Anglers around the world face ever-changing weather, water, migration, and feeding patterns and conditions. I can honestly say that no 2 days of fishing have ever been exactly alike, largely due to these factors. Once you find what the fish are biting, you can have an amazing day out on the water! But sometimes it can take a while to figure it out. That’s why it’s good to have an array of options each time you go fishing, including different baits, lures and spinners.
But which is best to use, lures or bait? I would say…it depends! In this article I will explain some of the pros and cons of both bait and lure fishing so you can make the most educated decision for your fishing experience.
The first thing I’d recommend for any fishing trip is to have 1-2 more poles already set up than you plan to use. Now why would you do that? Well, have you ever noticed how many geared-up fishing poles a professional bass fisherman keeps in their boat? If you have, you’d know that they have 10-12 extra fishing poles! Am I recommending you take an extra 10-12 fishing poles with you? NO, but having 1-2 extra poles already set-up and ready to fish with will mean more time with lines in the water and less time with lines out of the water to make changes to your bait or lures.
In Utah, and other places around the world, you can fish with 2 fishing poles per person at a time. That means that there can be 2 fishing lines in the water per person. There is no law against having a third or fourth pole set-up and ready to use but not in the water. So, if you are fishing in Utah or a place with similar rules, always make sure you only have 2 fishing lines in the water, but consider having a 3rd or 4th pole already set-up and ready to use! Not only is this helpful when needing to make a quick change when the fish aren’t fancy to your bait of choice, but it’s also helpful for those times you get a knot in your line or break off a hook or leader.
So, lets try answering that initial question. Which is better, bait or lures/spinners? Let’s take a closer look.
Bait Fishing Pros (Nightcrawlwers, PowerBait, Mealworms, minnows, fish meat, etc.):
-Baits are often swallowed by fish, meaning you hook the fish more securely. This can mean less fish lost during the fight to the shore or boat.
-Can often have a strong scent that attracts and tastes good to fish!
-Are often gobbled-up quickly because they taste and feel “real”.
-If using nightcrawlers, this can attract several types of fish in the same fishery. This means you might catch one of several types of species in the same body of water.
-Bait fishing is a tried and true method that doesn’t take a lot of practice or experience.
Bait Fishing Cons:
– Often, baits smell foul and some can make a mess. The smells can be difficult to get off your fingers and hands. Remember to either wear gloves or have a handkerchief and/or wipes when using bait.
– Have a shorter shelf-life than lures and spinners. Eventually they go bad after a few days or weeks, and so you must continually re-stock.
-Because fish often swallow the bait, it is much more likely you will kill the fish while trying to remove the hook(s). If you aren’t planning to keep the fish you catch, or don’t want to have to keep smaller fish, bait fishing might not be your best option. You may be taking home fish you didn’t intend or want to keep.
-Bait fishing is a lot of waiting around; it’s recommended you have something else to do while you wait for a bite, such as a game of cards or a good book.
Lure/Spinner Fishing Pros:
-When you fish with lures and spinners, you are constantly in motion. For those of you that don’t like to sit around, lure fishing provides the much-needed stimulus to enjoy your fishing experience.
-Lures generally hook the fish in the mouth, rather than the stomach and gills like bait fishing tends to do. This means you won’t have to kill fish you don’t want to keep.
-Where bait fishing uses 1 or 3-hook types, many lures have 3-6 hooks on them, meaning more opportunity to hook the fish that’s biting.
-There are many types of lures and spinners to meet the ever-changing appetites and preferences of the fish you are seeking to catch. There are lures that look like fish, frogs, leeches, crayfish, and others.
-Whereas bait has a short shelf-life of days to weeks, lures are durable and can last for years without needing to replace them.
-Some fishing spots don’t allow bait fishing. Lures are generally accepted as a means to fish just about anywhere.
Lure/Spinner Fish Cons:
-Lures mainly work for fish that are carnivorous and aggressive whereas bait works more broadly.
-Bait tends to sink to lower water levels. That means unless fish are hanging out near the water’s surface, you won’t be able to easily get to fish in lower water levels using lures.
-Lures and spinners don’t have natural scents and taste. Sometimes adding a piece of a worm or a salmon egg helps with this issue.
-Some lures and spinners rely heavily on sunlight to make them shine and attract fish, which means they can be less effective on cloudy or rainy days.
Now that you know the pros and cons of both, my hope is that you will be able to make an educated decision on what types of fishing setup will work for your next fishing trip!
There are 2 other things to consider. #1 is that sometimes combining a lure with bait can be an effective way to catch your next fish. For example, I’ve caught fish using lures with salmon eggs or nightcrawlers on the hook. This works the same way as pop-gear: the lure attracts the attention of the fish, and the bait makes them want to eat it!
Item #2 to consider is, if you are fishing in a body of water that allows the use of 2 poles, set up one for bait and the other with a lure. This helps diversify your presentations to help you see what the fish are biting.
Whether it’s bait or a lure, my hope is that your next fishing trip is a success!
Take a look at some of our other articles!
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