Shiners for a fun day out

[jwo1124]

I know many of us pride ourselves, and many of your sigifigant others hate us, for our extensive tackle collection. From our hardbaits, to our softbaits, our spinners and our jigs. We have lures for every depth, water clarity, and season. After hundreds of dollars spent, hours upon hours of time looking through catalogs, internet retailer sites, and gazing at walls of lures at our local outdoor retailer, we have what it takes to catch bass anywhere anytime.....so we thought. I don;t know about you, but many times I have fished for hours and not got a bite with a number of different lures.

Even though true bass anglers find it hard to even think about using shiners or crawlers, sometimes it's what is best. Today I went fishing from the bank at a small pond inside a cemetary where I have heard holds big bass.(up north in Mass. so a big guy is 4 or 5lbs.) Me and my brother went through a dozen large shiners(about 4 inches) in a couple hours producing four 1-2 lbers and 1 nice 4lber. I know for a fact we wouldn't have caught these fish if we were fishing lures. Maybe we would have gotten lucky and caught a couple, but I never have days like this with lures. Maybe this jsut means I'm not as experienced and skilled, but that's ok. I had a heck of a time watching my little bro land his PB Largemouth whether he caught it on bait or not.

I like to emulate the pros by fishing lures too, but sometimes you just need to get back in touch with your inner child, and take it back to the basics of livebait fishing for some real fun. I would never compare my fishing day with someone fishing artificials next to me, but I still chalk it up as a good outing.

I think every now and then we should all leave the planos at home, go out with a couple rods rigged with some float rigs, and see what a REAL good bass fishing day is. There is a difference between a good day of bass fishing, and a good tournament limit. I think we all started fishing because it was fun, we found it exciting, and we liked being one with the outdoors. Once in awhile we need to take it back to the simpler times. For get about buring spinnerbaits, pitching jigs, and walkin' topwaters. Just toss out a minnow under a bobber and wait for that big bass to chase down dinner.

I personally love feeling that un expected strike when working a lure. But there is nothing like watching a bobber dance on the top of the water as a bass chases down your bait.

Just my advice, use circle hooks when fishing live bait, this should lead to less gut hooking since fish tend to hook themselves. And the circle hook is made to easily come back out the fishes throat and stick the jaw if swallowed. Plus since the hook point is turned in a slight bit, I would venture to say snaggs of logs and vegetation would be less frequent.

[Del from philly]

well said my friend, i liek the way you wrote that

but i hate live bait, and would never go back

maybe craw fish, iv never fished them before

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

Guess that makes me odd man out, I fish live bait extensively.

"I like fishing, but I like catching better!"

[George Welcome]

"Even though true bass anglers find it hard to even think about using shiners or crawlers, sometimes it's what is best."

I absolutely agree with the last four words in the above statement, but I totally disagree with everything before the comma. What the heck is a true bass angler?

By the way: the Kahle hook is a better choice than circle hooks if you are talking LM Bass.

As stated above, catching is just a lot of fun.

[Tokyo Tony]

I think what he meant to say was "the purist bass angler".  The purists don't use bait.  I don't use bait, but it's not because I'm a purist.  It's just kind of a hassle for me and I'm just too lazy to use it.  That's the main reason I don't use it, but another lesser reason is because I'd rather catch a bass on an artificial.

[Tokyo Tony]

Also, I forgot to mention, a great deal of the time artificials are more effective than shiners.  When I was younger I was fishing side-by-side with a friend of mine who was using shiners, and I was using senkos.  Within two hours he gave up on the shiners and was catching more fish on the senkos.  Live bait can definitely be more effective than artificials also - just another technique in the bass fisherman's arsenal.  I just don't use it because it's a hassle.

[WRB]

The value of big bass to the bass fishing sport is almost impossible to calculate becuase they are so important. Every fisherman or fisherwomen dreams of catching bigger fish, it's a basic goal for all of us.

Using live bait puts a strain on smaller lakes with big bass populations, regardless of C & R. Most fisherman keep their biggest fish for mounting, even though plastic replica is readily availble. The big bass may be eventually released after extensive handling, showing off to freinds and photgraphing, ending up as post mortality death.

The only issue I personally have with fishing big live golden shiners is they target big bass, usually a guide fishing for clients. Fishing live bait anywhere during pre-spawn and spawn should be outlawed IMO.

I agree that bass are a renewable resource and should be selectively harvested if the populations need to be controlled. Remember every big bass taken out of a lake is one bass that the other bass fisherman will never catch using lures or bait. Our sport should recognize that bait fishing with large bait fish is killing their most valuable resource...big bass.

WRB

[George Welcome]

""the purist bass angler". Again, I would ask what the heck is a "purist bass angler" Either way it's absurd.

"Using live bait puts a strain on smaller lakes with big bass populations, regardless of C & R. Most fisherman keep their biggest fish for mounting, even though plastic replica is readily availble. The big bass may be eventually released after extensive handling, showing off to freinds and photgraphing, ending up as post mortality death.

The only issue I personally have with fishing big live golden shiners is they target big bass, usually a guide fishing for clients. Fishing live bait anywhere during pre-spawn and spawn should be outlawed IMO.

Our sport should recognize that bait fishing with large bait fish is killing their most valuable resource...big bass. Fishing live bait anywhere during pre-spawn and spawn should be outlawed IMO.  

WRB"

Everyone of the above statements are inaccurate and grossly incorrect. Everyone that fishes is targeting the opportunity to catch a big bass, whether with artificial or live means. You apparently never take a picture of a fish or show it to your friends, but that action in no way is going to contribute to the death of a bass unless one gets rediculous. You apparently don't like guides or their clients. Most guides including myself use shiners at the customers request, not ours. Live bait does not kill bass. Mis-handling does. Not learning how to properly remove a hook kills fish. Each state has a division of natural resources and it is by their recommendation using knowledge from those that actually study bass as to open or closed seasons. Perhaps you might endeavor to talk with your local DNR to discover why they make the decision of closed or open seasons. :-?

"just another technique in the bass fisherman's arsenal. " that's a statement of absolute accuracy!!!!

[Davis]

Hmm...

Guess that makes me odd man out, I fish live bait extensively.

"I like fishing, but I like catching better!"

Crawlers do great for me with some split shot 12" ahead and draggin them on the bottom of the creek.

Smallies love em!

[roadwarrior]

The value of big bass to the bass fishing sport is almost impossible to calculate becuase they are so important. Every fisherman or fisherwomen dreams of catching bigger fish, it's a basic goal for all of us.

Using live bait puts a strain on smaller lakes with big bass populations, regardless of C & R. Most fisherman keep their biggest fish for mounting, even though plastic replica is readily availble. The big bass may be eventually released after extensive handling, showing off to freinds and photgraphing, ending up as post mortality death.

The only issue I personally have with fishing big live golden shiners is they target big bass, usually a guide fishing for clients. Fishing live bait anywhere during pre-spawn and spawn should be outlawed IMO.

I agree that bass are a renewable resource and should be selectively harvested if the populations need to be controlled. Remember every big bass taken out of a lake is one bass that the other bass fisherman will never catch using lures or bait. Our sport should recognize that bait fishing with large bait fish is killing their most valuable resource...big bass.

WRB

Well, George has addressed the major issues here.

If you are "REALLY" interstested in protecting the reproductive process, outlaw ALL tournament fishing, pre-spawn and spawn.

There is no evidence that any of this impacts the health or general population of big bass. Most fishermen can't catch big bass and those that can tend to be catch & release guys, anyhow. Regarding guides, they have a lot of lattitude when fishing any client. It's VERY unlikely that they will put anyone on their biggest bass if it's someone who intends on keeping the fish. George Welcome's guide service states up-front and quite clearly: CATCH & RELEASE ONLY!

[Guest avid]

Man, is this a bass forum?

I thought I had morphed over to trout unlimited.  Y'know the guys who wear tweed and smoke pipes while whipping a $1,000 sage rod and get all excited about catching a 7" stocked rainbow, while scorning the guy who routinely catches 2 lb LMB or should I say "coarse" fish.

There are no purist bass fisherman.

There is a proud tradition of using live shiners to catch all sizes of LMB's

There is no definitive evidence that I'm aware of showing that catching and releasing the largest bass in the system impacts that system one way or the other.

Follow the rules as set out by your state fish and game authority.

They are the experts.  They are paid to keep the resource productive while making it available to the taxpayers.

In Florida we have closed seasons, size limits, slot limits, must release unharmed and a host of other regulatory remedies that are routinely employed by F&W.  

If they say it's ok, then it's ok

If they say don't do it then don't do it.

If you think they are out of step with a particular species or body of water, call them.

avid has spoken  

[.dsaavedra.]

Man, is this a bass forum?

I thought I had morphed over to trout unlimited. Y'know the guys who wear tweed and smoke pipes while whipping a $1,000 sage rod and get all excited about catching a 7" stocked rainbow, while scorning the guy who routinely catches 2 lb LMB or should I say "coarse" fish.

There are no purist bass fisherman.

There is a proud tradition of using live shiners to catch all sizes of LMB's

There is no definitive evidence that I'm aware of showing that catching and releasing the largest bass in the system impacts that system one way or the other.

Follow the rules as set out by your state fish and game authority.

They are the experts. They are paid to keep the resource productive while making it available to the taxpayers.

In Florida we have closed seasons, size limits, slot limits, must release unharmed and a host of other regulatory remedies that are routinely employed by F&W.

If they say it's ok, then it's ok

If they say don't do it then don't do it.

If you think they are out of step with a particular species or body of water, call them.

avid has spoken

good job. well put.

[bass109]

it good to use the native forage. This is what the minnows look like were i fish.

[bass109]

another pic different fish

[MALTESE FALCON]

I have five tackle bags filled with artificial baits, but there days when I enjoy getting some large golden shiners or spottail minnows and having a more relaxing day of fishing. I have absolutely no problem with ethics or whatever you want to call it. Many of my 6# plus smallies have come on live shiners and I don't feel any less a fisherman than when I catch them on artificials.

I've stated before, when my Baja leaves my seawall I want to catch fish, if it takes live bait to do it, so be it.

Falcon