Live bait fishermen find lock-jaw at our lake all the time, they can't figure out why minnows won't work on Crappie, especially in the summer, or late Fall....when you have a lake that is built and based on gizzard shad, that should be a clue!
Also live bait Lock-jaw happens in the Summer due to Crappie feeding and gorging at night on the flats, so they can suspend during the heat of the day and conserve energy...I always find it hard to understand why people, at our lake, who tell me they know and understand a fish, will continue to get skunked day in and day out by fishing at the wrong times and using the wrong bait....I think "when you continue to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result", that is considered INSANITY!
Yes you can go out every day and catch a Sunfish on a waxworm, mealworm, or cricket, but Crappie can get just alittle more picky!
Again, I'll agree with you...there are ALOT of CHEAP and WORTHLESS Plastics out there, they are produced to entice the fisherman to buy them, so the Company, makes a buck! It helps the company even more when a celebrity, or Pro, hawks them!
But, a fisherman that understands the species he is targeting, and has found a GOOD Plastic that he understands and is comfortable with, will catch just as many, or more than a live bait fisherman throughout the year...and spend less money, so he can buy other gear!
Another Big misconception, that people have, is that Plastics fishing is easier than live bait fishing?? I guess that comes from Live Bait fishermen having to put bait on all the time and throwing it out, and then waiting for the live bait to draw in and attract the prey fish, so the fish eats something that it normally eats anyway! So the most work is what....putting bait on???
This is why the argument on which is better will never end!lol
I enjoy taking a inanimate, synthetic, man-made object, that I chose (for many reasons)...and using my knowledge and techniques, make it become alive and mimic something that gets a fish to react, and makes it want to EAT this lump of plastisol!
And the best part is, that we all know how to live bait fish, and we prefer to do this...or partially do this....and we would take the time, to help anyone who does not know, and wants to learn, how to fish like this...if they wanted to!
I am Lucky here where I live, our lake has probably 10 FULL SERVICE bait shops surrounding our town, but we also have many lakes, rivers, and streams, Pits, and Ponds, in our area....the Marina at our home lake has a bait store that carries anything and everything, plus has a restaurant, etc....and it continues to make money!