Live Bait ??

[Newt]

The thread on Keepnet use/safety/etc. is going well. Reasoned agruments. On the strength of that and based on a comment there by Dave Hill and on other similar ones I've seen, I'd like to try the same thing with opinions & reasons for an angler using or not using live baits.

 

Note: not talking about ban or not ban but just personal preferences.

 

Note2: not talking about waters where the use of lives is prohibited but assuming they are permitted and that you would be using an acceptable bait (caught locally and all that).

 

Unlike the keepnet thing, this one does hit closer to home for me.

 

I do use live bait for species that respond well to it. I include in this category any critter that is animal (as opposed to vegetable or mineral) which means maggots, worms, crickets, frogs, fish (moving up the ladder so to speak) and any other similar bait.

 

I have drawn a personal line and will not use any warm blooded animal. Although I do have to admit there are some specific children I think would be better as shark bait than as neighborhood annoyances.

 

Two part question I suppose. Do you use lives? If not, would you use them if fishing somewhere (non-UK) where live baiting was completely acceptable and bait fish were plentiful?

 

[ 25 April 2002, 10:52 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

[Eddie]

If the fish will eat it, and it does the fish no harm, its bait.

[Dave Hill]

Newt,

 

I have a problem... I don't like killing fish! I have done it in the past, but I felt very uncomfortable and guilty doing it

 

For that reason I would not personally use fish as a livebait.

 

Its interesting the point you make about maggots and worms also being livebait. The majority of my fishing is done using either worms (including bloodworm & joker)or maggots (including casters, pinkies and squatts). If I am honest, I cringe a little when it comes to using chopped worms, but again, I do use them when conditions are right.

 

As to whether I would use livebait (fish)... no, I don't think I would... after all, on many occasions, the average size of the bait would be bigger than the fish I usually catch in the first place!

[poledark]

For me this is a complex issue, for during my early years I used livebaits with no problems, even frogs!

I soon got squeamish re the frogs as watching them struggle was more than I could handle.

 

I then went through a long period (30years?) when I was strongly opposed to tethered livebaits, by tethered I mean attached to a line. I used to imagine the terror the bait felt as it was approached by the predator (memories of the frog perhaps) in fact I used to look for signs of agitation prior to the strike of the pike.

 

Then it all changed and about 6years ago I started to livebait again, I realised that I had become much less concerned re the fate of the bait, perhaps advancing years had hardened me to lifes inevitabilities. I did make one strict rule for my livebaiting and that was to only lip hook the baits so they suffered as little damage as posible and could be returned at the end of a session if uneaten.

 

Were I asked to "defend" the practise I am afraid I could not, I know that fish, which have probably eaten loads of live creatures themselves, get eaten by bigger fish, but they do have the chance to flee.

 

Den

[Gray-Catchpole]

hi Newt

on waters that allow livebaiting i do use them, my main target is pike, but perch have also been taken, for me at least, it is the most productive means for catching pike on one of our local waters, during the summer, the amount of pike i take whilst fishing for non preds is astounding, and this is down to one thing, (close your eyes if you dont like reading nasty things) pike generally only take a fish when it is in distress, on a good day when you are catching alot of silver fish, the pike sit and wait, as they see a patern of fish moving in an iregular way, ie they are hooked, you are bringing them in, thus forcing the prey fish to act abnormally, and is an ideal food for the pike, this takes a very short time for the pike to become acustomed to, hence why alot of hooked fish are taken from match anglers.

 

yes i use live baits alot, they work, as for the ethical side, i have a lot of preasure from kerry, she hates it.

[Peter Waller]

A friend of mine caught his first twp pound plus roach at the tale end of the season. In typical wind up style I asked if I could use it for livebait? Well, could I? No way, says he, not even if a forty pound pike was guaranteed!

 

For years us pike anglers have been asking other anglers to return pike alive. It seems reasonable that they should be able to expect us pikers to return their chosen species, alive and well.

[MikeConnor]

Originally posted by Newt:

 

Note: not talking about ban or not ban but just personal preferences.

 

Once again, you may not be talking about "ban or not ban", but others immediately will do so.

 

If it is legal, and you want to do it, then do it. If you don´t want to do it, then don´t.

 

Fra too many people attempt to control others already. This is a serious mistake, especially as far as angling is concerned.

 

Precedents are created, which will inevitably lead to bans, prohibition and restrictions. Eventually, being "against" something, will lead to your own downfall, as somebody will inevitably be "against" something you do. It is no good complaining then.

[Steve Randles]

Hi Newt.

 

V.Good topic..and well put to gain the correct answers.

 

Yes I use livebait, mostly grubs and worms and occasionally live fish. If the given method,desired species or location calls for a "live fish", then I will use it. But of late...ie the last few years I have tried to be selective here. Every 4th or 5th "bait fish" I catch around the Bucks/Berks region has been mauled by a Cormorant or Otter..these are the baits I now use...If and I repeat if, I really need one.

 

Prior to setting out to catch livebait...I will have tried dead seabaits, wobbling the latter and lures.

 

It is an ethical point of view for all anglers, but the choice to use is my own..and I defend that right.

[Ziptrev]

Newt,

Well put post and to declare myself immediately, No, I havent yet used livebait, but yes I intend to if I feel it needed and I also will defend the No ban , freedom of choice posters.

However, I am interested in your 'Line'

Is this 'warm-blooded' line due to the more complex and therefore pain causing metabolism involved?

I notice with interest your descriptions elsewhere of 'surface lures' resembling frogs and mice.

I would assume that the general opinion of sympathy would be more in favour of the frog than, shall we say, a small rat?

 

Cheers,

 

ZipTrev

 

[ 26 April 2002, 05:14 AM: Message edited by: Ziptrev ]

[HOPPY4]

Newt & Others,

I am a LIVE Bait fisherman by choice, but have been restricted by the area and rule of said area. I grew up using live bait and this included worms and small baitfish (Shinners for Crappie for example). I would not hesitate to place a live bait on a hook while attempting to catch a larger game or trash fish as the Carp are considered by some in the USA. This has nothing to do with my want to harm any animal, but with the prefeered method to catch what is being stalked. I have used lures to catch BASS in the states and will probably use them again when I return. I fully admit to enjoying the challenge of inticing a fish to strike a lure that I have made to immitate a live prey. If you are allowed to use them and it does not bother you than by all means DO SO. If not, then PLEASE refrain from critizing myself and others that do.

 

 

[ 26 April 2002, 11:02 AM: Message edited by: HOPPY4 ]