North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

What is your preferred type of fishing?
I mostly use lures but on some occasions use livies and fresh bait depending on what I'm chasing.
Here is a little write up I have done with my opinions...
http://micksgonefishing.com/2012/05/09/bait-vs-lures/

Use to be lures/plastics, but now ive bought a huge freezer im really enjoying my live baiting

For me it gets down to what I get out of this sport. I do use bait but not live bait. Why? Because thats my line in the sand. Live bait gives me an unfair advantage......fish are compelled to take a dying fish, its the way of the sea....it also requires a fish (or several) to die for my afternoon fishing....this starts to move away from sport for me.

For others the line might be scented lures, or long-lining, or netting......everyone makes their own decision and I dont judge people for the choices they make. Whats right for me is right for me and whats right for them is right for them.

And where an angler is at on that scale may change overnight or slowly over time.

Personally, like you, I find myself moving more and more away from bait. I think that this is for the reasons you talked about in your blog mick, but also because as I learn more and get more technology to help me catch fish the challenge (and therefore the rewards) tends to lessen. I get far more of a buzz catching fish on lures than I do catching them on bait. I think that in another couple of years I will fish exclusively with lures.......

But if I dont....thats okay.

thanks for raising this interesting topic. Cheers Mud

What about billfishing mud? in this case, to some narrow minded fishos (one in particular ) lure fishing is seen as the easy way out, and bait fishing (not live) to be more of a sport....

Lol...I guess I cant really see the argument Ken.....a live fish to me is always going to look more like a live fish than a lure....but I dont have the means to go billfishing so I really wouldn't know.

I'm probably a bit hypocritical with my position since the fish I use for bait fishing was netted and bagged so I could do just that. Maybe I blank that bit out when I think about it.....like my support for farmed fish when they need tonnes of wild caught feed to get to maturity.....maybe this discussion will help me on my way to lure-only fishing....

I guess at the end of the day what you use to catch sails is a matter of personal choice as I cant see the numbers involved having any great effect on stocks. So the only issue is one of personal conscience....

For me, the most compelling thing about lures is the lack of by catch that dies.

Nothing worse then seeing a gut hooked little fish die because I was too lazy to keep dropping or flicking lures.

With lures you can be more specific about what you catch and how you hook your fish. Changing to single hooks on lures means most fish caught can be released with minimal time and damage, if it isn't the one you're trying to catch for a feed.

I think using reasonable strength line also has a part to play. Using very light line to catch big fish might be fun, but when that big fish finally makes it to the boat you could be in for a hard time trying to revive it. Though getting a very green, big queenie in the boat does cause some interesting times.

Just my opinion,

Jeremy

i like all forms
i have spent time fishing for bream with 2gram lures that cost more than a case of beers and ive spent time floating a pillie whilst having a snooze in the sun

i have just got into live baiting recently. i like the fact that to catch a fish, i first have to catch a fish lol

it's also good to get my kids involved with. they love catching sards, etc on a bait jig, plus they don't exactly pull hard enough to put the kids through too much heart ache

haven't done a whole heap on the fly, but im hoping that will change over the years.

I live bait and use dead bait

I use lures and I use nets

I respect my fellow fishos and help anyone that needs it

O! and I drink a gazzilion ltrs of wallop when doing it all. So I guess I enjoy myself too

Each to their own

Do em all more chance of a fish

Every situation requires a differnet solution. This is the challenge in fishing for me. Use all forms of fishing and mastering them and you increase the chances of a good catch every time you go out.

It also gets boring to me doing just one form of fishing so changing to others keeps it interesting but each to there own as long as its not doing great damage to the fish stocks and resources.

i find barra fishing most exicting by flicking plastics.

i just use lures and plastics, i dont have much of an attention span so i need to keep casting or i lose interest.
and to me its the thrill of throwing a lure up against a snag and doing your best to make it look like a tasty morsal and than having that hard work pay off.

I agree 100% with "Nags" when ever I've got my little one with me its always more enjoyable catching the bait for her so I let her have at it hell she's got to learn somewhere right?
As far as the by catch arguement in my opinion its rather hard to "gut hook" a small fish with larger hooks so any gut hooked fish end up a feed (if edible) or as bait or berley (if not edible) so the circle continues.
What i will emphasize though is when I have a feed for they family its quitin' time and off I go not like some others that keep on pulling up more and more fish just for bragging rights nothing S&*ts me more ............

Nearly all of my lures have had the barbs squashed to minimise damage and give the fish a fair go at spiting them !!!!!!!!!!

Grumpy has got it worked out

Live bait all the way. Particularly chero soaking. Can't believe people pollute the water with rubber and plastic waste. Ever thought of the amount of rubbish lines leaders lures that are busted off that choke the waterways?