Bait Bugs

[TubeDude]

Just so's ya know's, I was not offended. I was just pointing out that on some waters in Utah one does not have a choice of whether to use baits/scents or not. I fish a couple different places in Utah that are artificial only and no scents allowed. I also fish a lot of places that are not artificial only, and if I think bait will work better, or tipping a jig with a night crawler, or meal worm will trigger more bites, I don't hesitate to drown a bug. The only baits I don't have anything to do with are Powerbait, stink bait, and liver. Not because they don't work, I just can't stand to have the smell or mess on my hands. Good thing I don't live in good catfish country or I might have to just buckle down and use the latter two. As for Powerbait, it definitely works, and often works well, but I've always been able to find some thing else that will work equally as well, and less messy. If one looked in my tackle supply they would see I'm not really biased, I just like to catch fish. Just this past Saturday I caught trout on my fly rod using midges and balanced leeches. Then switched to my spincast and used marabou jigs (tipped with a nightcrawler), and Rapalas. I was on two different bodies of water that were not artificial only, so I just tried a little of everything until I found something that out-fished the rest. This time Rapalas were the winner. Who knows next weekend it might be the flies or the jigs. I just like to have a lot of options in my arsenal so to speak.

Good to know you occasionally cross over to the dark (bait) side too.  Appreciate the expanded explanation.

On the flip side, I have also fished waters around the country in which bait was legal, but where properly presented flies actually caught more and bigger fish.

I also have an aversion to "Powerputty", stink bait and liver...among other things.  I do fish for catfish but I tend to  use more "natural" baits...like minnows or strips cut from local baitfish.  And I often hold forth on the use of "fresh" baits, rather than "aged".  I know there are a lot of cataholics that still believe you have to use the rankest stuff you can find...and fish at night.  But I catch plenty of cats on lures...and flies...and natural baits...fishing pretty much only during the day.

Keep up the good work.