bait vs. plugs

[fishbones]

Theres nothing like seeing a large bass crash the surface and nail a surface plug with it's tail, then the nervous moments waiting for it to come back and inhale it. No matter how many times it happens, I always hold my breath after the initial whack while waiting to see if the big bass will come back to pick up the plug. I would rather fish poppers because of that, but I also use swimmers at times and love the feeling of the fish hitting when you are not expecting it. I'm not opposed to using bait, but I just like plugs better. Bait definitley gives you a better chance for a BIG striper, but I like the idea of casting and retreiving. There is something about trying to fool a bass into taking an artificial that gives me a sense of satisfaction. Also, I like to keep a rod and plug bag in the car with my waders, just in case I end up somewhere where I can get a chance to make some casts. I wouldn't be able to stand the smell if I drove around with bait in the car all the time.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Theres nothing like seeing a large bass crash the surface and nail a surface plug with it's tail, then the nervous moments waiting for it to come back and inhale it.

up to a month go I would have agreed 100%, BUT, after I've seen bass hitting a live bunker, there is nothing like it, some of the hits are like exposions, others are slow deadly stalkings.
I've been losing sleep over it.......

[numbskull]

As sanctimonious as I get about plugs, truth be told one of their biggest advantages is convienence. Getting up 2 hours early and working to procure live bait, or trapping and keeping eels, always seemed like work to me. Much easier to just sleep in and keep telling myself I'm more of a sportsman for doing so.

[Tagger]

fish the way you want,, no peer pressure .. no look down at the bait guy here.. I learnt alot fishing bait .. Went fishing with nothing but a hook and a piece of moms silverware .. Jig up some macks cause I know when they are in, and where they are .. I caught macks with the tin foil off my cigarrete pack on a hook . I caught macks bait fishing with macks .. walked the low water mark digging a couple of clams and thru snot .. Did the herring thing .. bowed to the cow plenty and there she was . When I hung drywall and core board everyday, I could hardly stand let alone throw plugs . Fished bait with my eyes closed .. You can live line anything you jig up . Don't regret any of my mother chunking past and know I could still go out with just a few hooks and have a good chance at a bass .. Just like plugs now ... kinda the same as when i started .. going out with nothing .. Even pluggers ,,,,I have 2 words for the frustrated bait fisher in all of us ... "Smelly Jelly" or ,,, "Skin Plug" I love to wrap my plug in bait ... no purrist here ..If you never fished bait you should ... forage your own ... right of passage ..

[Tagger]

I think bait guys get a bad rap for the small number of them that leave the pig mess behind . I know a nice little cove in RI that looks like the town dump .. disgusting

[MrHunters]

Originally Posted by Tagger

I think bait guys get a bad rap for the small number of them that leave the pig mess behind . I know a nice little cove in RI that looks like the town dump .. disgusting

all you see are my foot prints... and i take home double the trash i brought.

[likwid]

I like to use a nice warm can of Naragansett.