should live bait be allowed in trout Derby's?

[slow rollin]

After some heated discussion with several people my question is how do you guys and girls feel about people using live bait during these trout Derby's? Also do you feel it gives an unfair advantage to people doing it? Thanks for your input.

[bondouley]

being a guy who use to fish this derby i have no problem with people using live bait simply because everyone can use it.  If you or anyone feels that live bait is unfair then you can just change your approach to use live bait.  Its only unfair if that style of fishing isnt open to everyone.

[fisherdude]

i am fine with it I used sawbellys this weekend also. when I stop to get bait there was a young lad and his mom getting bellys. they were going to sit on shore and fish the derby . I have a ton of money into fishing equipment, they can go fishing for next to nothing and have a good time doing so with out boats and what not

[hermit]

being a guy who use to fish this derby i have no problem with people using live bait simply because everyone can use it.  If you or anyone feels that live bait is unfair then you can just change your approach to use live bait.  Its only unfair if that style of fishing isnt open to everyone.

Exactly! How can it be unfair if everyone is allowed to use it? And bait doesn't always outproduce anyway. Anyone that thinks bait is a magic answer needs to fish more and find out it isn't true.

Edited May 31, 2016 by hermit

[Skidplate]

Sore losers lol.May I ask why they don't think it should be used?

[slow rollin]

Well I wouldn't go throwing stones lets keep it classy people or not comment at all. I don't personally use live bait nor do I have a problem with others using it. But it seems some people do. The reason for this topic is to gather info based on opinions not to bash anyone. If you can't be nice keep your opinion to yourself please.

[Hookedup]

It's a Derby not a tournament anytime it's a one fish Derby alot of luck is involved. As far as Bait if it's legal use it. If you can't beat them join them and learn how to fish bait. I like tournaments where you have to have a mixed box of fish a little less luck involved. One of those deals if the guys complaining don't like the rules don't fish it. Sean

[Bigfoot]

Back in the day there were many hundreds of people fishing bait in this and other finger lakes derbies, but trollers and jiggers still managed to be competitive. From my experience, I can say that often it's the same bait fishermen that are successful, just like some select trollers seem to consistently rise to the top. Luck helps, but nothing replaces skill.

[pvelyk]

No big deal from my side.  Like everyone has said anybody can do it so it maybe the most fair way of doing a tournament.    Add to that every style of fishing has it's good and bad aspects.  For example, trolling covers way more water to find active and feeding fish than live bait does. Live bait maybe more effective on finicky neutral or negative fish.  Part of the skill of fishing is figuring out the best way to fish each day.  Whether it's what color, what size, speed, depth, live bait or artificial, leadcore, copper, float, bottom bouncing.  Best fisherman figure out how to adapt to what's most effective each day. 

[BSmaster]

bass (mostly tournament) fishermen refer to it as cheating. 

 

I catch all of my largemouth on artificial bait and almost all of my smallmouths on live bait (because of where I fish for them).  I have been outfished by the guy next to me who has been using artificials while I painstakingly wait for something to eat a minnow and vice versa.  It is called fishing.  I have yet to see a magic bait - live or imitation that is infallible.  When the bite is hott, I prefer to go with artifical so I can catch quicker and get back into the strike zone.

 

Whether you set the rules to be competitive or fair they are still rules.  Sounds like sour grapes and another good reason why I do not fish tournies.  I hear numerous stories of guys saying how much fun they had fishing "a" tourny and then I hear these kinds of stories.  It is kinda depressing.  The only unfair advantage any of us have is the experience we have on the water.  Can't legislate that.

[Nautitroller]

being a guy who use to fish this derby i have no problem with people using live bait simply because everyone can use it. If you or anyone feels that live bait is unfair then you can just change your approach to use live bait. Its only unfair if that style of fishing isnt open to everyone.

Well said! The guys that won this past weekend are very good at what they do. Find em to catchem, they put a lot of time in, congratulations to them!

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[letsfish2day]

Its a fishing derby...not a trolling derby...funny thing is on our boat we talked about how slow it was trolling and one of the guys said somebody would probably win it with live bait...guess we should have tried it...just not my thing...congrats to everyone on the leader board...we caught a lot of fish Saturday just no size

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[hermit]

bass (mostly tournament) fishermen refer to it as cheating.

Well tournament bass guys are a different animal, of course they'd refer to it as cheating. Look at them and their boats, you can't make much money selling bait or plastering "SAWBELLY" all over your boat

Edited May 31, 2016 by hermit

[alex1young]

Agreed, I have no issue with Live Bait fishing.  Helps level the playing field IMO.  Gives the folks without the cash to afford all of our expensive trolling gear a chance to win.  

[lakebound88]

This a real question?

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[Sk8man]

I think most of the folks out there would agree that  first of all it is a long standing trout derby and before I had a boat and was into trolling I fished it from shore with live bait and then from a buddy's boat still fishing with live bait then into trolling and my own boat. It is a very successful method of fishing for trout especially large ones.  Still fishing and jigging by knowledgeable fishermen are usually the most effective ways to catch them  once fish are located and if it came down to having to survive by catching fish that is what I'd be doing. The derby for my son and I represents a tradition over many years and the fun for us is bonding and doing diverse things and trying new methods and lures and traveling through different water and the excitement of hearing the drag go out not knowing what might be on the other end. I have spent many many hours sitting on shore and also from a boat waiting for the line to go out with live bait and having to frequently have to let down and pull up your anchor a million times trying to connect with the fish. To me it is a very boring way to fish these days. For those who consider it unfair I would relate what a lady (non fisherperson) once said to me back in the 70's at a a lunch ramp on Seneca when she saw my new Heath Kit graph recorder in my little 13 ft. Whaler - "That is so unfair... those fish don't have a chance and you should be ashamed of yourself"  (true story).  This was not a trollers derby pure and simple but not everyone out there a has a boat or the necessary equipment  to fish the way many of us prefer to do. In the past folks including kids have placed in the derby with fish caught from shore or docks along the lake shore (e.g. seawall at north end etc. using live bait and they have just as much right as anyone to fish with their preferred or in some cases only method to have a chance of catching something so the issue isn't  limited to just experienced fishermen using live bait to "get the upper hand" on trollers. Everyone deserves a chance if they put up their money and this is truly in the spirit of this particular derby it is often a family event not a highly competitive formal "tournament".

Edited May 31, 2016 by Sk8man

[slow rollin]

Well again I must say that this has nothing to do with Barney and bears Derby or Seneca Derby. This was a conversation I had back in April with a few guys. But of coarse people have to make it ugly. Just figured it would be a good topic to discuss. Guess I was incorrect thinking people could voice opinions without throwing stones..

[Bada Bing]

What stones?

[Sk8man]

It certainly wasn't and isn't my intention in the above post.

[Silver Fox]

Dude, I don't see anyone here throwing stones. It's actually very civil because this is a non issue. If that weekend is open for me next year maybe I'll swing down and fish this.

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[Hookedup]

Unless some post were deleted I see no problems above

[spoonfed-1]

Well again I must say that this has nothing to do with Barney and bears Derby or Seneca Derby. This was a conversation I had back in April with a few guys. But of coarse people have to make it ugly. Just figured it would be a good topic to discuss. Guess I was incorrect thinking people could voice opinions without throwing stones..

 

You might have some issues.

[lakebound88]

I didn't see where it was made ugly, my intention with my statement, was that in fact you stated these Derby's, not that you or someone had issues with use of live bait. Personally, I see no issue. Maybe you should of chimed in on why its unfair if that's even possible.... the question you asked got answers, answers as vague as your original question.

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[Sk8man]

My comment was directed  specifically to the Seneca derby that ended yesterday and because many of the money fish were caught with iive bait (the winning brown still had the hook snell in his mouth when I saw him) so I naturally thought you were referring to that . I guess sometimes it helps to carefully pose your question so that folks don't misunderstand. This is a lot of potential drama about nothing and as Nick mentioned the vagueness of the question may be the problem here.

[slow rollin]

Maybe just an inability to understand the question. It was just to discuss the issue. I was curious to see how big of an issue it was if at all. Not for people to start calling people sore losers. The discussion I had was well before any (Derby's) this season.