Live or Artificial Fishing Bait

Live or artificial bait is a common debate fisherman have. As a person who loves the outdoors I have used both. I will say that fake bait offers opportunities to not worry about storage and use of a retractable pole to fish anywhere almost anytime without preparation. Yet, fake bait has some limitations so consider the different options.

Live Bait: Is natural and attracts fish through smell.

In my experience I have caught more fish off of live bait then fake bait. Yet this depends on what type of fishing you are doing and in what conditions. If the water is murky and you need to attract fish then live bait may not be your best option. However, if you are fishing under normal circumstances live bait seems to attract more fish. There is a reason why commercial fisherman use live bait.

-Natural and gets more bites.
-Smell attracts fish
-Relatively cheap
-Needs storage
-Higher "bit" rate

Artificial Bait: It is easy for fish to detect and can be taken anywhere.

Fake bait can be bought for a few dollars and doesn't need a refrigerator or other cooling method. You can throw it in your tackle box and not worry about it. Likewise, fake bait is often colorful and can attract fish in a way that natural bait can't. Unfortunately, not all fish that see the bait will take a bite at it. I can only assume they can determine the difference between real and fake.

-No storage needed.
-Can use anywhere
-Easy for fish to see.
-Can be used over and over.