Fishing With Live Blue Gill

[bass or bass ?]

I only use live sunfish for flathead catfish bait at night.

[roadwarrior]

I find leprosy more appealing than bait fishing for bass. I caught my first fish on a flatfish when i was about 6 or 7, a pike that seemed like it was 10 feet long, I'm sure it was more like 10 inches, lol...............I've been the one hooked on casting ever since.

I think you already made your point...We got it...You don't like fishing for bass.

Live bait is challenging, ask Fish Chris. The fact that you may catch better fish

is a bonus. I like "fishing", but I like "catching" a lot more. I fish for largemouth

almost exclusively with lures, but have no problem with live bait. When it comes

to trophy smallmouth on the Tennessee River, minnows rule!

[Hyrule Bass]

I think you already made your point...We got it...You don't like fishing for bass.

Live bait is challenging, ask Fish Chris. The fact that you may catch better fish

is a bonus. I like "fishing", but I like "catching" a lot more. I fish for largemouth

almost exclusively with lures, but have no problem with live bait. When it comes

to trophy smallmouth on the Tennessee River, minnows rule!

the way i see it, i dont know why someone would want to limit themselves. i enjoy live bait fishing just as much as artificial if not more. and it certainly can be challenging, ive seen days where bluegills wouldnt even hit night crawlers...

[NoBassPro]

I've used live bluegills on tip ups while ice fishing. The goal is a big pike, but have got some real nice bass as well. As others have said, size seems to be key, and the 4" range has worked best for me for both bass and pike. I don't use them during the open water season, but looking for a flag while jigging for eating size gills is something I enjoy.

[SirSnookalot]

I think you already made your point...We got it...You don't like fishing for bass.

Live bait is challenging, ask Fish Chris. The fact that you may catch better fish

is a bonus. I like "fishing", but I like "catching" a lot more. I fish for largemouth

almost exclusively with lures, but have no problem with live bait. When it comes

to trophy smallmouth on the Tennessee River, minnows rule!

Wrong !

I enjoy fishing for bass ( I bass fish almost everyday) as well as many other species. I do not care to use live bait for anything other than pelagic fish, and I really prefer trolling for them.

Once in a while when the bite is slow I'll soak a bait, fishing does become incredibly easier. I prefer sight casting over anything else.

[0119]

JoePhish, dont forget here in Fl. using a rod and reel to catch bream for bait is the law. No sunfish caught by a net can be posessed or used for bait. Ive always tried to stick with smallish bream like just palm sized. Like the 'silver dollars' we catch for snook in salt. Bass viciously attack tiny mayan chiclads and baby tilapia too.

[Fish Chris]

Of course you guys know where I stand. I just love catching fish. Big fish. Of whatever species. And to that end, I use whatever works. As long as it's legal, it's all good.

I think a lot of people place so many restrictions / rules on their fishing, that they restrict themselves right out of catching the fish of a lifetime...... when it was right there within a casts distance how ever many times.

What's funny (and I know I always say this, right ?) is in how many different fishing situations artificial lures make it easier to catch my fish. Uhhh... okay. Then that's what I'm going to use.

Conversely, the Stripers right here in my immediate area, are pretty much live bait only... at least this year, so far. Those Huge Red Ear sunfish... forget jigs. I tried them. Those things wanted mini-crawlers !

So, if I didn't have a problem with these two types of live bait fishing, why the heck would I care if it were a bass instead ? A fish is a fish.

Peace,

Fish

PS, I just saw this >

No interest in baiting and waiting.

.....and it made me think, "Hmmm. That's interesting. I fish live bait about as actively as I do artificials. Maybe that's been at least part of my success with live bait ?

[SirSnookalot]

I'm not against live bait, except for me when fishing freshwater or inshore fishing. I've used it and frankly it isn't as much fun for me, the strikes aren't as vicious and time in and time out I've caught fish much faster, often times much bigger. Only my opinion but I find both freshwater and inshore fishing so similar ( similar in regards to equipment, lures, and techniques) that I lump them into one category. A bass fisherman could easily catch inshore species and an inshore fisherman could do the same with bass, I fish both venues nearly everyday and do it pretty much the same way.

I'm a sight caster, at least that's my preferred method, I'll walk the beach sometimes for a mile or 2 and then back again and maybe make a cast only every 50 or 75 yds, I'm looking for bait, fins, birds, I don't like casting into empty water. I do much of the same when walking the canals or ponds for bass. Bait is not conducive for fishing this way. When it comes to catching good sized fish, I guess I do alright at it.

[Fish Chris]

time in and time out I've caught fish much faster, often times much bigger.

......and you have a problem with this ?

Regardless of my bait or lure, I can't really remember a time when I was catching "too many, or too big of fish" and this just ruined the whole trip LOL

Fish

[SirSnookalot]

......and you have a problem with this ?

Regardless of my bait or lure, I can't really remember a time when I was catching "too many, or too big of fish" and this just ruined the whole trip LOL

Fish

I suppose if I had much less time to fish I may resort to other tactics to catch them. Being able to go out everyday I can fish the way I like to and for me that's artificial. Offshore is another story and I don't enjoy it as much, even though the fish are much bigger. If I had the right water available to me I'd be doing a lot more fly fishing.

[deep]

Sir Snook, you probably enjoy catching a 5 lb bass on an ultralight rod much more than catching a 15 lb-er pitching a jig with a broomstick rod or whatever. I don't think anyone has any problem with that. But I also think you should try to understand that some people like to catch a boatload of dinks, some like to catch a few big bass on artificials, some others want to catch the biggest bass in the lake, whether it's on a swimbait or on a nightcrawler. For some it's the fight, and for others it's using the technique that gives them the best shot at a really big fish. There's no right or wrong in either outlook. It's all about what you enjoy doing the most.

Peace,

[SirSnookalot]

I agree deep, to each their own, bait just isn't for me whether it be freshwater or inshore fishing. As I stated on another thread I categorize my inshore fishing with freshwater fishing as equipment, lures and techniques are pretty much the same. If one can fish one venue they certainly can do the other.

I never caught a 15# bass, but I've caught hundreds of 15# and larger fish. I don't trophy hunt, I just fish to enjoy myself. A 15# pound fish is a 15 pound fish to me no matter what the species is, I don't worship one species over another, for me it's all about catching fish with a strong pair of shoulders. Given the choice I'd just as soon catch a large " trash" fish (I just hate that term) than what some other people think as game or trophy fish. Examples would be Goose"s and 00 mod's nice carp they caught, those are powerful fish, again that's just the way i view it.

When I do catch a good fish and post a pic, I leave my gps coordinates on so other people know where to catch them and when I just post without a pic often times I announce where I catch them, I never hoard spots, I'm happy if others catch them too.

[Fish Chris]

Deep, great post ! Whatever floats your boat, right ?

Peace,

Fish