I personally haven't thrown bait in freshwater since I was a kid. However, guide trips are expensive at 400 bucks or so a pop. I don't think I would have a problem with a guide saying look we've gave artificials an honest try and its just not happening, lets try some bait. You are paying to catch fish after all. I wouldn't hold it against anyone that only threw live bait, but I don't think I would be interested in taking a trip knowing going into it that all we would be doing is chunking bait

Opinions on guiding and live baiting single choice
	No way never and I'm not booking anyone known to do it
	I guess it is ok, as long as it is the last option to save a tough day
	Sure why not, I'm paying to catch fish
Votes accepted starting: 05/24/11 10:36 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I guess I'm different. I go on guide trips to learn things not catch fish. Believe me I want to stick fish but I'd rather be taught how and where so I can do it myself on a more regular basisi

Do LM bass guides on fork use live bait ?

There was one that used to for a couple of months a year with a striper boat with ballon rigs baited with shad. Heard he caught some big fish.

It's very common in Florida. I wouldn't want to be surprised with a guide that uses live bait, but I see nothing wrong with a guide advertising the fact that he uses bait and booking those clients who don't mind or prefer to fish that way. If your goal is to catch really big fish, it's a highly effective method.

I think most serious fisherman would agree with you. I guess I should of said ONE of the reasons you are paying is to catch fish. Thats the main reason I'm out if all we are doing is for sure live baiting. I'm not going to do it on my own time so I'm not going to learn much.

if all i wanted to do is catch fish i would save my 400 bucks and just use live bait on my own. i like fishing with a guide when its tuff and see how they adapt. everyone can catch em when they are biting, i like learning how to catch em when its tough..

+1

I like to learn something new when I fishing. It is hard to learn anything when fish are biting well. It's the days when it is tough when you learn some of the subtle things that can trigger a strike when nothing else works.

I have no desire to bass fish with live bait and wouldn't book with a guide that does. I know there's a guide that does this, but if I'm fishing with bait, I'm crappie fishing.

I don't ever care what folks fish with as long as it's legal. It's a personal preference deal. I personally do not fish bait.

It does bother me when guides take clients to catch fish on bait and then try to tell everyone or advertise their catches as being on artificials. Basically lying or false advertising. Some folks are that desperate and do it a lot.

If you're out fishing live bait for bass, your not considered a guide in my book.

Just my opinion.

Hummmm I never really thought about it,just haven't ever had a client that wanted to fish live bait?????????

I think as long as it is legal who cares! I have fished mostly artificial lures my whole life but have fished live bait before. So, I think if a guide fishing live bait... That is his deal as long as it is legal. If a guide fishes artificial that is his deal.

In some cases you have someone that may not be healthy enough or a kid that may not have the skills yet to chunk and wind all day. Then live bait is the key for them to catch fish and enjoy being on the water.

I remember a cold day in February on Fork.My buddy and I fished all day with no bites.Coming out of a creek we noticed a boat sitting on a point.As we idled out and got closer we saw a guy just wacking fish one right after another.BIG fish.As we idled out and around we could see he was using live shad.Neither of us had ever fished with live bait for bass before but I PROMISE you that if we could have got our hands on some shad that day we would have given it a whirl!!!I suspect that a few other purists might have done the same thing...LOL