We've come full circle

As an ardent angler since age 4, for 61 years I have seen fishing go full
circle with respect to live bait fishing.

Being different from most people in most ways, my "fishing thing" has always
been to experiment & observe both fish & other anglers. Fortunately for me,
I never really cared that much about actually catching fish. Often I could
learn more by trying to find out what my prey would not hit during a heavy
feed. I mainly fished artificials, but I never had any qualms about using
live bait in appropriate situations; live bait does not make success
automatic... I've frequently seen great anglers catch zilch on live bait.

Today, we have definitely come full circle. I've been laughing for some time
at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of live bait,
would spend all their time fishing little other than modern chemical plastic
clones like Yum, Gulp & all the others on the market today, many of which
actually contain processed live bait or simulated substitutes. Regardless
what you choose to call that stuff, folks, you ain't no purist any more!

Bob Rickard
.................................................. .........................................

"Bob Rickard" wrote in
m:

at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of live
bait,


I'm no purist, but I can tell you that it doesn't take many irresponsible
users of live bait to do some incredibly nasty bucket biology. Live bait
is the strongest suspect for the introduction of the Round Gobi to the
Great Lakes, for example. If you do use live bait, make sure you know the
rules.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

I'm no purist, but I can tell you that it doesn't take many irresponsible
users of live bait to do some incredibly nasty bucket biology.

Gold fish are used for flat head catfish here since they eat live bait
instead of being scavengers like their cousin the blue cat. If you use
them in a contained lake or pond and they survive being bait, I would
think they could be a problem. I have always heard to never use them
unless it is on a river or some other running body of water. Whatever
difference that makes???? They all feed something.

I also don't like it when people release store bought minnows into a
lake or pond.

I guess that is why I use mostly game fish for bait.

Amen to that, Scott. I totally agree with you.

Bob
.................................................. .................................................. .
"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"Bob Rickard" wrote in
m:

at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of live
bait,


I'm no purist, but I can tell you that it doesn't take many irresponsible
users of live bait to do some incredibly nasty bucket biology. Live bait
is the strongest suspect for the introduction of the Round Gobi to the
Great Lakes, for example. If you do use live bait, make sure you know the
rules.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

I never use live bait, not because I look down on it, but because I don't
enjoy it. Apparently my goal is not to catch bass by whatever means
available, but to catch them while using artificials. I don't know if that
makes me a "purist" or not, but I never criticize anyone who enjoys using
bait. However, based on many years of shore fishing at many different
locations, it is apparent that bait fishermen are much, much more likely to
violate regulations concerning size and creel limits, as well as closed
seasons. But I have no problem with responsible bait fishermen and I have a
major problem with those lure anglers who violate the regs or legally hurt
the fishery.

As far as purists using such stuff as Yum and Gulp, I'm not sure what to
say. It's still a huge leap from a live creature to this kind of lure. And I
haven't seen any evidence (yet) that lures with processed live bait and/or
simulated substitutes are more effective than ordinary soft plastics. Where
would a purist have to draw the line in order to maintain her purist status?


"Bob Rickard" wrote in message
m...
As an ardent angler since age 4, for 61 years I have seen fishing go full
circle with respect to live bait fishing.

Being different from most people in most ways, my "fishing thing" has
always been to experiment & observe both fish & other anglers. Fortunately
for me, I never really cared that much about actually catching fish. Often
I could learn more by trying to find out what my prey would not hit during
a heavy feed. I mainly fished artificials, but I never had any qualms
about using live bait in appropriate situations; live bait does not make
success automatic... I've frequently seen great anglers catch zilch on
live bait.

Today, we have definitely come full circle. I've been laughing for some
time at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of
live bait, would spend all their time fishing little other than modern
chemical plastic clones like Yum, Gulp & all the others on the market
today, many of which actually contain processed live bait or simulated
substitutes. Regardless what you choose to call that stuff, folks, you
ain't no purist any more!

Bob Rickard
.................................................. ........................................

On 27 Sep 2006 15:04:49 GMT, Scott Seidman
wrote:

"Bob Rickard" wrote in
om:

at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of live
bait,


I'm no purist, but I can tell you that it doesn't take many irresponsible
users of live bait to do some incredibly nasty bucket biology. Live bait
is the strongest suspect for the introduction of the Round Gobi to the
Great Lakes, for example. If you do use live bait, make sure you know the
rules.

Sitting in line waiting for the ferry across Lake Wisconsin at
Merrimac, WI I was too far away to stop a guy from dumping a minnow
bucket with what looked like at least a couple dozen minnows into the
water. I caught up with him as he walked back to his vehicle and
asked if he realized what he had just done was a bad practice. He
hemmed and hawed on about how it doesn't matter. I tried to explain
and he started to walk away. Another guy that was watched told him
you should be fined for doing what you just did. The guy scurried
away a little faster after that.

Most, well, a large number of people do not realize what they are
doing is wrong. Too many people do not read the regs when they buy
their fishing permit.

Marty, all that counts is having fun in a way that YOU enjoy, and not
lousing up the environment at the same time. My point is that the "purist"
concept is a personal thing that differs with each of us, so why worry about
it.

Bob
.................................................. .................................................. ........

"Marty" wrote in message
...
I never use live bait, not because I look down on it, but because I don't
enjoy it. Apparently my goal is not to catch bass by whatever means
available, but to catch them while using artificials. I don't know if that
makes me a "purist" or not, but I never criticize anyone who enjoys using
bait. However, based on many years of shore fishing at many different
locations, it is apparent that bait fishermen are much, much more likely to
violate regulations concerning size and creel limits, as well as closed
seasons. But I have no problem with responsible bait fishermen and I have a
major problem with those lure anglers who violate the regs or legally hurt
the fishery.

As far as purists using such stuff as Yum and Gulp, I'm not sure what to
say. It's still a huge leap from a live creature to this kind of lure. And
I haven't seen any evidence (yet) that lures with processed live bait
and/or simulated substitutes are more effective than ordinary soft
plastics. Where would a purist have to draw the line in order to maintain
her purist status?


"Bob Rickard" wrote in message
m...
As an ardent angler since age 4, for 61 years I have seen fishing go full
circle with respect to live bait fishing.

Being different from most people in most ways, my "fishing thing" has
always been to experiment & observe both fish & other anglers.
Fortunately for me, I never really cared that much about actually
catching fish. Often I could learn more by trying to find out what my
prey would not hit during a heavy feed. I mainly fished artificials, but
I never had any qualms about using live bait in appropriate situations;
live bait does not make success automatic... I've frequently seen great
anglers catch zilch on live bait.

Today, we have definitely come full circle. I've been laughing for some
time at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of
live bait, would spend all their time fishing little other than modern
chemical plastic clones like Yum, Gulp & all the others on the market
today, many of which actually contain processed live bait or simulated
substitutes. Regardless what you choose to call that stuff, folks, you
ain't no purist any more!

Bob Rickard
.................................................. ........................................

Bob, this isn't a response to you specifically, just a few experiences I
have had on this topic.

Truthfully the term "Purist" comes from Fly Fisherman more than anyone
else, in the fishing areas I frequent, and to be fair those areas are
the Tributaries from Northern Indiana to Upper Michigan along the Coast
of Lake Michigan and is not to degrade fly fisherman as a whole. I
personally love to fly fish, but to me it is inefficient, but exciting
at the same time. I think the term "purist" is ridiculous and elitist
when used in a context of contrasting fishing methods. Be it live bait,
artificial lures (Plastics, crankbaits..etc), flies, and so on.
I have been called a "bait tosser" (very negative) by Fly fisherman
while fishing a hole on a river I frequent. Which I do not understand
because I am standing there with a $350 Float reel (made by the same
manufacturer of very high end fly reels), a Custom Float rod, 2lb
Fluorocarbon with a #14 hook and a single egg under a float. Is it
because I call my float a "float" instead of a strike indicator, and
because my egg is real instead of a plastic bead? I won't apologize for
wanting to sit in a hole and catch every single fish that swims through
it. I also wouldn't balk at a fly fisherman walking in behind me and
kicking my butt! Or a spoon fisherman doing the same. We are all there
for the same reason, to catch fish if you don't like the way I do it,
that is great, don't do it.
When I am bass fishing I use artificial lures because to me it is more
efficient than any other method. I do prefer live bait when fishing for
bluegill, crappie, catfish and Walleye. I do not think it is unfair
that Walleye fisherman get to use live bait in tournaments and bass
fisherman do not. The fish are so different, and if I fished a Walleye
tournament, there is no doubt in my mind I would use live bait.
So what is my point? My point is that who cares how we achieve results
as long as we stay within the limits of the rules and regulations. If
they allowed me to use live bait in a bass tournament, there would be
instances where I would use it, but it would be rare. The bottom line
is we are always going to have a few bad apples to do break the rules,
but it is the same with guns, sports, business, and life in general.
Does it **** me off when someone tramples through a run I am fishing or
runs their boat over a hump I am fishing?? Hell yes I do, but I don't
care if they are using live bait, fly fishing, spoon tossing, flipping a
jig, it is still going to **** me off :-).

Just some of my thoughts, I think the Aderall must have kicked in.
Chris
Bob Rickard wrote:
As an ardent angler since age 4, for 61 years I have seen fishing go full
circle with respect to live bait fishing.

Being different from most people in most ways, my "fishing thing" has always
been to experiment & observe both fish & other anglers. Fortunately for me,
I never really cared that much about actually catching fish. Often I could
learn more by trying to find out what my prey would not hit during a heavy
feed. I mainly fished artificials, but I never had any qualms about using
live bait in appropriate situations; live bait does not make success
automatic... I've frequently seen great anglers catch zilch on live bait.

Today, we have definitely come full circle. I've been laughing for some time
at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of live bait,
would spend all their time fishing little other than modern chemical plastic
clones like Yum, Gulp & all the others on the market today, many of which
actually contain processed live bait or simulated substitutes. Regardless
what you choose to call that stuff, folks, you ain't no purist any more!

Bob Rickard
.................................................. .........................................

After reading all of these replies, it occurs to me that people really do
not "get" the concept of fishing.

Fishing, in its most basic definition is a person trying to catch a fish. It
doesn't matter how it's done... the end result is the same; there is a fish
on/in the plate/creel/stringer/counter or whatever method you want to use to
tally your catch at the end of the day.

Hope you have enjoyed my wisdom for the day.

Charles "I could really use a day on the water myself" Summers


"Bob Rickard" wrote in message
m...
As an ardent angler since age 4, for 61 years I have seen fishing go full
circle with respect to live bait fishing.

Being different from most people in most ways, my "fishing thing" has
always been to experiment & observe both fish & other anglers. Fortunately
for me, I never really cared that much about actually catching fish. Often
I could learn more by trying to find out what my prey would not hit during
a heavy feed. I mainly fished artificials, but I never had any qualms
about using live bait in appropriate situations; live bait does not make
success automatic... I've frequently seen great anglers catch zilch on
live bait.

Today, we have definitely come full circle. I've been laughing for some
time at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of
live bait, would spend all their time fishing little other than modern
chemical plastic clones like Yum, Gulp & all the others on the market
today, many of which actually contain processed live bait or simulated
substitutes. Regardless what you choose to call that stuff, folks, you
ain't no purist any more!

Bob Rickard
.................................................. ........................................

Shouldn't you be signing your name, "Charles 'my wife says no, I can't go
fishing with you today' Summers."

Joe
----------------------
"Charles B. Summers" wrote in message
. ..
After reading all of these replies, it occurs to me that people really do
not "get" the concept of fishing.

Fishing, in its most basic definition is a person trying to catch a fish. It
doesn't matter how it's done... the end result is the same; there is a fish
on/in the plate/creel/stringer/counter or whatever method you want to use to
tally your catch at the end of the day.

Hope you have enjoyed my wisdom for the day.

Charles "I could really use a day on the water myself" Summers


"Bob Rickard" wrote in message
m...
As an ardent angler since age 4, for 61 years I have seen fishing go full
circle with respect to live bait fishing.

Being different from most people in most ways, my "fishing thing" has
always been to experiment & observe both fish & other anglers. Fortunately
for me, I never really cared that much about actually catching fish. Often
I could learn more by trying to find out what my prey would not hit during
a heavy feed. I mainly fished artificials, but I never had any qualms
about using live bait in appropriate situations; live bait does not make
success automatic... I've frequently seen great anglers catch zilch on
live bait.

Today, we have definitely come full circle. I've been laughing for some
time at the self-appointed "purists" who, while demeaning the users of
live bait, would spend all their time fishing little other than modern
chemical plastic clones like Yum, Gulp & all the others on the market
today, many of which actually contain processed live bait or simulated
substitutes. Regardless what you choose to call that stuff, folks, you
ain't no purist any more!

Bob Rickard
.................................................. ........................................