Live bait vs. Artificials

[basspilot]

I find this one topic that is often debated amongst fisherman, but personally I know i prefer to throw artificials. What I find funny is that when I've literally thrown everything in my arsenal and the second I throw on a shiner or herring the whole ballgame changes. Lets hear your guys comments on this one.

[flatcreek]

I like to fish with bait, I'm not sure why I just do. I buy artificals thinking I'm going to use them, but very seldom do. Even when others are using them and catching fish.

[Lard Almighty]

Live bait almost always catches more fish. But artificials are way more fun to fish.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Some people like to bait n wait. Some like to keep it moving, use lures, jig, troll, plug, worm. Im a BIG fan of my lure selection, love using all of em. But right now if I was heading to the trout stream I would use nothing but nite crawlers. Drift the worm into the fish with the smallest amount of weight and, BLAMMMO, you got 2 limits of nice fish on a 2.50 cent container of worms. Herring, Blah! Shiners, Blah, only use em for ice fishing.

[acabtp]

Everything has its place, some days a lure is the right tool for the job and some days bait is. I use both, though I do use lures probably 10-20x more often than bait

[Bergen Angler]

An Ol' "wise" bass angler once told me that "real" bass angler does not use live baits.. Told me not to go over to the dark side. Since then, I have been just using artificial lures. At my lake, night crawler folks catch white, yellow perch and cat fish. I rarely see them catching any bass with night crawlers.

[MaCe1]

In fresh water it's lures unless I'm fishing for carp, or trout on opening day since I go to local lake rather than stand elbow to elbow on a stream. Then it's bait- but not live bait. I kayak fish or walk around on shore, which is why I prefer lures.

[flatcreek]

Even though I seem to be a bait fisherman. I would like make note of the fact that with lures the fish don t seem to get hooked deep, allowing an easier safer release.

[Moz]

For bass and panfish I only use lures.

Trout and smallies in the rivers I only use lures.

Trout on the lake I'll have one or 2 rods with PowerWait or a M&M out while I use lures on another rod.

Trout on the lake when it's ballz cold outside I'll use shiners, mainly because it's easy and I can keep my hands in my gloves and just enjoy being out in the winter.

I don't think there is a right or wrong choice, just what people individually like to use.

[AndyS]

Always a great topic - but look at this weather !!! I say open this up again when the sleet is coming down sideways in January.