By Capt. Ric Liles
Fishing Columnist
A client recently asked if I ever used artificial bait. While a majority of my guided trips are with live bait, I enjoy fishing with artificial baits more. I grew up fishing with nothing else tied on the end of the line.
On average, live bait produces more fish than artificial baits, but sometimes it’s more about the challenge. I think that is one of the attractions people get with fly-fishing.
As we talked about different lures I was also asked about choosing one bait to fish with in a tournament. That would depend on the target species, but I think the most versatile artificial bait for me would be one of the Berkley Gulp products.
They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. My personal favorite is the four-inch shrimp in the new penny color scheme. I have caught just about everything that Tampa Bay has to offer with this bait.
This line of baits can be fished in a variety of ways from jigging to dead-sticking, which is casting bait to the desired location and leaving it there. This can be productive, but boring.
Jigging is a lot more fun. Even though these baits would be my choice they are not my favorite artificial lures.
My favorite lure is the Zara Spook. It’s not always the most productive lure in the tackle box, but no one can argue the intensity of the strike it entices. When worked correctly with the “walking the dog” technique you can get some of the greatest top water action around.
I think the fun with a Zara Spook is the strike. These baits can cause such violent bites that an angler can be startled by the eruption on the surface of the water. They normally do not produce as many fish, but the ones they do produce bring better memories.
If you have never used either one of these baits, give them a try. I think you will have fun and catch some nice fish in the process. Until next time, good luck and be safe on the water. Remember: don’t let your kids be the ones that got away, take them fishing.
