I know this may touch off a furry of results but, I am seeking an OPINION on bait fishing for big Hybrids. Is it sportsman like to use live bait and catch 30+ Hybrids in one sitting? I'm not saying it's wrong, I just feel like it is not sporting to drop down a line and pull up a big Hybrid and do nothing else. That's "catching", not fishing in my humble opinon. For me, I feel like it's cheating. Before I post- remember, I'm not condoning it, just seeking opinions

Is it sportsman like to go out in the spring and catch 1 or 2 whites on every drop down with a slab in the spring? Up until a month or so ago I could go to any point or hump on the lake and tell my 3 yr old "drop it down boy" and he would catch a white on every trip down. If a three year old can do it EVERY TIME lets face facts. Its not that hard. The other side to the story is that when the white bass were super easy they hybrids were scattered and very hard to catch with any type of bait. Now they have swapped spots. The hybrids have moved to the deep water humps and are much easier to find. The whites are more scattered and harder to catch. Personally I use both live bait and artificials. On any given day I use the one that is producing the best results.

On a personal note if you think there is no sport in fishing with live bait I encourage you to go give it a try now. Before you go remember you will need to be on the lake well before sun up to catch bait. Thats not so easy right now after the shad spawn and with this high heat. Now that you have your bait you get the privelage of trying to keep it alive in 100+ temps. Now that you have that done guess what? YOU STILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE FISH. You make it sound like you just go catch some shad, stick them on a hook, go find a shady spot to sit, then load the boat. Lets be honest, thats absolutely not the way it works.

What point does a post like this serve? People have different methods of catching fish that they enjoy the most. Why not just leave it at that and focus on the way you enjoy fishing.

Strange question but live bait fishing is Much easyer.Not alot of challange to it. The real challange is catching good bait!!!!

When fishing is slow live bait will put fish in the box.

I enjoy catching more than fishing then. I like to use what works (live or artificial). Call me a non sporting fisherman if you like. Cheating??? I don't think so. So, do you use a depth finder??..... Don't follow the birds either, that's cheating.

Putting fish in the boat consistantly is hard. Live bait has it's place, just like trolling. A good fisherman knows how to use a variety of techniques to get the job done.

If you consider that "cheating" than you should not even consider using a rod and reel. Try catching with your bare hands, its more "sportsman-like".

I don't use dynamite or the electric shock treatment. Other than that, every man for himself as he see's fit I suppose.

First off size and number have nothing to do with sporting.

Do I think live bait is sporting? Yes I do.

Do I think catching fish on live bait is easy? Sometimes! That is after you have done your homework to find the bait then the fish and done the hard work of catching bait then keeping it alive.

At first before I started using live bait I considered it 'cheating'.

Now that I'm using live bait I realize how hard it is... is the catching easier? Yup but that's not the whole story. You try to catch the right size shad and keep them healthy enough to actually fish with them.

Then go to academy and buy a slab. Tell me which one is easier :P

Never touch the stuff personally...I also return all hybrids caught. They were purchased by the State of Texas, so I return State property back to the waters of the State...

Now, sand bass? They were free from Mother Nature. Keep 25 of them pesky boogers...

good thing it is only your opinion

I am the State of TEXAS!

Like I thought, this was going to get quite a few respones. I have tried bait fishing and yes, it is very hard to keep them alive. It does take considerable effort at times to find bait fish too. That's why I do not use bait fish anymore. The reason I posted was to seek a variety of responses to collect data on how many of us actually bait fish and get opinions. With that said, what is the survival rate of one of those Hybrids after release? Just a question, not seeking to antagonize.I respect everyones own leagl fishing prefrences.
Thank you ALL for your input.

David Cole- I agree with you 100% just my 2 cents.

Successfully catching hybrids or stripers with live shad takes more time, effort, knowledge, and skill than using artificials. If it was as easy as arties everyone would do it.

And I'm with TEXASFIVEGUN 100%. I am the State of Texas and I bought those hybrids with my hard earned tax money.

I don't agree that artificials are easier than bait. I've been on the same spots where I know fish are and they won't hit any art I throw, drop a shad or even a perch at times and they bite. 5 trips with artificials, no fish. 3 trips with shad and I got fish on two of those trips the shad were dead or lethargic on the otehr trip.