Artificials Vs. Live Vs. Cut

[HeavyDluxe]

Just a curiosity kinda question...

Most of the discussion on this board (and, from what I gather, everywhere else in the bass fishing world) centers on using artificial baits as opposed to rigging anything live or using cut bait. How much of this, in your opinion, is driven by increased effectiveness of artificial baits vs marketing to the tackle monkey in all of us?

Or, is it perhaps that the methods for fishing artificials make it easier to target a specific species like bass? Or maybe it's economics (number of fish possibly caught with each worm, lure, etc)?

No agenda here, really... just curious. The question is prompted by the fact that this past week our family spent some time on Lake Bomoseen in Central VT. Three of the largest bass we caught were caught on #8 Aberdeen hooks covered in nightcrawlers - close to shore in the midst of the panfish and perch the kids were catching. I was able to 'focus' my catch on bass by casting artificials farther from the dock, and tagged the two biggest fish of the week.

Just got me thinking and I thought I'd see what you all thought for kicks.

[roadwarrior]

I fish minnows for smallmouth on the Tennessee Rive, yellowtail for stripers.

Live bait outfishes artificials 10:1. If you don't like it, don't fish it. I use artificial

lures exclusively for largemouth, but I am not opposed to live bait for them either.

[Mattlures]

Live trout, bluegill and waterdogs are ilegal where I fish. Live bait is a big hassle. You have to transport it, keep it alive, its expencive or you have to catch it. It definatley can work and sometimes it will out fish artificails but it can be a pain. I still use crawlers though, and they work.

[B@ssCrzy]

I fish artificial because I like the challenge. Plus I don't like the mess live bait makes and the fact that if you don't use it it goes bad. However, I caught my largest fish ever with a nightcrawler. I have no problem with someone using live bait. Just not for me anymore.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

My biggest bass this year was from a weightless nightcrawler. The gills just got so bad that went artificial plus what I have been using has been producing numbers just not size.