Live/Natural Bait v Artificial Lures

[BarryBobPosthole]

There is a definite personal bias, in one direction or the other about what is kosher to catch fish on, attract ducks with, hunt deer with. It’s more than just a preference. Its a belief with real fishermen or hunters.

I don’t know this for sure, but Id be willing to bet you that you wouldn’t catch Big Sky impaling corn kernals or redworms on a gold hook to catch those trout he chases. Or even a sculpin probably. And you could catch them on those things too.

I’ve never understood why its okay to thread a live crawdad on a hook to catch a bass but considered immoral to plant and brush hog a cornfield to attract mallards. Isn’t it the same? Sure, there are some of those laws meant to protect from having animals congregate at baitpiles and passing on bad diseases, but for the most part our preferences for live vs artificial are fair chase ideas we might have.

I grew up listening to dog races with deer in Arkansas where its perfectly legal. In Oklahoma they look at you like a brahma bull looks at a white faced calf. Dogs are perfectly natural and even considered beautiful working over coveys of birds. But deer?

When those motorized duck decoys first came out people were slaying ducks over them. Some states made them illegal. The ducks eventually got educated, like they always do. But is it unfair?

[The list goes on and on. Some people, who shall remain nameless but their initials are TA, even advocate road hunting.
Oh the humanity!

BKB

[Hombre]

It's generally a good idea to follow the hunting laws, albeit, I think some are grey areas . When we get into the ethical hunting discussion (beyond laws) I think its a really slippery slope. I try not to judge others fishing, hunting, or chase styles, hunting doesn't need another person judging the ethics of it.....there are plenty of PETA representatives for that.

[BarryBobPosthole]

It wasn’t your initials I put there for road hunting! But.....

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

You make a good point about PETA though.

BKB

[Big Skyz]

The rainbows I catch are all caught on artificials only. This is because the lake I catch them in is an artificials only lake. No bait, no scents, no nuttion just flies and lures are allowed. In bodies of water where bait is legal I will sometimes tip a jig with a piece of night crawler, sucker meat, or shrimp if I think it will give me an edge. However most of the time don't use bait just because I don't like to deal with the mess and smell.

As for road hunting...how else am I going to get all you old farts on deer that came out to Montana to hunt? There's a lot of miles between critters in that state that most y'all aren't willing to hike.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Just a curiosity question but is it more or less ‘sporting’ to use live bait?

BKB

[Big Skyz]

Ive had days where using live bait made zero difference and other days the bite was better with it. So who knows for sure? Day to day live bait is likely an advantage. On the main lake I fish we have some pretty incredible days using artificial flies. When there is a good bug hatch going on the action is unreal and almost should be considered illegal. On those days you can chuck all the worms and powerbait you want at them and they will ignore it because they are so focused on midges or dry flies. Pretty hard to compete with Mother Nature when she sets out their preferred buffet.

[quercus alba]

I don't know about all the other states but Arkansas wildlife rules are not about what's best for the game or the hunter but rather a revenue making device. Steel shot for example, I talked with a state biologist who told me that he'd autopsied a couple hundred ducks and the only ones that died of lead poisoning had it injected into their system at about 1100 fps. Even if lead poisoning is a danger you lose waaaaaaaaaay more ducks crippled with steel shot.

The 3 point rule is another. There's plenty of data out there to show that spikes are genetically inferior and need to be removed from the herd but the state makes a lot of money in fines for shooting illegal bucks. And don't even get me started on duck and turkey hunting.

Common sense tells you that hunting an oak flat loaded with acorns is the same principle as a food plot or a corn pile. Live bait vs artificial is the same thing in my mind, you're enticing the fish to feed either way.

I despise hypocrisy

[BarryBobPosthole]

Well I agree with you on the part about steel shot Bismuth is more expensive but is a good alternative. The lead poisoning thing is real on the human end. We’ve prolly all eaten more lead shot than normal humans and the result, well it speaks for itself don’t it?

I think the reason I fish 99% of the time with artificials only is I like the idea of fooling them. And although they have teeny tiny brains, they have the advantage of consumiung less lead, so you have to learn techniques with artificials to provoke a strike. A minner or worm, that’s like putting a hamburger on the table. Not much presentation skill required there.

I remember how tickled Larke would get at fooling a tom turkey. It didn’t matter where. I think his call went with him in his shirt pocket everywhere he went.

BKB

[Thumper]

Should wimmins be allowed to entice us guys with fake boobs, or should only “au naturel” be allowed?

Also asking for a friend.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Artificials will trigger a reaction strike!

And like a smart guy I knew once said ‘If I can touch ‘em they’re real’.

BKB

[Chicken Dinner]

I don't know about all the other states but Arkansas wildlife rules are not about what's best for the game or the hunter but rather a revenue making device. Steel shot for example, I talked with a state biologist who told me that he'd autopsied a couple hundred ducks and the only ones that died of lead poisoning had it injected into their system at about 1100 fps. Even if lead poisoning is a danger you lose waaaaaaaaaay more ducks crippled with steel shot.

The 3 point rule is another. There's plenty of data out there to show that spikes are genetically inferior and need to be removed from the herd but the state makes a lot of money in fines for shooting illegal bucks. And don't even get me started on duck and turkey hunting.

Common sense tells you that hunting an oak flat loaded with acorns is the same principle as a food plot or a corn pile. Live bait vs artificial is the same thing in my mind, you're enticing the fish to feed either way.

I despise hypocrisy

I’m with you QA. This is the buck I shot last year. 14” inside spread. Not a spike, but not legal in AR and I doubt he ever would have been a “trophy” as most define it. I still thought the rack was kind of cool and decided to save it. Eats real nice, too!




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[Bwana]

Cool looking buck CD

[DeputyDog]

That is a neat looking rack.


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[Arty]

He’d have been a nice one next year!


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[johnboy]

Back when I was a serious walleye fisher, I switched from live bait (worm, leeches) to all Powerbait or such. Terry and I fished together many a day with him dragging crawlers and me with plastics and we seemed to come out pretty even. I think if you are moving a bait plastics will work as well as live but if you are still fishing then real meat will probably be better. Seems to me that Bassdog caught his monster 'eye on a plastic worm.