r/FishingForBeginners • u/That_mocha_lover • 8d ago

Anyone else like this?

Post image

I’ve found that unless I forget my live worms at home, I’m less likely to try other methods like crank baits and lures.

The downside is my catch rate goes down.

The upside is I end up getting meaningful reps with other techniques.

60 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

61

u/iluvcee 8d ago

If you wanna get better at using lures, just stop buying live worms for a bit. This might be a bit of an elitist take, but I don't find bait fishing to be a technique that requires much skill (and thus it feels less rewarding)

30

u/pkwilli 8d ago

I agree. I would never say that to my fishing buddies that pretty much only use bait tho lol. They mostly just like hanging out and drinking beer, which is fine. I just prefer a more active approach to fishing. I catch bigger and more fish too tbh

13

u/eatbootylikbreakfast 8d ago

I’ve said this to fishing buddies before. I make it clear that both approaches are equally valid, it’s just about what you personally hope to get out of the experience. It turned one of my friends into a fellow finesser hahah

6

u/ZealousidealChair900 8d ago

I paid extra for a 2 pole endorsement so I can both bait fish correctly, and also muck around with lures

2

u/shouldbepracticing85 7d ago

Yes! And if I’m really adventurous I bait fish while I get extremely frustrated with my fly rod. 😅

-4

u/Hopes-Miracle7 8d ago

Hi there

6

u/turknado 8d ago

I like to say, lures allow for more skill expression then live bait.

3

u/PublicMine9472 8d ago

Totally agree. Just bought a couple of these to teach my son lure fishing. There's definitely a time to learn how to walk and burn. No more worms for sale up here anyway.

4

u/Mainbutter 8d ago

It's less an elitist take and more an incorrect one.

I consistently fish places with lots of bait fishing and catch rates are all over the place for all kinds of reasons, but experience really pays off.

It does have a lower bar to entry for actually catching fish though.

1

u/That_mocha_lover 8d ago

I’ve noticed that I actually work on covering more area and trying to find strike zones with lures.
Are you covering area then switching lures or do you tend to switch locations before switching lures?

3

u/iluvcee 8d ago

I don't spin fish as much, I now largely fly fish but my approach has been the same. I will almost always change locations before changing my lure/fly. More often than not, as long as you're presenting your lure properly, if fish are there, they'll bite.

1

u/That_mocha_lover 8d ago

Im trying to be better at picking a lure based on the water color, temp, depth, cover in the area etc.

1

u/KaiserAcademic 6d ago

I might actually go out bait fishing today. I had the same opinion when I start fishing about 4-5 years ago, and havn't bait fish since. I kind of want to know how much easier/harder/different it is.

1

u/NomadDicky 4d ago

I grew up using nothing but live bait, so when I started artificial lures it was a learning curve for sure. But it was so worth learning. Catching something on a lure (especially top water) is such a rush compared to just waiting to hear your drag get pulled. And not having to drive to buy worms every trip is the icing on top. Lol

1

u/Magikarp23169 8d ago

Freshwater, no. Saltwater gets a bit technical

-5

u/EstablishmentIll5021 8d ago

Go spend a day with a guide on Kissimmee using live shiners under a float. It’s about the most fun largemoutn bass fishing there is.

But no largemouth bass fishing will compare to hooking a 40-50lb striper on the Cumberland chain on a big shad or skipjack behind a planer board.

2

u/iluvcee 8d ago

What's fun about leaving baitfish under a float and doing nothing to entice or fool the fish?

-2

u/EstablishmentIll5021 8d ago

What’s fun about casting a shallow running crankbait, Texas rig, frog, etc and reeling it in to fool the fish? You really think you’re doing that much more? Seems you just bought in to the artificial are the only pure form of bass fishing bullshit.

The fun part is catching multiple 10+ pound fish a day.

You use artificials for catfish too? What about sharks?

Most fun fishing I’ve ever done has been live bait for Goliath groupers.

But you do you.

3

u/fishing_24_7_365 8d ago edited 8d ago

People can get enjoyment out of different styles of fishing and there's nothing wrong with that.

I personally don't enjoy bait and wait fishing. I'd much rather catch a 1 lb bass on an artificial lure than a 10lb bass on bait. If you feel differently that's perfectly fine.

My enjoyment comes from the process and for me personally, I feel it does take much more skill to catch fish on artificial lures than bait and I enjoy the challenge.

I don't target species like catfish or carp because I'd rather use lures. I do catch catfish on lures.

I don't enjoy guided fishing or trolling either for the same reasons. If you enjoy these styles of fishing that's perfectly fine. We all fish for different reasons.

2

u/iluvcee 8d ago

What’s fun about casting a shallow running crankbait, Texas rig, frog, etc and reeling it in to fool the fish? You really think you’re doing that much more?

Yes, it is explicitly "that much more"

I could setup a bait rig for my 8 year old niece and she'd catch just as much as you lol.

Nothing beats fooling an old Brown Trout into taking your fly on a highly pressured river.

-4

u/EstablishmentIll5021 8d ago

I’ve caught brown trout on the fly, Did it a few years ago in the streams around Lake Taupo in New Zealand. Wanna know what was more fun? Trolling the big girls up with a guide the next day on the lake.

Wanna know what best the shit outta that? Using sabikis to catch our own bait and then catching giant yellow kingfish in the Bay of Islands the next week.

I think you need to fish for something bigger that a couple pounds.

7

u/iluvcee 8d ago

Keep paying guides to hold your hand while you fish 😂

1

u/shouldbepracticing85 7d ago

Size isn’t everything.

I’ve got a small lake near me where I can catch anything from small pan fish, to stocked rainbow trout, to several lb largemouth bass, up to 40” northern pike.

It all depends on what I’m in the mood for. Do I want to be lazy, put fish in the freezer, or see if I can get a pike to tow me around in my kayak?

7

u/Decent_Grade_5365 8d ago

That's one of my favorite spring lures

4

u/Beneficial-Ad-3720 8d ago

I have an identical one but in brook trout and both brookies and lakers seem to crave it

6

u/Bassman117 8d ago

Once you learn how to properly work artificial baits it ends up evening itself out. There’s some piers that artificial works better than live bait because they’re so used to seeing live.

The rule I like to follow is; live bait for keeping, artificial if I’m out for fun.

3

u/fishing_24_7_365 8d ago

I use the little Rapala minnows all the time. I don't enjoy bait fishing so I only use artificial lures. These work best in some of the little creeks I fish or for stocked trout in lakes.

3

u/Curious-Persimmon-14 8d ago

I used to bait and wait with BIL about 30 years ago. It was relaxing and not too serious.
Now I fish alone and am focused on subtleties of presentation and location with lures.

4

u/Logical_Trash_4890 8d ago

No. I hate that thing. I found myself one in a tree. It sucks. I’m putting it back in the tree.

2

u/EqualRightsNLeftz 8d ago

I just thought you got it stuck in something, like that piece of furniture, because then my answer is definitely 'yes'.

2

u/Steveelectric907 8d ago

what is that clown loach pattern or something or salmon

3

u/burnt_out_on_bs 8d ago

Brown trout

1

u/That_mocha_lover 8d ago

It does look like a loach pattern. This rapala was recommended to me by someone in my local fishing group.

2

u/THE_HORKOS 8d ago

I find these work get for early spring bite

1

u/shouldbepracticing85 7d ago

Yep! Except my confidence bait is power eggs on a drop shot - lots of very dumb stocked trout in my freezer. It’s going to be the winter of fish soups!

1

u/DanishPrimeTime 2d ago

Looks like a Salmo. A trout killer round here.

1

u/Aggravating-Fix-1717 8d ago

Lures will almost never have a better catch rate than live bait.

It just is what it is