Using Live Bait for Smallies

[Bass Afishinado]

Ok. I have no qualms with using live bait in order to catch smallies - however it must be acknowledged that it is lower on the evolutionary scale of bass fishing skill - very low - I'm talking amoeba stage. Now if one is just desperate to catch a smallie because he/she lacks the necessary skill, patience, and knowledge in order to land a bronze back then of course live bait is the way to go. And not to mention live bait does seem to diminish the sense of sportsmanship, and internal pride that one receives after knowing that he/she has deceived the bass into biting a lure that the fisherman presented with skill, color selection, patience, and creativity. Here endeth the rant.  Agree or disagree?

[RandySBreth]

It still takes some basic knowledge to locate fish in a larger body of water before you toss out a minnow under a bobber, so I'm going to have to disagree. And with the newer products like Gulp! artificial lures that are tournament legal aren't exactly a blob of lifeless plastic anymore. In fact, for inexperienced people I take Smallie fishing in my local rivers I usually set them up with a simple split-shot rig "baited" with a Gulp! Leech or Minnow instead of live bait. Easier to mess with, keeps better, etc.

[roadwarrior]

Use what you like. Situations and conditions generally

dictate the best approach. "Fishin's" fine, but "catchin's"

a lot more fun!

Some of BassResource.com's best fishermen use

live bait occasionally. To disparage guys that choose

that option is rather naive. For those skilled in

live bait presentations, there's a little more to it

than fishing a worm under a bobber. As Rick Clunn

has stated, "Bass are easy to catch. The challenge

is finding them."

8-)

[chromedog]

Not everyone fishes the same way or for the same reason and I find it pretty ignorant to make blanket statements like:

"however it must be acknowledged that it is lower on the evolutionary scale of bass fishing skill - very low - I'm talking amoeba stage. Now if one is just desperate to catch a smallie because he/she lacks the necessary skill, patience, and knowledge in order to land a bronze back then of course live bait is the way to go. And not to mention live bait does seem to diminish the sense of sportsmanship, and internal pride that one receives after knowing that he/she has deceived the bass into biting a lure that the fisherman presented with skill, color selection, patience, and creativity."

Fish what and how you want to, what makes you happy and makes your fishing trips enjoyable. Who cares about anything else.

[riverfisher]

I have to say I disagree. If your not fishing in a tournament why would that bother you?

[obnascar]

Ooouch.....ignorant is a very harsh word !!!

[smashingsmallies]

Many around me have asked why I don't use live bait and I reply every time "using live bait is too much like cheatin' for me".  If you know the basic locations of a bass, live bait will smoke 'em if you use it, PERIOD.  I used to use live bait and I'm tellin' ya, live bait just out fishes artificial with ease.  There is no bass that can or will refuse a big fat leech on a bobber next to the pads or other cover--again, no bass will refuse this, even on beds. 

Is fishing live bait wrong?  Heck no and I've got no problem what-so-ever with anyone using live bait.  Hey, whatever makes your bobber go down, right?  And if kids are involved, live bait is the ONLY way to fish to keep them interested when their that 4, 5, 6, 7 yr plus age.

Scented lures have been available for years and I've used them since their conception.  I see Berkely is really on the cutting edge with their bait and it is definately about as close as you can get to live bait without being live.  Just incredible.  I haven't graduated to that level...yet, I suppose.  That almost seems like cheatin' but I'm not sure on that yet.  Fish how ya wanna fish and just have fun catching fish--screw what anyone else thinks.  Fish on.  John.

[new2BC4bass]

"Fishin's" fine, but "catchin's" a lot more fun!

x1000

Amen brother.  You got that right.

[mikeeyyd]

while i dont fish live bait more then once a year i dont have any qualms with those who do, as mentioned not every live bait fisherman throws out a minnow under a float. there are some very in depth means of using live bait to target large fish

when i feel the urge to target large fish i have bought 8-12 inch trout to get the job done.

personally i find targeting large fish with these live baits to involve more technique and approach then throwing a topwater frog through lily pads or slinging a senko

i find nothing wrong with any manner that people fish as long as its lawful, but to believe that live bait fishing is nothing more then just throwing a minnow under a float is naive

[WanderLust]

Last year my son nabbed a 4.5 pound smallie on a nightcrawler... Here I am throwing a $14 LC.

I just prefer lures; for me its a personal choice.

I love fishing minnows, crawlers and frogs with my sons though. Although that more mentor, teacher type thing than fishing. It still beats work, any day of the week.

Did I mention I'm rocking 10.5 inches of snow right now What the hell! Suppose to be 80's this weekend. Gotta love NE.