Is Using Live Baits More Fun Or What? 2024
jonnysmith reply :
i recently went fishing to a small lake i found while riding my atv out in homestead and i noticed alot of small bait fish all around,so i started casting with artificial baits and the bite was slow>>now the min.i put a bobber with a live worm or live bait fish i got with my casting net>OMG the action was really amazing!>>>is it just me or is it a whole lot more fun & productive fishing day> using live baits???
soflabasser reply :
For me it's more fun to catch bass on artificial lures.A well presented lure will usually outfish livebait in most situations. I do use live bait often when it's hot outside or when the conditions call for it.
Darren. reply :
On 12/3/2015 at 6:41 AM, jonnysmith said:i recently went fishing to a small lake i found while riding my atv out in homestead and i noticed alot of small bait fish all around,so i started casting with artificial baits and the bite was slow>>now the min.i put a bobber with a live worm or live bait fish i got with my casting net>OMG the action was really amazing!>>>is it just me or is it a whole lot more fun & productive fishing day> using live baits???
It sure is fun, especially if you have little kids with
you. The excitement is contagious.
I don't use live bait (i.e., night crawlers) much these
days unless I'm going out with long poles (no reels)
and pencil floats. Truly enjoyable experience.
davecon reply :
Live bait is one thing, but watching a bass run down an 8 or 10 inch wild shiner you are using for bait can be quite a rush ! You know it's a pretty good sized bass before you even set the hook. And fishing those shiners is not as easy as you may think. I did it off and on for years but the boat I have now doesn't have a sufficient live well. When I used to use live bait I only targeted the big bass. It can be fun and rewarding and quit a challenge, so don't knock it if you haven't tried it with the really big shiners.
soflabasser reply :
Wild Golden Shiners is one of the best baits to use when your targeting trophy sized bass.Crayfish are also great for big bass.
68camaro reply :
I prefer lures since I like working bait, watching live bait under a cork or bobber kinda bores me.
About a month ago I had two guided fishing trips on Lake Toho in FL. Both guides suggested live because artificial bites were real slow and I am sure as client they wanted me to catch fish. I however was determined to use lures, they thought I was nuts. First day we got skunked on lures so in last hour we switched to live golden shiners and caught a bunch but I missed working the bait.
Second day I told guide no live bait no matter what, we ended up having real good day and I am happy we stuck with artificial, to me it was more satisfying even if we had to work harder at it.
At home ponds the bass love live minnows but I still prefer artificial even if local kids are killing it with shiners:)
davecon reply :
Soflbasser, I know what you mean about the live crawfish. I live in Riverview where 85 percent of the tropical fish sold in the US are raised. They raise most of the tropicals in small shallow "ponds" they dig. They are about the size of a two car garage and they have a LOT of them. The farmers hate the crawfish as they eat the tropicals. A friend that raises them used to give me all the crawfish I wanted, I mean hundreds of em. For catching numbers of bass I have never seen anything like them. They don't necessarily attract the large fish but if there is a bass around they will hit the things. Catfish are nuts for them too. I used them often when my kids were little and they had a ball.
Haven't used them in years. I might give old Jeff a call when the Snook slow down.
A-Jay reply :
Is Using Live Baits More Fun Or What?
Or What.
A-Jay
a1712 reply :
On 12/3/2015 at 11:50 AM, A-Jay said:Is Using Live Baits More Fun Or What?
Or What.
A-Jay
We have ourselves a winner. Brian.
soflabasser reply :
I agree that it's hard for a bass to turn down a live crayfish.One of my favorite tactics when using crayfish is sight casting a bass with one.I use a small hook so the crayfish can swim without to much of a struggle.
edfitzvb reply :
Are we foolin' them or feedin' them? I know which is more sporting. However, I also know which way gets the bigger bite most times.
Hmmm..... what tournaments allow live bait? (And no, I don't fish tournaments. When I go fishing, I am looking to enjoy myself.)
lo n slo reply :
I like a minnow and a slip cork for crappie. Small bream for big cats. Lures for the bass.
But that's just me. I aint skeered of anchoring down either. My pb Blue Cat (18+) was caught on a low down, minnow stealing, varmint of a bream, that I tail-hooked to a c-rig and let him do the rest!
WIGuide reply :
I don't find it as enjoyable as using an artificial. For panfishing it's alright, and it can usually out-fish artificial baits. When it comes to bass fishing though, I'm 100% artificial. Only time I would consider using live bait is shiners when trying to catch a trophy, but it'd be more satisfying to me to catch it on an artificial.
ClackerBuzz reply :
live bait can be harder than most think especially if you never tried it. worms catch way too many baitfish.
and a hooked bluegill can look too suspicious for highly pressured bass. it's almost like a waiting game: you watching the bobber vs the bass taking eternity to decide if he wants it
Darren. reply :
I don't think the point of the OP was it was more fun
for bass fishing, but given all the bites and action live
bait generates is more fun than the often-times
waiting game of bass fishing.
The action blue gill, perch, crappie, etc., provide can
be quite the fun diversion, IMO.
And don't tell Fish Chris not to use live bait 
soflabasser reply :
On 12/4/2015 at 1:03 AM, ClackerBuzz said:live bait can be harder than most think especially if you never tried it. worms catch way too many baitfish.
and a hooked bluegill can look too suspicious for highly pressured bass. it's almost like a waiting game: you watching the bobber vs the bass taking eternity to decide if he wants it
I agree with you 100%.Most of the +10 pound bass I have caught have been on artificial lures and only one of them I caught on livebait. Big bass in highly pressured bodies of water are smart and tend to avoid most baitfish with a hook sticking out of it,at least where I fish.
Wayne P. reply :
I prefer to do the fishing, not let some creature do the fishing for me.
Fisher-O-men reply :
I have a lake that I love to fish, and it saddens me when I see crappie fishermen, using live shiners, dragging out 6-7 pound bass and putting them on a stringer. All legal and everything, but those bass will not be caught again! Why speak of catch and release in a thread about live bait? Because many live bait fish are hooked too deeply to be released. The guys I have watched let the fish "take" the bait, meaning completely eat it! Yeah, you can do that with a plastic worm also, but you do not need to. Setting the hook at the first tick usually lip-hooks the fish.
Maybe off subject, just a tad! 
soflabasser reply :
I know what you mean by the Crappie fishermen catching large bass. I have a couple spots that I fish where many of the Crappie fishermen I meet have caught bass over 10 pounds with tiny jigs and minnows from the bank. They use long rods, small reels, light line and land these bass from the shore,which makes it a impressive feat.
Looking for the big one reply :
Although I prefer using artificial, If that is the only thing that is working of you is then keep at it. but a cane pole with a weightless nightcrawler is hard to beat for trophy size panfish and bass IMO.
geo g reply :
Unless I have small children with me, I would rather stay home then watch live bait swim around under a bobber. Its like sitting watching paint dry. I just don't get the fun in it! Not much skill involved, that's why the guides love it for clients, and parents do it with children.
BaitMonkey1984 reply :
Straight Blasphemy!
soflabasser reply :
My mentor taught me to keep an open mind when it comes to bass fishing.It wasn't hard for me to listen to him when I saw his album full of +10 pound bass,including one over 14 pounds.And he caught most of them from the bank.Thanks to him teaching me I got a +12 pounder( from the shore ,no boat or depth finder needed).I always follow what he taught me and it has served me well.
J Francho reply :
I have control issues, live bait doesn't play well with that personality defect.
bowhunter63 reply :
In the fall i use big chubs once in a while for Smallies when the bite gets tough.
jonnysmith reply :
since i saw alot of small live bait fish of all types swimming around>i figured what ever big fish in this lake must eat those same bait fish> i thru some beard in the water & let the bait fish group up> thru my casting net & got id say 12 or so small bait and i put them in a bucket with water,,mannn the min.i cast a live bait fish a few yards from the shore>it didnt even last 1min before the bobber got slammed & pulled under water,pulled it out> a fat 6lb peacock bass..then i said let me see whats roaming around the bottom>so i got a 6in shinny bait on the hook with a sinker stright to the bottom,,2min.later i got a huge pull and the fight was on big time,im talking my reel was screaming like a bull horn,,pulled it up an 18in thick snakehead,,i had a blast honestly
Bluebasser86 reply :
Nothing wrong with live bait, I do it myself sometimes especially during the winter for wipers, but it does take some of the sport/fun out of it for me when fishing for bass. If you're just out to catch whatever bites, it's a great route to take though.
BassinLou reply :
On 12/4/2015 at 11:13 AM, geo g said:Unless I have small children with me, I would rather stay home then watch live bait swim around under a bobber. Its like sitting watching paint dry. I just don't get the fun in it! Not much skill involved, that's why the guides love it for clients, and parents do it with children.
I agree with your statement George.
The only time I will use live bait for fishing will be if I am in search of fish to eat. For ex: off shore saltwater fishing. If bass were a delicacy and I enjoyed eating them, then I would use live bait.
However, since I love to bass fish strictly just for sport. Then its 100% artificial fishing all the time, for me . Catching a DD bass on a livebait to say I caught a DD bass will not fulfill me just one bit. To me it would be like if I cheated. I also feel the exact same way of fishing Big Bass off beds.
It's the athlete in me I guess. I want to defeat my opponent fair and square.
My comments above are not meant to upset anyone. These are my beliefs in regards to bass fishing.
everythingthatswims reply :
If I want to catch a variety of species, I will use live shiners, and if I can keep them alive, shad and herring. I don't use live bait to go and target bass. I have been thinking about trying some 6-8" gizzard shad at a place I fish with lots of smart largemouth that feed on bait that size, mainly because I want to watch them chase it down.
In my opinion if you can keep a shad/herring alive long enough to use it for bait, you have the right to do so!
rboat reply :
My friend and I fish artificial baits all the time, but usually once or twice a year we may plan a shiner trip. Usually when fishing is slower, like really hot summer or cold winter days. It is a nice change up and gives us a shot at a big fish. We use a specialty shiner/kahle style hook that gets them in the side of the mouth each time and makes catch and release easy. Just something different, although we both prefer artificial baits that make fishing more challenging and sporting.
hawgenvy reply :
There's a local guide that supposedly nets a ton of small shiners or minnows before his client arrives. Later, out on the lake with the client at a choice spot, he pours a big pailful of the live bait back into the water; it makes the bass go crazy. Whets their appetite for more goodies. Then the guys catch a bunch of bass or peacocks with shiners or artificials. Pretty slick strategy, I think. Even gives the bait a (small) chance for freedom. Also, the bass are excited to see him when he motors up! Sure, he bruises some bass lips, but he throws them back, and on the whole they're glad to see him. Negative pressure!
This is hearsay, I do admit. Haven't seen it myself. Great concept though, ain't it?
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