Fishing with Artificial Bait, No Hooks, Etc.?

KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Hello again, everyone,

I have a few questions about using artificial bait, fishing without hooks (if that's possible), and any other alternative ways to fish besides putting a live worm or a cricket on a hook. I am pretty new to fishing and yesterday, after I got a bamboo pole with a line and a hook and a floater (?? the thing that bobs on top of the water and you can move up and down the line...see, I don't even know all the right terms yet, forgive me, please) and some live bait (crickets and redworms), I tried to go fishing, but I just could not put the worm on the hook. I had a very emotional response to it. I know it's probably silly, but I now know that I will not be using live bait in the future. Which brings me to my questions:

I've heard mentioned elsewhere that you can buy artificial bait and use that instead and that you can even fish without a hook. Can anyone point me in the right direction for that? What else can you use besides a hook? I'm a total beginner, so I don't think fly fishing will be on my horizon for now. The closest fishing hole to me, a local reservoir, has crappie, sunfish, catfish, and largemouth bass in it. Would artificial bait work for any of those?

I'm going now to try putting some (dead) raw shrimp I got from the grocery store on my hook and see if I can catch anything with that. Any advice would be very welcome. Thank you!
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
I want to at least try before I give up. I used to fish as a kid with one of my aunts, had no problems. I'm not so concerned about killing and cleaning the fish. Just the idea of the live worm or cricket on the hook felt like torture. But I'll certainly be thinking about if this is the right thing for me or not.
 
Eric Revo

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Try the various Gulp baits for the fish you are targeting, they don't feel a thing and the fish love them.
 
woodmoose

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
fishing without a hook? they tried that in the back to BC comic strip,,,,"rats, swollowed my line",,,,,,

but seriously, the only way to fish without a hook is with a net or a fish trap of some sort,,,,well grappling as well,,,we used to club suckers when they ran up the small creeks as netting wasn't allowed (trout streams),,,,,,

also - if you can't impale a worm on a hook, why would you want to impale a poor fish with one, articifial or not?
 
Mr.Gadget

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Will you be able to cut the fish head off and pull the guts out if you having a problem putting a worm on a hook?
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
I did it! With a hook and some raw shrimp. Caught my first fish just a bit ago! I may not be able to impale worms, but I CAN catch fish with a hook! I put it in a Ziploc bag with some ice in the fridge just now while I look up how to clean and gut it. Thank you for all the replies! :) Here are my pics. Is this a bluegill?
 

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Eric Revo

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
That is a bream(brim) unless you live above the Mason-Dixon line...then it's a sunfish or bluegill. ;)
A bit of House Autry and some hot peanut oil and you're in business.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
Glad you caught something. I like to eat fish. I would rather turn worms, insects and small fish into more fish, than eat them. If you can justify hooking and catching a fish, it is just a mind block about using live bait. Happy fish and wish you luck.
 
lasttombstone

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Just for information, was that where your cork was originally or did it slide down the line after you hooked your fish?
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Yes, I just had it rigged the way it came. I'm still learning how to do all this stuff. I just sort of cast the line into the water and watched the shrimp and line sink down while the cork stayed floating on the water. How do you peg it?

And this is a bream (brim) from now on. :)
 
nccatfisher

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
KrisB said:
Yes, I just had it rigged the way it came. I'm still learning how to do all this stuff. I just sort of cast the line into the water and watched the shrimp and line sink down while the cork stayed floating on the water. How do you peg it?

And this is a bream (brim) from now on. :)
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You take that black piece out at the top and run the line through the cork itself, then you stick that black "peg" back in it to set the depth you want to fish, thus the term "pegged". You can also go to WalMart and buy bobber stoppers and put them on your line above the cork (float) if you are fishing deeper than your rod is long and it will stop your cork (float) at whatever depth you have it set. I use them on very large floats for catfishing where I am using bream for bait about the size you caught today.
 
pattersonj11

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I can relate in a way, but different. I have no emotion on fish or bait.

I used to shoot a deer and not think twice. Now i rarely shoot and definitely consider the animal more.
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Just wanted to give y'all an update about that bream: It became the most delicious fish and potatoes I have ever had! Now I just have to find a good recipe for the fish head....:p
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
pattersonj11 said:
I can relate in a way, but different. I have no emotion on fish or bait.

I used to shoot a deer and not think twice. Now i rarely shoot and definitely consider the animal more.
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pattersonj11, did anything change or happen that got you to think differently about the deer? Or was it just time going by and your perspective changing?
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Blackwater said:
Good job KrisB, and as a suggestion you might try finding someone to mentor you on the many facets of a fine pastime. Keep at it; I admire your pluck.
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Thanks for the suggestion, Blackwater! Yes, I do need to find a fishing mentor somewhere around here. Unfortunately, seems there are way more golfers here than fisherpeople. Going to ask around at work and see if anybody fishes or knows someone who does. :)
 
stilker

stilker

Old Mossy Horns
KrisB said:
Thanks for the suggestion, Blackwater! Yes, I do need to find a fishing mentor somewhere around here. Unfortunately, seems there are way more golfers here than fisherpeople. Going to ask around at work and see if anybody fishes or knows someone who does. :)
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In your profile I see youre in Sotherm Pines,you might try reservoir park near the airport or lake Luke Marion in Carthage,I'm sure you would find people at both spots willing to give you some tips,good luck.
 
Helium

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
I feel sorry for deer so I like to bring them in where it’s warm... right next to the mashed potatoes
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Next time you should use worms and look at it like this. You use a worm to catch a fish. Person consumes fish. Upon death, human returns to ground and eaten by said worms. It is the circle of life.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
Recipe for the fish head, how about the whole fish? After scaling the fish, split the fish from the front of the gills to the anus(ventral) side. Remove gills, throat, air bladder and other organs. Take fresh(green) rosemary and put in the cavity and grill the fish. I worked on the west coast of Italy and this is how the locals there prepared fish. It was/is delicious. I use olive oil and rosemary on all my grilled fish since.
 
KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
DRS said:
Recipe for the fish head, how about the whole fish? After scaling the fish, split the fish from the front of the gills to the anus(ventral) side. Remove gills, throat, air bladder and other organs. Take fresh(green) rosemary and put in the cavity and grill the fish. I worked on the west coast of Italy and this is how the locals there prepared fish. It was/is delicious. I use olive oil and rosemary on all my grilled fish since.
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This sounds awesome! I will definitely try it out the next time I snag a fish! :)
 
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