I'm still kind of a newbie to saltwalter, converted from freshwater, what is the best kind of bait this time of year, artificial or fresh bait?

pencils for me.. 7-1/2" 2-3/4-3-1/4 oz white, yellow, black or purple, and a copper one for those days nothing else is working... been catching all over.. bass from 12" to 30" have taken the plugs...

I've outfished everyone on the beaches that has fish along side me so far this year with pencils... guys on the side of me using squid/herring/menhaden/mackerel... so... I would have to say.. artificial, and pencil..

Gibbs since those are proven and inexpensive...Is my pencil of choice.

I 2nd the artificial but I mainly boat fish, last year I was trolling rigs right next to my buddy in his boat who was live lining herring I was catching 3 to his 1, not saying this is always true but I will stick with what I can buy at the store and don't have to waste my time trying to get bait and keep it alive.

at once....many people just throw plugs as its there confidense bait of choice.... but you can be chunking with one rod stuck in a sand tube while your throwing plugs with another... until you discover what works best for ya...

plastic storm shads.

i caught two schoolies two nights ago! whoo!

Its hard to beat fresh bait any time of the year. Eels, herring, bunker, hickory shad, scup and other baits are the best because they are the real thing. Many still manage well on artificials but to consistantly catch large fish live and fresh bait is best.