish to catch fish. but hey, that's just me.

and i still get my butt kicked plenty of times. ;D

fish however you wanna within legal limits. imo, regardless of how you fish, if it's for any other reason than personal satisfaction you've missed the boat anyway.

Poolie727 reply :

It's not cheating, but it's also not for me. To me, part of the enjoyment of fishing is the challenge of getting the fish to bite an artificial lure. For those that want to use live bait I say knock yourself out and have a good time.

Gregory25 reply :

To me live bait fishing is cheating, to others it is considered fishing. Technique and strategy is involved with artificial. My home lake of Dale Hollow I wish people would take a step forward and make live bait fishing illegal (lot of fisherman would agree with me too). The big problem some business owners think it would cause an dramatic effect on tourism. I've got news to them, it won't. The lake is nortorious for big Smallmouth and fisherman will stop using live bait and start using artificial. Downside, guides will have to start learning how to catch fish using artificial, insteat of relying on ol' realiable shiners which bring in the fish. 8-)

angler1 reply :

If you are fishing a tourney then yes, it is cheating.

alberto reply :

This past weekend we were at a couple of ponds, my son who is 23 months old and his mom were fishing with me. They were not having any luck fishing with artificials so they were getting upset and bored. To keep them interested in fishing I tied on a bopper and some minnows and they caught some little bass, point is I used live bait to keep them entertained and to enjoy fishing. When he gets older and my wife get more knowledge on the tecniques on how to fish plastics and such I'll most likely continue using live bait. For me it'll always be artificial for the challenge and the sport.

salmicropterus reply :

It's definitely nit cheating unless for some reason something you are doing is against the fish and game laws. That said, I am primarly a tournament fisherman trying to get better so most of my fishing is pre-fishing for a tournament or the actual tournament so I don't do it because it doesn't help me get better. If I have my wife or grand-kids on the boat (and I don't mean this sarcastically) I might pop for some shiners because I do think it can help the less experienced catch some fish when they might not otherwise do so. I know that there can be some pretty sophisticated shiner set-ups so there is no doubt some advanced techniques there in those set-ups and rigging

SuskyDude reply :

Is it cheating to use the gutter-bumpers when you're bowling?

To me bass fishing with live bait is the same thing: you bowl a strike every time.

Technically not cheating, but its really for kids.

.ghoti. reply :

Quote
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!

This is the best post on this topic.

Well done, sir.

As far as I'm concerned, cheating would be using explosives.

Rebel Angler reply :

Quote
Is it cheating to use the gutter-bumpers when you're bowling?
To me bass fishing with live bait is the same thing: you bowl a strike every time.

Technically not cheating, but its really for kids.

haha I like the way you think

CHEVYRIDAZ reply :

I think it is border lining at least...................boring too!

SuskyDude reply :

Quote
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!

Elitist? Not so sure about that. More like sick of pulling rusty baitholders out of the gullets of the fish I catch and having to wade through piles of bait containers to get to the river. Hearing stories about invasive species and disease being spread, courtesy of some bait bucket, is pretty scary too.

Of course not all bait fisherman are like that, but around my neck of the woods, the vast majority of them are.

Wouldn't mind seeing live bait being illegal, at least on my body of water. That way no one could call me an "elitist" when I "look down at it."

WRB reply :

Quote
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

Thought I would bump my original response to this topic.

My personal choice not to continue using live bait for bass fishing has handicapped my efforts to catch a 20+ lb bass. There shouldn't be any debate over the fact that big bass are wary bass and have grown big because they have survived. The only time of the year these rare giants are caught consistently is during the spawn/pre-spwn period. A live, egg eating, bait cast onto a bass bed, will be killed without hesitation by a nearby big bass. The question is will the big girl get to the live bait before the smaller male.

Live bait fishing is legal, using legal bait. The question is; is bed fishing using live bait ethical? The answer to that question depends on the angler.

WRB

D4u2s0t reply :

I love the guys that say it's cheating... as they're reading their electronics, and are out with maps of the lake, using EVERY other available advantage there is, which in turn takes the skill out of it... but live bait is cheating lol... give me a break.

you're throwing baits that companies spent top dollar perfecting to make it easier to catch fish. Different colors, scents, expensive poles, etc. I look at the bait as nothing more than another tool in the arsenal. It's VERY possible for 2 people to be fishing side by side, and have someone with artificials outfish the person with live, just like it could go the other way around.

tyrius. reply :

Cheating at what?

When I'm fishing, I'm interested in having fun/relaxing/basically just enjoying my time on the water. If using live bait enhances that; then how could it ever be considered cheating?

Live bait is just one more tool in an anglers arsenal and it most certainly isn't "fool proof" or "bowling a strike everytime".

I say quit being judgemental (thinking that you're better than live bait fishermen) and just relax and have fun. You'll likely enjoy yourself much more if you do.

RoLo reply :

Quote
Cheating at what?
When I'm fishing, I'm interested in having fun/relaxing/basically just enjoying my time on the water. If using live bait enhances that; then how could it ever be considered cheating?

Live bait is just one more tool in an anglers arsenal and it most certainly isn't "fool proof" or "bowling a strike everytime".

I say quit being judgemental (thinking that you're better than live bait fishermen) and just relax and have fun. You'll likely enjoy yourself much more if you do.

To that I can only add, I intend to do some cheating in the coming months

Roger

Bass_Akwards reply :

What about using live bait to chum? Is that cheating, or unethical(fishing wise)?

Never actually "chummed" for bass before but I've seen kids throwing pieces of worms by the hundreds in local waters to attract bass... And it works. If it's not "cheating" to use one live bait on a hook, is it "cheating" to use 50 nightcrawlers without a hook to attract bass to a certain area?

J Francho reply :

Chumming is illegal here.

Jighead70 reply :

I don't think its cheating,it's the original way to fish.

Jighead70 reply :

Quote
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.

Circle Hooks if you are worried about that. Gut hooks really only happen you aren't paying attention,or it's an inexperienced angler.

pitchNbass reply :

Umm if KVD won the bass masters classic using live bait, what would that make him?

I think people would say he cheated.

Under the Radar reply :

Quote
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?

By the very wording of the question, the word "cheating" implies that there are rules or laws in effect.

So let's see...

We have State, county & or city laws.

We have private property rules & tournament rules.

And we have our own moral rules, I think that about covers it.

I guess if you're not breaking one of these laws or rules then you're not cheating.

Do I understand the question properly?

tyrius. reply :

Quote
Umm if KVD won the bass masters classic using live bait, what would that make him?
I think people would say he cheated.

And he would have per the rules of BASS. If BASS allowed live bait and he won then he wouldn't have cheated.

Team9nine reply :

Quote
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?

My goodness, 6 pages in and nearly 3,000 views and still going strong. As the question was presented, and assuming use doesn't break any state or local laws in your area, the answer is simple - NO.

-T9

WRB reply :

Quote

Quote
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?

My goodness, 6 pages in and nearly 3,000 views and still going strong. As the question was presented, and assuming use doesn't break any state or local laws in your area, the answer is simple - NO.

-T9

The isn't simply NO; he ask for and received opinions.

WRB

Team9nine reply :

Quote

The isn't simply NO; he ask for and received opinions.

WRB

Yep, and I just gave mine...NO.

South FLA reply :

I do, but Tiger Woods doesn't.

Sorry guys I couldn't resist.

Gangley reply :

Since there are no laws against it, it comes down to your conscience <sp?>. If you feel guilty using live bait, then you are cheating yourself of a good experiance on the water because you wont enjoy it, and therefore should go back to plastic baits. If you have no problems with live bait, then by all means fish with live bait.

If there are no laws against it, then the only cheating that can be done is the fisherman cheating himself out of a good trip. In which case, its only cheating if you feel guilty doing it, but that applies only to yourself. Don't push your thoughts onto somebody else simply because you feel one way or the other, especially if what they are doing is legal.

6mile reply :

Have at it if that is your style. I just don't think anchoring outside a bunch of pads, heaving out 10 or 12 shiners under a bobber and then settling into a book is fishing..

Gangley reply :

its fishing for sure, just not your style .

PondHunter reply :

No, it's not cheating. I like catching fish, it's the whole point of going. I use whatever helps with that. some of the areas I fish are hit so hard, the only way to get them is with worms or minnows, on flourocarbon. I'm not out there just for the excersize.

Laridae reply :

Don't think you should worry about live bait as cheating. Fishfinders and boats with huge engines that is cheating a lot harder than a little night crawler.

Scott F reply :

On 12/7/2018 at 3:00 AM, Laridae said:

Don't think you should worry about live bait as cheating. Fishfinders and boats with huge engines that is cheating a lot harder than a little night crawler.

I see you are new. When replying to a post, pay attention to the date on the thread. Your view is certainly relevant but this thread is 9 years old.

Don51 reply :

The question is still relevant. The date of the post isn't! ????

J Francho reply :

Fourscore and nine years ago....

Anyway, live bait is only cheating if you're competing, it's against the rules. Otherwise, knock yourself out, so long as you're following rules from DNR.

gnappi reply :

My casting arm is like a Fiddler crab from casting artificial lures all my life ???? The few times I tried live bait both fresh and salt water I found it less than exciting... cast, wait... slow retrieve... Nah.

Dropping a lure in the perfect spot, in a tree, or on a rock just seems natural, and then there's that oversized casting arm to keep developing.

TnRiver46 reply :

Been skunked many a times on live bait. If it’s wrong I don’t wanna be right

BassWhole! reply :

Zombie alert!

Nope, not cheating. Fishing is fishing, for all the "I like a challenge" elitists, I'll leave you with this thought (cleaned up to PG) which I love to tell while I'm swinging fish with someone who shares this view;

"I fish to catch fish, If I wanted a challenge, I would learn to do handstands and work on flexibility so I could get naked on the boat and hold the rod between my butt cheeks and reel with my big toe"...

J Francho reply :

Keep your big toe to yourself!

JWall14 reply :

I think it would be good for kids...

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 12:49 AM, JWall14 said:

I think it would be good for kids...

Like Bag O' Glass, or a Johnny switchblade adventure punk doll?

DogBone_384 reply :

Live bait's WAITING .... not fishing......

ratherbfishin1 reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 5:25 AM, DogBone_384 said:

Live bait's WAITING .... not fishing......

THANK YOU!

There’s nothing wrong with it in my opinion I just wouldn’t even compare it to the fishing most of us do.

WRB reply :

On 11/17/2009 at 2:51 AM, WRB said:

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

9 years later I would write the same response.

Tom

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 5:32 AM, ratherbfishin1 said:

THANK YOU!

There’s nothing wrong with it in my opinion I just wouldn’t even compare it to the fishing most of us do.

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots

JustALineWetter reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 5:25 AM, DogBone_384 said:

Live bait's WAITING .... not fishing......

On 12/8/2018 at 5:32 AM, ratherbfishin1 said:

THANK YOU!

There’s nothing wrong with it in my opinion I just wouldn’t even compare it to the fishing most of us do.

Fishing for me is a relaxing past-time, it's not the be-all and end-all of my world

Sometimes I'll just plop a worm or minnow on the line, attach a bobber, toss it out there, and sit back and relax.

This is my 'zen place', where the sounds of water lapping at the hull of my canoe combined with the occasional call of a loon relaxes me.

soflabasser reply :

A good bass fisherman knows and understands how to fish several techniques well and this includes live bait fishing. There are times live bait works the best and there are other times lures works the best. This knowledge comes from decades of experience not just being part of a forum and typing words on a keyboard which anyone can do. But what do I know I have only caught double digit bass on both lures and live bait and have caught hundreds of bass over 5 pounds in my +20 years of bass fishing. Have also caught 9 types of black bass all on artificial lures from land in public waters so I might know a thing or two about bass fishing.

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 6:33 AM, soflabasser said:

knowledge comes from decades of experience not just being part of a forum and typing words

Amen!

Glaucus reply :

No, but I consider live and dead bait to be boring. I don't like to soak something. Half the fun is being engaged in my bait and succeeding.

slonezp reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 9:50 AM, Glaucus said:

No, but I consider live and dead bait to be boring. I don't like to soak something. Half the fun is being engaged in my bait and succeeding.

What makes you think using live bait requires sitting in one spot waiting for fish to swim by and attack your minnow or worm?

I didn't read this thread except for this last page. I don't fish for bass with live bait. I do, however, fish for panfish with live bait. When I fish for them, I am not polpping the bobber out in the lake and crossing my fingers. I am actively hunting fish and moving constantly until I find them. No different than using artificials to bass fish. BTW, I catch bass all the time when I'm panfishing.

Arcs&sparks reply :

Sounds like some of you have never experienced going through 4 dozen shiners in a couple of hours between 2 guys. What’s boring about that? Tug on the line... that’s the point right

TnRiver46 reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 10:01 AM, slonezp said:

What makes you think using live bait requires sitting in one spot waiting for fish to swim by and attack your minnow or worm?

I didn't read this thread except for this last page. I don't fish for bass with live bait. I do, however, fish for panfish with live bait. When I fish for them, I am not polpping the bobber out in the lake and crossing my fingers. I am actively hunting fish and moving constantly until I find them. No different than using artificials to bass fish. BTW, I catch bass all the time when I'm panfishing.

I agree . I bass fish with live bait a lot and almost never do I just sit and wait. Usually pitching live shad under docks and trying to keep them from swimming around all the posts . Also if you hook a live shad in the back it tends to swim really fast........ And on top...........

slonezp reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 10:05 AM, TnRiver46 said:

I agree . I bass fish with live bait a lot and almost never do I just sit and wait. Usually pitching live shad under docks and trying to keep them from swimming around all the posts . Also if you hook a live shad in the back it tends to swim really fast........ And on top...........

I pick apart a dock for crappie and bluegill no different than if I would pick it apart for bass. I believe that bass fishing has made me a better pan fisherman, and pan fishing has made me a better bass fisherman. ALL freshwater fish follow the same rules.

Glaucus reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 10:01 AM, slonezp said:

What makes you think using live bait requires sitting in one spot waiting for fish to swim by and attack your minnow or worm?

I didn't read this thread except for this last page. I don't fish for bass with live bait. I do, however, fish for panfish with live bait. When I fish for them, I am not polpping the bobber out in the lake and crossing my fingers. I am actively hunting fish and moving constantly until I find them. No different than using artificials to bass fish. BTW, I catch bass all the time when I'm panfishing.

I guess for me it's that I don't fish for panfish. I drown live bait and I get a gill or crappie. I drown dead bait and I get a carp or cat. Not my thing. Once in a blue moon I can get a bass. What I can get a bass on most of the time is bass specific lures that I have fun using.

TnRiver46 reply :

I also forgot to mention that catching live bait can be fun and challenging

NittyGrittyBoy reply :

Live bait or not whatever type of fishing you enjoy do it.

I personally love floating live shrimp under Poppin corks...

Or 2oz of lead holding a bream on the bottom of the river waiting on flatheads

soflabasser reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 11:31 AM, TnRiver46 said:

I also forgot to mention that catching live bait can be fun and challenging

It is a game changer when the fisherman learns how to catch his own bait, keep it alive, and catch trophy fish on his own bait. Most fishermen will never understand this and that is ok since it means more quality fish for those who know the art of live bait fishing.

On 12/8/2018 at 11:33 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Live bait or not whatever type of fishing you enjoy do it.

I personally love floating live shrimp under Poppin corks...

Or 2oz of lead holding a bream on the bottom of the river waiting on flatheads

Sounds fun. I like catching jack crevalle and using them whole or cut bait for big sharks from the shore. Using mullets for big snook is another fun type of live bait fishing.

greentrout reply :

my state has regs. for legal use of live bait...that works for me...personally don't use live bait for bass fishing...really enjoy using live minnows for crappie fishing...especially in the spring...

good fishing...

BigAngus752 reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 5:58 AM, WRB said:

9 years later I would write the same response.

Tom

Well yes, but now you'd probably throw in an SMH and/or a LMAO. Tell them you're shook 'cause they're being so extra. You know...since it's 2018 now. ????

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 12:08 PM, BigAngus752 said:

Well yes, but now you'd probably throw in an SMH and/or a LMAO. Tell them you're shook 'cause they're being so extra. You know...since it's 2018 now. ????

Crushing it!...

Koz reply :

Dynamite is cheating. Minnows and shiners are bait.

Arlo Smithereen reply :

It's not cheating to me. In fact, I like when I see anglers using live bait because I know I'll be showing the fish something different with my artificial baits. I will say, at least in my area, the live bait anglers like to throw their trash all over the place. As a result, I stereotype all live bait anglers as dirty, toothless bums.

JustALineWetter reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 11:57 PM, Arlo Smithereen said:

As a result, I stereotype all live bait anglers as dirty, toothless bums.

HEY! I shower regularly, and my teeth are in good condition

The 'bum' part might be right though. ????

soflabasser reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 11:57 PM, Arlo Smithereen said:

It's not cheating to me. In fact, I like when I see anglers using live bait because I know I'll be showing the fish something different with my artificial baits.

I like it when ''artificial only'' bass fishermen get cocky and think they know more about lure fishing than those who fish with live bait. Live bait fishermen tend to have more open minds which means many live bait fishermen are more skilled in artificials than many artificial only bass fisherman.

On 12/8/2018 at 12:15 PM, reason said:

Crushing it!...

The young people are also saying ''slaying it'', or ''slay'' when they are doing good at a hobby. I think some here need to reevaluate their fishing game so they can ''slay'' more and complain less about a legal form of fishing. Must be a very cold winter for some of these northern states to say the least!

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/9/2018 at 12:36 AM, soflabasser said:

The young people are also saying ''slaying it'', or ''slay'' when they are doing good at some hobby.

For reals? That shay cray!

Arlo Smithereen reply :

On 12/9/2018 at 12:36 AM, soflabasser said:

I like it when ''artificial only'' bass fishermen get cocky and think they know more about lure fishing than those who fish with live bait. Live bait fishermen tend to have more open minds which means many live bait fishermen are more skilled in artificials than many artificial only bass fisherman.

I've never noticed that, but I'm sorry that gets you all in your feelings.

soflabasser reply :

On 12/9/2018 at 12:49 AM, reason said:

For reals? That shay cray!

All day brother, all day. Not much to complain about live bait fishing on my end, especially when I lost count of +8 pounders I have caught throughout the years. Beats fishing in Iowa over hardwater for sub 5 pounders any day!

On 12/8/2018 at 12:49 AM, JWall14 said:

I think it would be good for kids...

I would say hiring a guide would be good for kids or anyone who needs help in fishing. Nothing wrong in that if you do not know how to fish a certain area by yourself just like there is nothing wrong with a legal form of fishing.

On 12/8/2018 at 6:31 AM, JustALineWetter said:

Fishing for me is a relaxing past-time, it's not the be-all and end-all of my world

Sometimes I'll just plop a worm or minnow on the line, attach a bobber, toss it out there, and sit back and relax.

This is my 'zen place', where the sounds of water lapping at the hull of my canoe combined with the occasional call of a loon relaxes me.

I see bass fishing as a relaxing past time as well but some bass fishermen are elitist and think they are the next champion bass fisherman so they only fish with lures. These elitist bass fishermen are the type of fishermen I don't invite fishing with me and instead I fish with open mined people.

WRB reply :

I wrote my 1st letter to the editor regarding live bait fishing during the spawn as being unsportsmanship behavior in 1969. That letter was published and I got all shorts if nasty replies as a result. I carried my crusade about outlawing the use of live golden shiners, crawdads, waterdogs, bluegill etc during the spawn for a few years and it was a futile effort.

Every spawning period boats would target big female bed bass using live bait with stringers of big bass floating belly up like tether balls on a rope, sickening for me to watch the slaughter year after year until most big bass populations crashed from being over harvested in our under 2,000 acre small trophy bass lakes. Today the giant bass population is gone, only a few are caught each year. The reasons are never over harvest, always the drought or poor management or some other excuse. When you kill your trophy bass population during the spawn by catching a PB then having it mounted or showing it off till it is over stressed and dies, it's gone forever.

I watch bass fishing guides using live Shad or crawdads for thier clients nearly ever outing during the spring and just look the way, it's their fishery as much as mine so why loose sleep over something you can't control. Live bait fishing in general isn't an issue, my only grip was spawn and bed fishing for bass, after the spawn live bait has little advantage over artifical lures.

Tom

soflabasser reply :

The bass fishing guides in Florida use live bait as well and I understand why they do it since their salary is based on giving clients the fish they want to catch. Very few people will be happy with a guide that is not good at putting clients on big fish (fish that surpasses the client's current PB bass) or at the very least rare species of fish. People expect to catch memorable fish with a guide since they are paying hundreds of dollars to fish for only a couple hours. With that said there are guides in Florida that do ok with only lure fishing with clients but the vast majority of guides down here use live bait to increase the chances of catching a memorable fish.

On 11/15/2009 at 8:49 AM, RoLo said:

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

Well said @RoLo. Your old post is still relevant for this subject. Not sure if you are still reading this forum but you are one of my favorite members of this forum. A person who plans on bass fishing in Florida or lives in Florida would be wise to read and learn from what you write.

haggard reply :

(tournament rules aside)

Fish naturally eat live bait. Using artificial lures should be considered cheating.

But artificials are cheap, convenient, reusable, last a long time, and you can stick them in a tackle box for weeks and bring them back out and they still work. Can't really do that with live bait.

greentrout reply :

Crappiebasser reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 11:31 AM, TnRiver46 said:

I also forgot to mention that catching live bait can be fun and challenging

Teaching someone that's never been around one to use a casting net is better than anything on tv.

J Francho reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 12:15 PM, reason said:

Crushing it!...

Content is my side hustle.

ratherbfishin1 reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 5:32 AM, ratherbfishin1 said:

THANK YOU!

There’s nothing wrong with it in my opinion I just wouldn’t even compare it to the fishing most of us do.

I would like to apologize if this was harsh and offended anybody. I was not intending for it to be a negative thing. I was going through my ice fishing stuff seeing if I have to restock and I remembered how much I use wax-worms.????

Choporoz reply :

On 12/8/2018 at 10:14 AM, slonezp said:

ALL freshwater fish follow the same rules.

I need a copy of that rulebook.

I wouldn't criticize anyone for following regs and fishing the way they want if it doesn't disrupt others.

slonezp reply :

On 12/10/2018 at 11:38 PM, Choporoz said:

I need a copy of that rulebook.

I wouldn't criticize anyone for following regs and fishing the way they want if it doesn't disrupt others.

Ill sell you mine for the low low price of 29999599.95

Bankbeater reply :

No way it’s cheating. Fishing with live bait has its own ups and downs. The biggest drawback I can think of is trying to keep the bait alive. You don’t have to worry with artificial baits.

bigbill reply :

In the beginning when I started bass fishing we used live minnows at the cost of $50 a week with night crawlers. I started using two rod setups one livebait and one tossing lures. I almost lost the baited rod a few times. Finally I got good with lures and started out fishing the livebait rod. Then I spent $50 on new bass lures.

I do stop fishing and help show kids kids how to fish. I fish from shore. I fish the smaller bodies of water.

hawgenvy reply :

I don't have the patience for bass fishing with shiners, staring at that cork forever, going cross-eyed, waiting for something to happen. At least with lures your doing something most of the time. And you're not injuring, or killing, two fish simultaneously just for sport.

MN Fisher reply :

On 12/14/2018 at 1:18 PM, hawgenvy said:

I don't have the patience for bass fishing with shiners, staring at that cork forever, going cross-eyed, waiting for something to happen. At least with lures your doing something most of the time. And you're not injuring, or killing, two fish simultaneously just for sport.

One thing you may consider. The minnows at the bait store will end in one of two ways,

1) Used as bait by a fisherman.

2) Die in the tank and be disposed of.

They're slated to die anyway, why not get some use out of them instead of wasting them. They can't be returned to where-ever they were harvested from, it's against the rules of the State Department of Natural Resources (or whatever your state's equivalent is)

burrows reply :

On 12/9/2018 at 12:49 AM, reason said:

For reals? That shay cray!

N Florida Mike reply :

Ive live bait fished a lot. It's not cheating if you dont break any laws. It takes twice the work if catching your own bait , and in some cases, twice the patience. To me, there is not much difference in gut hooking fish with live bait than artificials. I started using circle hooks, which get less gut hooks than other hooks. If a fish is gut hooked , I carefully work to get the hook out without injuring the fish. But I get just as many if not more gut hooks using flukes as opposed to live bait.

Sometimes I just get in the mood to live bait fish, and usually just do it out back when I dont feel like going out. It is a relaxing way to fish , just catching a little bream , hook him on, throw him out, and wait for a response. It sometimes doesnt take very long.

I dont do it much anymore, but it's fun to go out and fish with bream or shiners , almost like you would artificials. Cast em out in clear areas with no cork ( or with one ) wait a minute or so, then reel in , cast to a new spot, and repeat. You will likely do very well.???? Just let the big mamas go !!.

the reel ess reply :

I see no problem with me using live bait. ????

For all others, it's cheating. LOL.

Seriously, if I caught the bass of a lifetime on live bait, it would still be swimming anyway.

So what's the harm? But I don't do it because it's more trouble to handle on a kayak. I don't usually even use live bait for bream or crappie.

NYWayfarer reply :

Using live bait is not cheating.

I fish artificial baits 90% of the time now. I was brought up fishing for Bass, panfish and saltwater species with live bait. I can only speak for myself when I say there are times when artificial baits have done better for me than live baits.

If it were cheating in some cases it would be like copying the stupidest kid in school's answers to the math test.

Fishingmickey reply :

Man O man, a dozen water dogs and rod rigged with 20-25# line. Yaaah, that'd work.

Paul Roberts reply :

Definitely not. Satisfying skills can be developed all kinds of ways. Inserting yourself into the food chain, and interacting with wild critters, is simply an awesome thing to do.

That said, I fish artificials almost 100% of the time now. Gotta choose how to spend your precious fishing time.

Boomstick reply :

It's only cheating when fishing a tournament where it's against the rules! Also, let's not forget there are plenty of times when artificial lures will outfish live bait as well and at times quite heavily too in the same location on the same day and with the same person fishing it, which suggests that it does not necessarily give you some sort of unfair advantage.

Myself, the reason I prefer artificial lures over live bait is the same reason I prefer fishing for bass over say trout or catfish, which is that bass are reaction strikers and with artificial lures, you are responsible for giving it the proper action for the fish at that day. It makes it basically more interactive and engaging that way. They're also easy as I can grab my tackle bag and go!

Dwight Hottle reply :

I cheated twice. I apologize to any one I have offended.

Paul Roberts reply :

Well, Dwight. Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Arcs&sparks reply :

On 12/15/2018 at 1:21 AM, Boomstick said:

Myself, the reason I prefer artificial lures over live bait is the same reason I prefer fishing for bass over say trout or catfish, which is that bass are reaction strikers and with artificial lures, you are responsible for giving it the proper action for the fish at that day.

You do realize that trout and catfish are aggressive predators too, that hit artificial lures, lol

Boomstick reply :

On 12/15/2018 at 3:05 AM, Arcs&sparks said:

You do realize that trout and catfish are aggressive predators too, that hit artificial lures, lol

Oh, absolutely! But when fishing live bait or even power bait, if there's trout within a few feet they just smoke it right up. They're scent feeders where bass are not, so I'm much more likely to use live or dead bait with catfish or trout for that reason. I'm also more likely to keep trout and catfish as well.

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/15/2018 at 3:42 AM, Boomstick said:

They're scent feeders where bass are not,

Really? I've caught LMB on cut bait, squid, and bacon just for S&Gs. LMB guys have some misconceptions about their beloved. They are fish, like all the others. But yes, catfish chase lures all the time. The blues are paving the potomac and its tribs right now, and eating everything in sight (or is it scent?)

Boomstick reply :

On 12/15/2018 at 5:35 AM, reason said:

Really? I've caught LMB on cut bait, squid, and bacon just for S&Gs. LMB guys have some misconceptions about their beloved. They are fish, like all the others. But yes, catfish chase lures all the time. The blues are paving the potomac and its tribs right now, and eating everything in sight (or is it scent?)

You might get them with scent, but they certainly don't chase scent like a catfish or trout. And I'm not arguing that you can get catfish on lures too, but anything with a blood scent is just so effective with catfish, and garlic with trout so why not?

As my friend would say, catfish are like goats -- even more than bass. If they can fit it in their mouth, they'll swallow it.

RAMBLER reply :

Yup!

Heartland reply :

I have consulted the official fishing for fun rule book. It says, the most important thing is that you have fun, there are no rules when fishing for fun.

gimruis reply :

I’m surprised that no one has brought up the scientific data regarding the use of live bait vs artificial. Countless studies have shown that the use of live bait causes significantly higher mortality than artificial amongst many fish species. So if your after fish to harvest them, then live bait is arguably a better tactic. If your catching and releasing, live bait is not a good idea.

I do not target bass to eat them, so I do not use live bait when fishing for them. I do sometimes use live bait for crappies or walleyes with the intention of harvesting a few.

soflabasser reply :

On 12/10/2018 at 9:32 PM, J Francho said:

Content is my side hustle.

Nothing wrong with creating your own content on YouTube for others to enjoy watching. The problem is when others steal other Youtubers content and use it for their own. I consider those ''content stealers'' to be lower than garbage, especially when they are trying to make money off another person's video.

On 12/15/2018 at 3:05 AM, Arcs&sparks said:

You do realize that trout and catfish are aggressive predators too, that hit artificial lures

Have caught trout and catfish on various lures and I agree that both types of fish are agressive predators. I find catfish to be more aggressive than trout and I have caught catfish on topwaters, jerkbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits, and jigs.

On 12/15/2018 at 5:35 AM, reason said:

Really? I've caught LMB on cut bait, squid, and bacon just for S&Gs. LMB guys have some misconceptions about their beloved. They are fish, like all the others. But yes, catfish chase lures all the time. The blues are paving the potomac and its tribs right now, and eating everything in sight (or is it scent?)

Largemouth bass will eat cut bait just like a catfish will. Have caught largemouth bass over 24 inches and well over 7 pounds as bycatch while fishing for channel catfish with cut bait. Have also caught bass with a bare hook, on bread, on hotdogs, on chewing gum, etc. I am sure there are elitist lure only bass fishermen that would hate knowing that I catch bass of this size on cut bait while they struggle with sub 5 pounders but it goes to show you bass are not the supreme fish many think they are.

J Francho reply :

On 12/18/2018 at 10:14 AM, soflabasser said:

Nothing wrong with creating your own content on YouTube for others to enjoy watching. The problem is when others steal other Youtubers content and use it for their own. I consider those ''content stealers'' to be lower than garbage, especially when they are trying to make money off another person's video.

I was referencing a couple of the "catch phrases" I detest. Keep crushing it in 2018.

BassWhole! reply :

On 12/18/2018 at 9:22 PM, J Francho said:

I was referencing a couple of the "catch phrases" I detest. Keep crushing it in 2018.

Should have had your words curated by an influencer, you click baiter, you...

soflabasser reply :

On 12/18/2018 at 9:22 PM, J Francho said:

I was referencing a couple of the "catch phrases" I detest. Keep crushing it in 2018.

Have not heard that ''catch phrase'' in years. I caught a trophy bass last month that measured 25.25 inches long by 18 inches girth, along with other big bass this year. Not sure if that is considered ''crushing it'' but I think I did well for a person that mostly fishes for bass from the shore. Got a couple weeks left before this year ends hopefully I catch a couple more over 6 pounds, not interested in any bass smaller than that at this moment in time unless its a new species of fish which I am planning a couple trips for those next year.

cgolf reply :

Not a chance. I call using livebait for bass not catching fish. I used to try it for bass on reed beds to use up worms and leeches after a bad week of walleye fishing and my catch rate plummets. Switch back to soft baits and scent, slam em.

Not sure why, but livebait must not suit my style of bass fishing.

boatinpete reply :

Hey did BASS brainwash you?

N Florida Mike reply :

I guess I'm just a simple man, but arent we mainly in it to catch fish ? Live bait=more fish.

I love fishing, but I love it more when I catch some.Therefore, I use live bait sometimes.

DINK WHISPERER reply :

Y E S ! ! ! !

RB 77 reply :

No. While I haven't fished live bait for Bass since I was a wee youngster, I certainly do fish live bait when I'm offshore fishing for tuna and that's a fact!

9889

Do you consider "live" bait cheating? 2025

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