Should Beginner Saltwater Anglers Use Live Bait or Lures??
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
Hey Salt Strong Nation!
If you’re just getting into saltwater fishing (or maybe transitioning from bass fishing), there’s a good chance you’re wondering…
Should I start with live bait or lures?
It’s a question we hear a LOT from new anglers, so Luke and I decided to break it down for you in this podcast (and video).
👉 Get Your 2.0 Paddle Tails Here
👉 Get Your Weedless Hooks Here
👉 Get Your Weedless Jig Heads Here
If you want the full breakdown (and some personal stories about live wells breaking, bait runs gone wrong, and how we finally ditched live bait for good), make sure to check out the full podcast episode.
And if you’re serious about shortening the learning curve…Check out the Fishing School!
And come join the Salt Strong Family! You’ll get full access to beginner lessons, smart fishing spots, and a community that’s got your back.
Tight lines and hope to see you inside!
Tight lines,
Joe Simonds
Salt Strong Cofounder
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Always a pro / con !!
I’m aware of the benefits of both live and artificial . As a converted northern fisherman , walleye and all other fish north , we’ve had this same conversation . Jigs with a minnow , no minnow , crank baits verses a drop shot !!!
I’ve always bent towards local knowledge , especially on the Great lakes , but i also knew the lake where lived . I was the person asked what and when. Bottom line was the same , live bait gets eaten , needs replaced !
Soft baits , re- affixed !!
Cranks/hard , get it back out there after a Miss !!
That’s what makes fishing so darn cool to do !! Finding out what works !!!
Thanks guys for taking the time to share !!! And on a side note , take a kid fishing !!! And pass on the knowledge !!!
Tight lines !
Great info. Seems like I’m just feeding the fish using live bait. Will focus more on lures. Thanks again.
Good point about “hull slap”- though we may be cautious about the noise WE make directly, there can still be other unnatural sounds that accompany us even when we are “quiet” and still.
In the past 20 years I have used live bait mostly on the lakes I fish, but finding good size baits can be real work year round and you usually end up soaked. Many times I watched the sunrise throwing a net and missed hours of morning fishing, my favorite time. This past year I started throwing artificials and I am enjoying it specially when I fish by myself. Lot of work getting all those lines out, side planners and what not. If you can find the fish then you can catch them.
I seem to have much better luck with live bait consistently no matter where I am. Even went bone fishing in the Bahamas recently and while all my friends flyfish, I was using my spin rod with dead shrimp and was consistently catching bone fish as long as they didn’t spook. Followed this trip with a few days in Apalachicola, FL and had great success catching big sea trout and redfish only using shrimp, dead or live. Just an observation…..
I will say it depends on the situation to me. Tide, fixed spot, trolling motor, species and trolling deep. All these conditions determine what bait I’m going to use. If I’m using the trolling motor fresh water, flats or inshore artificial all day. If I’m sitting at a spot live bait all day. If you do your homework and find the spot with good structure live is the best for me but artificial can catch some whopper if they near by. Don’t forget about cut bait and dead bait that work great two depending on the species of fish. The best bait for mutton snappers is ballyhoo cut in half with the proper rig but live shrimp works to but not as good for the big ones. If I’m out in the ocean trolling ballyhoo rig or hard plastic is my go to. So all bait work great to me it’s how often and dedicated you are to fishing that catches you fish. Tight lines.
Thanks for the info gentlemen.🤗🎣🙏💯
You mentioned noise in the kayak, I have an Engel dry box / bait cooler with foam feet that I tried using in my yak. It’s way too loud, even with the foam feet. So no more live shrimp, in my bait cooler, in my yak. I have a friend who uses one that floats behind your rig and he keeps shrimp alive all day! He uses his bait cooler only to get them to the launch spot from the bait shop! I need to get the floating type!
Outstanding discussion. I feel more comfortable with live bait since my casting and retrieve is mediocre. Working on my skills but you cannot beat live bait.
Both ..If I’m using live bait, I’m required to use an inline circle hook. So while the bait is soaking, I’m casting a lure. If a fish takes the live bait, I don’t have to worry about setting the hook.