Maybe time to try live bait?

[Slyster]

I wonder.. is fall the time to switch to live bait? I am almost exclusively a lure/plastic guy... but with the lack of fish lately.. and watching a "fall fishing" Lindner's on TV.. I wonder if live bait would catch more Bass in October?

Comments?

In a way I hate to switch.. I love lures and plastics... no stop at the bait shop and trying to keep things alive.. and besides.. I don't know how to rig up live bait since I've never use them yet.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sly- you can try the live bait thing. I myself, do not for largies. Becuase of different lake depths, clarity and other factors. Different lakes will hit the good bites at different times. Which is what is so awesome about minnesota. In southern lakes, when a lake shuts down, the lake shuts down. Here in MN, some lakes are in a small shutdown mode for largies, while others are producing some of the best fishing of the year. This is the time of the year to get out and try new lakes. No offence Sly, but you seem to have one lake you get stuck on! Venture out, try some new water.

[Slyster]

Yep your right! I am too stuck on one lake.. .. my problem is I'm not sure where else to go. I might give Bald Eagle a try.. topwaters sound like they are nabbing a few. I tried gervais chain.. never much there for me.. tried Phalen (last summer) a few times.. just a few pike.. and I don't want to drive further than 20 mins.. Spoiled.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I hate to tell you this SLy.. but if you were willing to drive a bit.. you would be also spoiled. The chisago chain is really only about a 30 min drive from WBL.. maybe 35 mins.. Bald has some fish too, give it a try. I have done quite well on bald a few times.

[Daze Off]

Only time I go to live bait (Creek Chubs) is for smallies in the Rum River in late October/Early November - if I'm going to brave lousy cold weather I want to catch some fish....LOL

I guess the other exception is when I fish for those "other" fish that taste so good on the plate....'Course that is also the only time I drink beer in the boat...<g>

Daze Off

[Bobby Bass]

How can you only limit yourself to water 20 minutes from home when you live in MN? I can understand the Dakota's where everyone knows the name of all 5 lakes but MN ? Gee break the chain and get out a little..

[HawgTide]

IMO, Live bait is like hunting in a baited field, like watching paint dry. If you are fishing for food or trying to show a kid some fun, then it's the way to go, but for me it's just not very sporty. Since it sounds like you are exclusively artificial lures only, you'll probably get bored pretty fast with the live bait. Bring some beer, maybe a crossword puzzle...

I'm not trying to start a war with the Live bait fishermen. You have every right to fish with live bait and eat your 6 Bass a day.

[Maximum12]

Sly, it's worth a try. I hardly use live bait at all in the summer, but it was the only thing that did the trick one cold & rainy weekend up near Brainerd for bass this spring. But I agree, it's boring, I'd rather run & gun & throw! It's only fun when they're hitting quickly.

If you live-bait fish for bass, set the hook quick. If you give them even a couple of seconds they'll suck it in deep. But then again I like the taste of bass once or twice a summer.

[nbdyknws]

Sly, the fun in fishing is figuring out new lakes and new techniques. Actually check the posts in the metro forum and search them out. I am not going to name lakes incase a few people who do fish them get mad I posted a few. But lets just say there are probably 50 lakes within 20 minutes of you that hold bass. Check the dnr site and search up the lakes, head out on one and just goof around. I fish White Bear Lake enough, and it is not one of the best bass lakes in this area.

And to answer your ? I would say no on the live bait. I would go with topwaters, definitely near dark. The spinners should be going good also. I was out on WBL just for alittle while the other day and caught alot of fish for the time I was out there. You will find Bald Eagle to be just as tough, if not tougher for bass.

[musky hunter]

I've been catching smallies on a jig and minnow in the St. Louis River ALL season long, and last week was no exception. A week and a half ago I spent an hour baiting hooks, netting fish and positioning the boat for my sister and nephew, the action was so fast that I put my rod down and the typical bass was between 16 and 19". I haven't been out since we had all this pouring rain but I will believe the pattern has ended when I stop catching smallies and only when that happens. By the way, I also have caught them on stick baits and plastics and honestly couldn't say one is better than the other.