My "no live bait experiment"

Earlier in the season I put up a post about not using live bait the rest of the year. It was pretty difficult at times to not hook up a leech or minnow but I’m glad I did it. My jig fishing has for sure improved. The biggest thing I took away from it is having confidence in what you’re presenting. Once I boated a couple fish on plastics things really changed. I would always have about six rods rigged with a variety of options, jigs, cranks, bottom bouncers, three ways, etc… There were days when the guy in the boat with me fishing live bait severely outfished me which wasn’t a surprise, a time and place for everything. I still have a lot to learn but this year was kind of a “breakout” year for me. Like I mentioned, confidence in my presentation was really strengthened and that led to some pretty good success. I had been a creature of habit for a long time ( Lindy rigs).

I will be breaking down this weekend and getting some large redtails to hopefully land some big Walleyes.

Hi Belletaine,
I started fishing Pool 9 with a friend from work a couple years ago, who has not used live bait in over a decade. His plastic of choice has been and always will be a motor oil twister tail on an unpainted bullet head.

I followed his lead, and loaded up on moxi’s, ringworms, paddle tails etc. Fishing the Mississippi only during the fall and spring, I no longer use live bait. I believe there are times when a hair jig and minnow would out produce plastics, but I am a casual river fisherman.

I converted to no bait on crappies about 10 years ago, except for under the ice. I use nothing but artificial for bass and have for probably 20 years. But when it comes to fishing walleye up north, I use live bait 75% of the time or more. I do catch walleyes on plastics and of course crank baits, but still feel that live bait and subtle presentations work best on high pressured clear water lakes. That my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Congratulations on hanging in there on the plastics.

Good luck this weekend.

I’ve also expanded to artificials more, and really like how aggresive a guy can get and cover water to find those active fish. Although it hurts losing 20-30 cranks to the river, it has helped to further figure it out.

I did the same thing back in the early 80’s and haven’t looked back. Do I use live bait? Once in a great while and then mostly a waxie or golden rod grub.

A friend and I fished some backwaters today. He used a few minnows while I did the straight plastic thing and did better on large fish.