Thread: Top 10 Artificial Bream Baits

Originally Posted by WRHaynes

Ok, I've seen tons of ideas like the norm worms, crickets, maggots, meal worms, wax worms, night crawlers, corn, etc, etc, etc, I'm looking for the top 10 best store-bought artificial baits. Stuff that you've used and tested, and have bought from a commercial entity [or someone from here who still sales :D]. I've seen tons of info on live bait, and there has been some very interesting things, but I'm looking strictly for your top 10 artificial bates for bream. Thanks for all, I look forward to some interesting and insightful posts as usual.
-Bill

This jig (On my business card) in a 1/64th in my opinion is best. Of course I make it and use it myself. That is why I believe in it.

Originally Posted by DENNIS BOWERS

Bill, I too use 1/64 & 1/124 oz. jigs. Using soime right now tied by Ship! Seem to be good Jigs!!

I try and put out a great, durable, long lasting product at an affordable price. I use only one standard...If I was down to my last dollar, would I buy my jig to go and catch a lot of fish, or go and buy one fish sandwich.

I'd buy my jig and go fishing, come home and make up several sandwiches. I thank you. I appreciate the shoutout.

I have been doing real good with my jigs I tie in 1/64oz with a #8 hook. I also love to use small ice jigs tipped with a little wedgie. Beatle spins, small jigs and twisters, mini mites. All work good for me.

Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Good luck to you! My records for the past year or so show live bait with about a 10-1 advantage over artificials. I'd love to find an artificial that's as good as the real thing. Be sure to share if you find one!

I can definitely vouch for similar catch ratios, my main interest, that being said, is that nearly always, the quality of the fish I catch with artificial bait far out weigh those with live bait. Seems any bream will bite a nice fat mealworm etc, but the larger, nicer sized bream will hit the aritificial bait most often. deathbydisco do you agree?

Thanks for the great ideas, keep them coming, I've got a nice list going of new things to check out this weekend :D, I'm just looking for a good excuse to burn up a new gift card :D.

Originally Posted by WRHaynes

Seems any bream will bite a nice fat mealworm etc, but the larger, nicer sized bream will hit the aritificial bait most often. deathbydisco do you agree?

The size of most artificials screens out a lot of the little guys. Plus, I think bigger gills tend to eat a lot of small minnows and fish fry. Artificial baits like marabou jigs and beetle spins do a good job of imitating them. So yeah, I do agree that artificials will generally produce bigger fish on average. That being said, my biggest bluegill (11") and my biggest shellcracker (12") were both taken on live bait.

On the other hand, if you catch a lot of fish, the law of averages says you will catch some bigger ones, too if that body of water supports a good population of big fish. That's been my general philosophy on panfishing: catch a lot of fish, and the big ones will come.

Being a bluegill fanatic, I have collected several "big bluegill" articles over the years. (My oldest is from a 1975 edition of Fishing Facts.) The only artificial baits I can remember being mentioned are: beetle spins, nymphs and small marabou jigs. All the articles were heavily live bait-oriented, though.

Ship, got your mail today. I'm gonna photo them and place some in your card. Be on the lookout for an email from me. What did you think of the card I sent you?

Originally Posted by sac-a-lait

Ship, got your mail today. I'm gonna photo them and place some in your card. Be on the lookout for an email from me. What did you think of the card I sent you?

I was astonished when I got your business cards. They are the MOST DURABLE and FIRST TWO SIDED card I have ever seen in my 62 years here on this earth and that says a mouthful. When I sold for IBM or when I was a principal, I would get about 200 different cards a week from prospective clients or businesses the school could network with. YOUR CARD is the most impressive one I have ever seen.

I was feeling real down today. I went to apply for Social Security Retirement only to find out that my retirement benefits would be reduced 50% because I was receiving a pension from working with the public schools. They call it a "Windfall Elimination Provision. If you work for a government agency or for the State then the pension you get based upon that work reduces your social security benefits.

Like I said I was down when I got back home so I went to the water to look and to just meditate. When I got back home I saw this thread.

http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...456#post350456

QUOTE: "After years of using jigs to catch Crappie, this summer I decided to try them on Panfish! I tried all kinds of store bought jigs but was always dissapointed in their ability to hold up!I know there are all kinds of quality jigs on here so I started looking. I liked the looks of the the clouser style made by shipahoy41 so I ordered a dozen.I"m glad to say I still have 10,lost 2 on snags! Of the 10-10 still look good! They seem to be a high quality product at a good price. You panfish guys check them-No disrespect to anyone else intended,I plan on trying some others also. I beleive a Quality product deserves the same praise as a bad one needs condemd! Keep up the good work Ship!!"
-Dennis Bowers-

God is good! My spirits were just lifted up!

Thank you Rick and Dennis. I am honored to call you my friends.

I fish the Cape Fear river along the NC Coast. I use Panther Martin In-line spinners. If I am not catching fish on them, they are not biteing. I also use my handmade jigs. Red tails for gills.