anyone live bait for bass anymore?

[bgreen82]

so many posts on here are about lures and plastics and the like. the last time i specifically targeted bass i tried many different things that people had said were working at the time, but caught the 2 bass, along with some nice sunfish, on crappie minnows. how often do people fish with bait nowadays?

[Slyster]

Haven't tried live.. ever! So I'm interested in hearing what people have to say about this topic. I have heard that plastics (and other lures) out perform live bait but what do I know?

[lotsofish]

I don't use live bait for bass either. Bass will take nearly everything. I've caught them in the past on nightcrawlers, minnows and leeches. It's hard to target just bass when you are using live bait.

[Bobby Bass]

Live frogs, with a circle hook. Soon the frogs will be out in force and if you are lucky enough to be fishing live frogs in the fall during migration it can make you some Kodak moments.

[Slyster]

Can you even buy live frogs? I've never see them except at PetCo for like $10.00 each.

[fishin789]

Years ago we were fishing for walleye with leaches and nothing biting so we cast our bobbers around a dock to see if we could catch a bass. We pulled 6 bass out from that dock. they were all around 3 lbs. that was a blast.

[polarsusd81]

If I were to try fishing live bait for bass, it would be a large shiner under a bobber on the outside weed edge probably 3 feet or so from the bottom. It may catch a variety of fish so it wouldn't only be for bass. My grandpa used to fish them with nothing but live bait all his life down south and that is generally what he did.

[Daze Off]

I've never fished for largemouth with live bait but have caught some little ones on crappie minnows when panfishing. I do fish for smallies in the late, late fall (Nov/Dec) with large chubs though I have even reduced that in recent years as I have found certain plastics that work at that time.

Have heard many walleye guys complaining about not being able to keep the bass off their baits and it usually gives me a good spot for plastics.

Daze Off

[neb.fish]

If you guys haven't fished with frogs or salamanders for Bass then you don't know what you are missing. Sunset and later seem to be the best time for this, just hook the frog in the foot, throw it out let him swim around and eventually you will see your line moving horizontaly. They won't just hit it but they'll take the frog, munch on him for awhile and then swallow it. You just have to be patient enough. A friend of my Dad's use to use salamanders when he could find someone who still sells them in the fall. Salamanders are Bass's natural enemy because they eat Bass eggs. So even if they aren't feeding they will go after a salamander. But we've murdered the Bass on them when we can get them.

[RK]

Hiya -

I use live bait at times, for sure. If I can I catch them on artificials I will, just because it's more convenient, but if that ain't workin'... When a bad cold front has knocked the smallies for a loop, there's not much that works better than a big mudflap leech. Put 'em on a jighead, drop shot, or under a slip bobber. As someone else mentioned, a big chub can work great for smallies in the fall too. For largemouths, a fathead on a split shot rig is a good cold front technique too. If you want to catch some *big* largemouths in October and November, put a big redtail chub on a 1/2 oz single spin and slow roll it over a weed flat...

I think part of the tendency to either ignore or outright frown on live bait for bass is that it isn't allowed in tournaments. I think we sometimes get WAY too hung up on what tournament anglers do or don't do. If you aren't in a tournament, who cares? I'd rather catch them than not. I troll for bass too. Trolling cranks and minnow baits can be an awesome way to catch smallies when they go out to sea in mid summer. I do planer boards and the whole bit sometimes. Believe it or not, slow trolling a jigworm can be better yet. You sure don't see guys trolling for bass too often, but in tournaments where it's allowed (some of the smallmouth tournaments on the Great Lakes and in Canada), guess what the winners are doing a lot of the time?

Don't mean to go off on a total tangent, but the bottom line for me is, if I think it's the best way to catch fish, break out the bait. They aren't any less fun to catch because they bit a leech rather than a plastic worm...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I dont do it mainly because off the hassle and in most cases I think artificail baits are more effective for bass. Its a hassle to go out of the way to buy bait if you dont already have it. Then you have to keep it alive. I think its more effective to fish artificials because I can cover more water which means presenting my lure to more fish which means a chance at catching more fish. Plus, like others said when you fish livebait you tend to get more of a mixed bag. Also, as with any species fishing with livebait can increase the chance of badly hooked fish and lower chance of survival and many bass guys intend to release all their catch and dont want to release a dying fish.

[EBass]

Only for smallies in the fall and that's if I can't muster anything on plastics.

[Fever]

Because of they're willingness to bite and hit most things that really don't look like any type of food, I don't think live bait is even really needed unless it's extreme cold front conditions. Even then live bait isn't really needed. To easy to deep hook and kill. Also way to easy to accidentally catch northerns,muskies, walleyes, panfish, dogfish, turtles.... etc. etc. I don't like using bobbers unless the water is hard & the only time I usually buy bait is during the ice fishing season. I have accidentally caught bass while targeting crappies using waxies or crappie minnows.

[Bobby Bass]

From time to time here I will see a thread that makes me pull out my peach crate, step up and make a statement or two. This is one of those times.

As soon as I saw someone question the use of live bait and I knew there would be answers in regards to fish mortality and the exclusive use of artificial lures. There would be statements made that bass are so easy to catch why would one have to use live bait and also the fact that there would be a very good chance that you could catch an unwanted fish like northern or crappie or walleye. I have never heard anyone say that fishing was not started as a means to gather food to feed the clan. Some gathers were better then others, to this day some gathers will always be better then others. I see nothing wrong with using live bait to catch bass why should it be any different to catch bass with live bait when it is common for fishing walleyes or pan fish. Yes, some fish die from being deep hooked using live bait, very many of those fish find there way to the table.

As one grows with years and means it is a little easier to have several rods and several tackle boxes and a proper boats to go to the fish. When just starting out a rod or two may be all that one can afford and fishing from a shore line or dock limits ones presentations. Bring in the kid factor and we can all agree I hope that having young ones catch fish and having fun is an important first step in creating the love of fishing that will be with them forever.

I find it difficult at best to teach a five year old how to toss and retrieve a buzz bait, They are just to short. However a bobber and worm makes an excellent visual to get them into and keeping them into fishing. 99% of the time I am throwing artificial. But that 1% of the time is a great time for using live bait. I must have friends doing it as every bait shop I go to I hear the sound of bubbling tanks and see refrigerators with crawlers. For those of you who choose to fish plastics that is your choice. Just as it is the choice for others to use live bait and take the chance that something will pull there bobber down. I think a lot of people are hung up on sport fishing. Can it be that it is sport fishing is when you no longer need to gather food for the table? I have always enjoyed a good meal of fish and in my 54 years I have yet to buy it in a restaurant Guess I will always be a gatherer..

In closing I think fishing is what ever you make of it, some for gathering food for the table, Some for the challenge, others for a reason to get away from it all. Some to share time with family and friends. And still others to feel that tap on the line and I think everyone can remember seeing a bobber going down.

This post is directed at no one, just my thoughts.

[Craigums]

And in following....Do many people even eat largemouth bass? Do they taste just like other fish or no? How do you prepare them?

[william wallace]

I have had good luck with smelt bobber fishing. Obviously they are dead but they really seem to work. You never know what you are going to get when the bobber splashes below the water.

[danwilliams]

great post Bobby.....I'm lookin at it from 60 years. Those bass my 10 year old Grand daughter catches on crawlers..they're the best.

[polarsusd81]

Occasionally I will eat a bass, but generally it is only when it is hooked and most likely wont live. Everyone that fishes, knows that once in a while a fish will take one to the gullet or the gills, and if the bass I caught that is pouring blood is not in a protected slot, I will keep it and clean it. The flesh of a bass is a little stiffer than walleye or perch. I think it is very similar to panfish in the tenderness of the flesh. Many people may criticize me for keeping a bass or two, but I won't let it bother me in the least bit. I enjoy eating fish and I would say 99% of the bass I catch are released. Personally I have hooked more fish in the throat or gills with a big ol' crankbait than a hook with a leech or minnow on it.

[MN Shutterbug]

Quote:

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And in following....Do many people even eat largemouth bass? Do they taste just like other fish or no? How do you prepare them?

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I, for one, occasionally keep a couple for the table. I just learned that soaking the fillets in milk overnight really improves the flavor. I then fry them in beer batter.

[cableguy031]

I have not used live bait for bass at all this season due to the fact that it's been hot. It's difficult to maintain live bait when the water is warm. I've been sticking with artificial bait so far but I'm gonna change to live bait again once the water turns over.

I used to keep LMB to eat here and there, just enough for 2 people for several meals. I do deep fry and I've tried bass on the grill, both were rather good depending on how you seasoned it. It's not so bad but I do have to say walleye are better than bass.

[andrew chadwick]

I wont waste my money on bait for mudfish- Dont get me wrong, I love fishing bass, But I only use artificials when specificaly targeting them. Not to say I dont catch them fishing for eyes on live bait. Actualy, at times (like right now) I cant keep those buggers off my line when lindying in 20 FOW. If bass wont take artificial bait I figure I am doing one of three things wrong- Fishing the wrong location, using the wrong lure, or they simply are turned off. Rarely do I go out bassing and not catch fish. I will tell you though, If I was going to die if I didnt catch a bass that day I would grab a jumbo leech, right after the senco, fatrap, red spinnerbait, and Tournament frog